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Dear Wharton Friends & Family,

Welcome to the 49th annual Wharton Follies production! Once Upon an MBA invites you into a world where the MBA journey meets fairy tale mischief—complete with twists, turns, and the occasional plot hole. Months of whispered scheming, midnight rehearsals, and far too many WhatsApp messages have led to this moment, and we are beyond excited to share our original musical adventure with you.

Follies is a cherished tradition that reminds us to find humor in the whirlwind of business school. Wharton can feel like an epic quest—seeking the perfect internship, navigating the enchanted maze of pre-recruiting events, dodging dragons (or, more realistically, cold calls), and, of course, securing a Follies ticket (if you’re reading this, congratulations—you’ve completed at least one mission!). As we celebrate our 49th show, we invite you to pause, take it all in, and enjoy the real magic of these two years: the friendships, the unforgettable moments, and the stories we’ll be telling long after graduation.

This year, 90 students brought Once Upon an MBA to life, using their humor, creativity, acting, dancing, musical talents, and impressive ability to function on minimal sleep. They’ve poured their hearts, countless hours, and possibly some sanity into this production—proof that some group projects really do have a happy ending. Our first and biggest thank you goes to them. Our second goes to our friends and families, who supported us even when we vanished into the depths of “Follies stuff” and emerged only with cryptic inside jokes.

And of course, no story is complete without its colorful cast of characters. To the Wharton community, whose antics—intentional or otherwise—provide endless inspiration for Follies, we thank you. Your commitment to being your most authentic (and occasionally ridiculous) selves is what makes this show possible.

A kingdom-sized thank you to the Wharton clubs, faculty, staff, alumni, administrators, and vendors who helped bring this production to life. Special appreciation to our fairy godparents at Annenberg—Virginia, Beth, Jim, Jane, and Tiffany—who answered more emails than any mortal should, and to Monica from Penn Spaces and Event Management for helping us claim space before the undergrads did. And finally, a heroic shoutout to our sponsors, Juno and Playa Bowls—because slaying student loans and staying fueled on acai bowls are essential to any MBA’s success.

We hope you laugh, cheer, and enjoy the magic of tonight’s performance. After all, every great story deserves a legendary audience.

In fairytale and folly,

Wharton Follies

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