By GINNY COOPER / Staff writer

MONTEVALLO – Purple ended Gold’s three-year winning streak Saturday, Feb. 8, at the University of Montevallo’s College Night.

College night, continuous since its commencement in 1919, is an intramural competition in which Montevallo students divide into two teams, Purple and Gold, and perform musical productions that are written, choreographed and directed by students.

Cheering is a vital part of the production: Both sides sing songs, chant and yell across the aisles.

Though competition is important in the tradition, school spirit is key.

Michael Tallon, the male leader of the Gold side, stressed that College Night is about “honoring our alumni and our institution” in his opening speech.

“The size of this side (Purple) is a testament to how important College Night is,” Mary Kate McLaurine, the female leader of the Purple side, said.

The Gold production, “Room Service,” was the story of a famous movie star, Tina Lamont, who comes to the Hotel Ponce de Leon to film her next big hit. After her co-star elopes, Lamont and her team decide to hold auditions to find a replacement. Sugar, a beautiful hotel employee with a great voice, seems to be destined for the part until sisters Libby and Eunice McGillicuddy devise a plan to “claw their way to the top.”

In the end, the sisters’ evil plan is discovered and Sugar wins the role.

The Purple performance, “Greek,” is a romantic comedy about a nerdy boy who meets a girl and falls instantly in love. The Greek gods wake up from a long slumber to help the hero win the girl, and hilarity ensues as Hades works to thwart their plan and Dionysus works to aid them.

With a little help from the gods, the couple lives happily ever after and Hades is sentenced to eternal servitude.

Rachael Swokowski, SGA president and emcee of the evening, read “Oh the Places You’ll Go” before she announced that Purple beat Gold for the first time in three years.

The Purple side, who were holding hands on stage in anticipation, ended the night chanting “We’re back, we’re back, we’re back” as they waved copies of The Alabamian announcing their victory.