The lights at DePaul’s Daley Theater in the Loop dimmed, and for the next 40 minutes, animated sketches lit up the screen. 

The Jan. 30 show included a raccoon throwing a tantrum, Tom Cruise doing stunts and a character believing her true love lies in romance simulator games. “Saturday Morning: 2 Funny” is an original animated sketch series created by students in a wide variety of programs like animation, comedy arts, theater, sound design and film. 

“We have done nothing like this in DePaul before,” said Stephanie Posey, a third-year animation student who was part of the show’s crew. The project included a 32-person crew: 19 animators, 10 writers, two sound designers and one cinematographer.

The second annual show included 11 short animations. As each sketch played, the theater erupted with laughter and applause. Ryleigh Deeley, an audience member and third-year film and television major, came to the show for the second year in a row.

“I liked it a lot, so I came back,” said Deeley, who wants to get involved in similar projects.

   This year’s animation project first screened at the Mess Fest Comedy Festival at the Annoyance Theatre in Lakeview with a sold-out venue. Co-creators Adam Cox and Ollie Grishaber, both senior comedy arts majors at The Theatre School at DePaul, came up with the idea when they were sophomores.

“We want to pitch a show that has everything to do with what we like to do,” Grishaber said. “So we went ahead and cultivated an idea for a half-animated, half-comedy sketch performance.”

Grishaber said the comedy arts majors in the crew loved the idea of being voice actors and writing, but there was little connection to the animation major. 

“The Theatre School can be so isolated in its own world,” she said. Girshaber talked to other animation majors, and they felt the same, having their own creative bubble. That led to their collaboration. “These people are doing it out of kindness.” she said, noting that everyone does this not for any kind of pay, but for “the love of the game.”

“It’s passion,” Grishaber said. 

She said the project reflects how many people are so eager to make art that they  are dedicating their free time to this project.  

Planning for this year’s project began in May 2025, starting with storyboards and crews splitting up into teams to come up with concepts.

The sound design, animation, editing and voiceover were all done in the project’s second phase in the fall. 

With the amount of time the crew dedicated, Grishaber said the work is inspiring. 

“We’re definitely seeing a revival, and through this, an emphasis and a newfound belief, like we can do it ourselves and we can make it happen,” she said. “Why can’t we make it happen? We obviously can and will.” 

Posey said this year’s show was larger than it was last year. She also took on more responsibility as the project’s animation production coordinator this year. With a bigger crew and production, Posey said communication was challenging, but she was relieved that everything worked out well, including collaborating with newer students.

 Vivienne Moss, a third-year animation student agreed. 

“It was really cool to see my storyboard animated by someone else,” she said. “They came out really well.” 

Moss led the preproduction phase, making storyboards and character designs on two of the featured shorts.

When asked about their favorite short, Posey replied, “It’s like choosing your favorite child.”

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