The Black Theater Workshop hopes to integrate students and create a neutral environment this weekend through comedy and talent at “Harlem Nights.”

The workshop is sponsoring the event, which takes place at 8 p.m. Saturday in the Duke Ellington Ballroom of the Holmes Student Center.

Event Coordinator Brizona Craft said the cost is $3 a person for a drawing fee, and there are more than 20 acts on the “tuxedo event” roster.

“Very seldom is there a formal event sponsored by anyone other than a greek organization,” he said.

Two professional comedians from Chicago, Henry Spoon and Marcus Harvey, and NIU students will be performing skits, solos and dance routines.

Craft said the idea for the event originated from a similar event he saw at the University of Illinois in Champaign. He said the name for the event came from the fact that Duke Ellington owned the Cotton Club which was a big part of the nightlife of Harlem.

“I liked the environment of seeing people all dressed up coming out to support their friends and coming from all over the state,” Craft said.

Craft said he would like this to become a tradition. He also said he hopes it will provide a neutral environment for all groups to enjoy the talent.

He said there aren’t enough events that integrate minority and white students and cited the Greek Physique competition as a good example.

“The white fraternities and sororities had their physique contest and then the black fraternities and sororities had theirs,” Craft said. “It’s good for all students to come together and chill.

I’m a neutralist and hate the way things are divided. There are too many events like that around campus.”

Craft said one of the purposes of this event is to show people at NIU that the Black Theatre Workshop is willing to work to do what everyone expects from them.

“I’m encouraging everyone in the world to come out and enjoy themselves,” Craft said.

He said the event will have appetizers, candle-lit tables, a small museum where different organizations have been invited to set up displays and a photographer to take pictures of couples.