If you think you have nothing to do on the weekends this month, think again.

The month of February is highlighted by Varieties, a showcase of Iowa State’s hidden talent.

“The best part is that the skits are all original,” said Heather Behrens, senior in journalism and mass communication, and the 2007 Varieties producer.

A typical Varieties show consists of three categories of entertainment including a large skit, vignettes and sketch comedy by the show’s emcees.

Last week three groups of skits performed and two others will perform at 6:30 and 9 p.m. this Saturday. Following this week’s performances, judges will select the three best skits and three best vignettes to perform at Sweepstakes.

The large skits are 20-minute musicals written, choreographed and directed by students. The song melodies are the only element not created by the participants.

Groups use music by popular artists and show tunes from musicals such as “Footloose” and “Rent” as background music, while words are developed to fit the plot.

Plot lines of skits range from love stories to shows using familiar characters.

“A lot of skits relied on childhood favorites like Disney, cereal characters and games,” Behrens said. “I was amazed at what they put together.”

Alexandra Parades, co-director of the skit “The Games We Play” and junior in art and design, said the desire for originality was what their group was striving for.

“We knew we had a huge cast so we wanted to be completely original,” Parades said. “We thought of board games because it’s something that every genre would love.”

Student talent is also displayed in the form of vignettes.

“A vignette is a smaller act of talent that features different ISU groups. It’s not as intensive or large as a skit,” Behrens said. “It can be anything. We have a lot of dancing and singing this year.”

Campus groups such as Dub H, the hip-hop dance club, and Shy of a Dozen, an a capella group, along with a variety of other dance and vocal acts will be competing for the vignette’s highest honor this year.

Both the vignettes and skits compete for a trophy prize, which is awarded in a ceremony after the final sweepstakes show.

One aspect that changed for Varieties 2007 is the role of the emcees. Previously, different sketch comedy groups competed to be the emcee at sweepstakes. This year, groups auditioned and only one performs at all three shows.

Also this year, four men and one woman make up the group Four Engineers and the Girl They Could Never Get.

“They are kind of like the host of the Emmy Awards, how they do different skits while they host the show,” Behrens said.

Daniel Jorgensen, graduate student in materials science and engineering, said that late nights and energy drinks were the key to coming up with skit ideas.

“It was hard to write out what we wanted to,” Jorgensen said. “We had to make sure what was in our heads was actually funny.”

The emcees follow a trend throughout the show.

“They make up skits that have to do with Iowa State and ISU traditions,” Behrens said.

Varieties has been running for many years as a way for students to enjoy their weekends and witness their classmates’ talent. Though it’s 76 years later, the intention of entertaining the crowd remains the same.

Parades hopes to give the audience a show they will love.

“We want the audience and the judges to think as highly about our skit as we do,” Parades said.

Students representing Iowa State’s Dance Marathon will be the intermission entertainment. At that time donations will be accepted for the Children’s Miracle Network.

“First off, people should come see the show because it’s wicked funny. Secondly, people should come because you can come do the Dance Marathon morale dance one more time and donate to the kids,” Jorgensen said. “And that’s really cool.”