While the Penn Band does perform at many events, be it at an athletic contest, a social occasion, or a
televised event, the Band's personality is most visible during halftime performances at football games. In these performances, the Penn Band carries on the Ivy League tradition
(almost 50 years) of incorporating satire into their shows. As the joke that is being read over the stadium's announcement system draws to a conclusion, the Band stops scrambling and subsequently forms the "punchline".
Punchlines take various forms, from block letters to script, from words and numbers to "sketches". The subjects of the Band's jokes are drawn from a number of sources: University officials, public figures, current events, cinema, even the opposing schools' inferior bands. Jokes are usually tied together with themes that are appropriate for the time of year or some other event that may be going on at the time. One thing remains constant, however: the best way to get inside the head of a typical Penn Bando is to read through the collective creative effort of the Band Show
Writing Committee. They are the ones who have authored the halftime scripts which are shown here.
