SNL Sketch: Eccentric High School Theater Instructors Cause Chaos in New Cast List Announcement
In a lengthy sketch on Saturday Night Live, Will Ferrell and Molly Shannon portrayed eccentric and mean-spirited high school theater instructors. The sketch follows the anxieties of the theater program's students as they fret over the new cast list for the school production. Jeremy Culhane and Veronika Slowikowska play students in the sketch, with Culhane's character boasting about booking a Cheerios commercial and Slowikowska's character making quirky comments.
One of the highlights of the sketch is Ferrell's character's claim that his "all white" version of The Color Purple is "brave," despite criticism. Kenan Thompson makes a brief appearance as a choreographer, and Marcello Hernández and Kam Patterson reprise their roles as nonchalant high school boys. Molly Shannon's character then enters the scene, dismissing claims of being "too handsy" with the boys and showcasing her tough teaching methods.
Shannon invites featured player Tommy Brennan to demonstrate his vocal range, leading to a comedic moment where she pantomimes giving him a wedgie and cupping his crotch to get him to sing higher. The sketch is a resurrected one that was previously cut for time during Ferrell's last hosting stint in 2019. The reunion of Ferrell and Shannon, both SNL alumni from the mid-90s to the early millennium, adds to the comedic dynamic of the sketch.