Student shares last night with group Ladies First

Senior Ashley Toole stood with 12 young ladies, six to each side. In her Act II outfit, a black dress and heels with her red hair lying straight over her shoulders, she sang as a member of IU female a cappella group Ladies First for her last time as a college student.

Toole led the group’s only original song, titled “Ladies First.” Gathering all alumni in attendance onto the Buskirk-Chumley Theater’s stage, Toole sang a goodbye to her fellow singers and friends.

“This I know, we might move on from here, but I want to thank you, thank you, thank you, for I have nothing to fear,” she sang.

Friday’s concert was the first with all 13 members in attendance this semester.
Ladies First began in 1999 and supports numerous organizations and foundations.

During this performance, the group received donations for Girls Inc. of Monroe County. Girls Inc. is a nonprofit organization that inspires all girls to be strong, smart and bold through a network of local organizations in the United States and Canada, according
to its website.

“This show is better than our last one,” sophomore Kelly Fritz said during intermission. “It’s going by much quicker too.”

The five-man a cappella group A Train opened for Ladies First on Friday. Wearing suit jackets, jeans and T-shirts, the members sang five pop song arrangements in their business-casual attire before Ladies First appeared in reds, oranges and pinks for the first act.

The show was called No Joke because of the April Fool’s Day performance date. Throughout the performance, the tight-knit a cappella group shared pranks they performed on each other and even attempted to prank the audience.

With a pogo stick and tricycle, the girls said they formed a team for the upcoming Little 500 race.

“We thought the pogo thing would be funnier,” sophomore Jasmine Murphy said. “I could see my mom, though. She was like, ‘Eh.’ We thought it was
funny though.”

The girls’ friendships with each other shined through in all of their songs in what junior Abby Kunkel called a “mini-sorority.” Ladies First even cried as Toole sang her last song.

“Tears were shed before the show,” freshman Kiotta Marshall said during intermission. “Even in the other dressing room now, they’re getting emotional because this is Ashley’s last show.”

Friday’s performance being her last show made the red-headed Toole more fiery than ever. She sang “Right to Be Wrong,” “Forget You” and “Ladies First.”

“You’ve been my friend, and I will love on you ’til the very end,” she sang. “This I know, you’ve seen my best and my worst, but I want to thank you for putting
ladies first.”