Stanford Law School alum Felicity Lemon, a Big Law partner and ambitious candidate for the law school’s deanship, was recently found murdered. Hilarity and satire followed in the student-produced SLS Musical, marking its 41st year with a production titled “Only Mergers in the Building,” a nod to Hulu’s popular series “Only Murders in the Building.”
The May 18 event at Dinkelspiel Auditorium saw attendance of more than 600 students, parents, and others, smashing ticket sales records, according to Larkin Levine, JD ’24, head director and one of four executive producers. Levine also portrayed Felicity, the ill-fated dean candidate. “It is a huge lift, but it is just so fun, truly one of the highlights of my time at the law school,” says Angus Livingstone, JD ’25, a producer and co-director.
The core group of 60 students commenced collaboration in the summer of 2023, working through their busy schedules to create, write, choreograph, produce, cast, and direct the nearly three-hour musical. The students craft an original plot annually, writing parodistic lyrics to popular songs. For instance, “I Just Can’t Wait to be King” from The Lion King was cleverly transformed into “I Just Can’t Wait to be Dean.”
Beyond the performance itself, a promo video humorously encapsulates the spirit of the event, depicting a support group for Partners of Law Students Anonymous. In this clip, one significant other laments, “I haven’t felt like more of an outsider than when I asked my partner’s friends from class what a ‘tort’ was… thank goodness they didn’t know either.”
Levine reflects on the abundance of creative talent among the law students, noting that participating in such a production nurtures skills beneficial to legal practice. Executive Producer Ariel Lowrey, JD ’24, highlights the musical’s role in countering the intense and serious nature of law school: “There’s something really nice about having a moment to poke fun at everything, and actually have fun and dedicate your time to something that is not professionally useful in any way.”
However, Levine points out that the skills honed during the MuSLSical – thinking on one’s feet, managing nerves, and commanding an audience – are undeniably useful for an attorney, offering a reprieve from academic rigor while fostering professional growth.
For more information, you can read the full article on the Stanford Law School website.