Monday night started out ominously for members of a Kansas University fraternity and sorority hoping to land a spot in next year’s production of the Rock Chalk Revue.

The limousine bringing the group back to Lawrence after dinner in the Kansas City area had a flat tire, making them late arrivals at Liberty Hall where the five performance teams selected for the annual KU variety show were announced.

Shortly after members of Delta Delta Delta and Sigma Nu had scrambled into their seats, they heard their names called.

“We showed up five minutes before the announcement and we’re in,” exclaimed a breathless Mike Van Moorleghem, a Sigma Nu junior from Omaha, Neb. “We didn’t think we were going to be here.”

Sigma Nu and Delta Delta Delta will now go to work to perfect their skit, which they are calling “Out of Order.”

Dressed in suits and formals, about 80 sorority and fraternity members gathered to find out if they would be performing in the annual revue scheduled for March 11-13 at the Lied Center. They made up 12 paired teams that tried out for the production over the weekend before two panels of judges with no KU affiliations for at least five years.

“They had a hard time deciding,” said Megan Randall, a KU senior from Topeka who is executive producer of the show.

Other teams selected and the titles of their productions:

Joel Worthington, a Kansas University senior from Overland Park, hugs Andrew Kroeker, Overland Park junior, after hearing news that Alpha Chi Omega sorority and Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity were among the five groups chosen Monday at Liberty Hall for next year's Rock Chalk Revue at the Lied Center. Abby Herbert, Overland Park senior, is at right.

• “The Winged Pintos Take Flight,” Alpha Chi Omega and Lambda Chi Alpha.
• “Honey Do,” Kappa Kappa Gamma and Phi Kappa Psi.
• “An Officer and a Gentle Storm,” Pi Beta Phi and Phi Delta Theta.
• “Operation,” Chi Omega and Pi Kappa Phi.

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“They plan every aspect of the show; the script, the music — everything,” Randall said of the students.

The theme for this year’s show is “Close Call.” The living groups started planning their productions after the theme was announced in September.

Members of groups that weren’t selected left quietly and hurriedly after the announcement, some brushing away tears.

Andy Kroeker, a junior from Overland Park, was among those celebrating from the Alpha Chi Omega and Lambda Chi Alpha team.

“This is a great feeling,” Kroeker said. “You work as hard as you can and you get rewarded for it.”

Proceeds from Rock Chalk Revue benefit the United Way of Douglas County.