Kroks Get All-Expense Trip Abroad Next Month

Harvard's oldest a cappella group will head across the Atlantic in November for an all-expense paid trip to London in November, group members confirmed yesterday.

Although performing in five continents every summer and singing in Bermuda during spring break are old news for the Krokodiloes (Kroks), the group rarely travels abroad during the school year, having last gone abroad in the fall of 1991 on a trip to Germany, according to tour manager David M. Orenstein '99.

But when British Airways investors offered to fly the Kroks to London next month, the group could not say no.

One of the Krokodiloes' 100 professional shows last year was at a convention of British Airways investors in Boston. The investors enjoyed the show so much that they invited the 12 Kroks to perform for them again--in London.

The group will go to London on Wednesday, Nov. 13, and return on Saturday, Nov. 16, according to general manager Peter B. Bailey '98. He said the group would hold "probably one, possibly two" performances.

Music Director Nathaniel J. Pastor '99 said the London show will be similar to the one usually performed for corporate groups.

Group members said they are looking forward to touring the British capital during rehearsal breaks.

"We'll probably have a lot of time to enjoy London," said historian Jed S. Cohen '99. "Some of the guys in the group are looking forward to seeing the new musical 'Martin Guerre' by the writers of 'Les Miserables.' Others are excited about the London club scene."

The group is looking forward to spending time with former Krokodiloes who now work in London, Pastor said.

And since the singers travel to London every summer, they have a lot of contacts there already.

"We have a lot of friends and a lot of people we'd like to catch up with," Bailey said.

Founded in 1946 at the Hasty Pudding Club, the group celebrated its 50th anniversary last spring. The group performs classic ballads and light jazz from the 1920s to 1950s, according to former member Jordan A. Cooper '99.

Cohen said the group usually pays for tours with money from the several professional shows and corporate dinners they perform around Boston each week.

--Douglas M. Pravda contributed to the reporting of this story.

"We have a lot of friends and a lot of people we'd like to catch up with," Bailey said.

Founded in 1946 at the Hasty Pudding Club, the group celebrated its 50th anniversary last spring. The group performs classic ballads and light jazz from the 1920s to 1950s, according to former member Jordan A. Cooper '99.

Cohen said the group usually pays for tours with money from the several professional shows and corporate dinners they perform around Boston each week.

--Douglas M. Pravda contributed to the reporting of this story.