HOUGHTON — Michigan Technological University students dished out satire and spoofs in front of a near-capacity crowd for Winter Carnival’s Stage Revue Thursday.

Students prepared elaborate skits related to 2023’s Winter Carnival theme, “Tasty Foods for Wintry Moods.” Phi Kappa Tau’s sketch, in which Garfield looks for good lasagna in Houghton and Hancock, even brought in multimedia. In a nod to the end of “Ratatouille,” the taste of lasagna at Armando’s sent the cat into an Anton Ego-like childhood reverie, demonstrated by a video clip screened onstage.

In Catholic Ministries at St. Al’s sketch, gravy-loving trolls and ketchup-eating Yoopers united for a Last Supper-like tableau. It was spoiled by an NMU student who snuck in with a bottle of barbecue sauce.

“Judas!” they exclaimed, in one of the night’s biggest applause lines.

NMU students — and in one case, mascot Wildcat Willy — popped up frequently as antagonists or dimwitted comic relief. Celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, who visited the Keweenaw for his show “Uncharted,” showed up in multiple sketches: once looking for decent food in Houghton, another time rescuing Blizzard T. Husky from kidnappers.

Students also took jabs at college life, whether perennial complaints like dining hall food or the university plan to eliminate fall break next year.

“If students have the opportunity to go downstate in the middle of the semester, that’s one more chance that they’re just not going to come back,” said one character in the Huskies’ Pep Band skit.

The audience choice award went to Catholic Ministries at St. Al’s.

“I was very excited when there was that much cheering during our show, so that gave me a bit of hope that we might get it this year,” said group member Emelia Meiser, a second-year student.

Its sketch followed the family of a Tech alum driving his family up for Winter Carnival, loosely modeled on the Israelites’ 40 years in the desert. The biggest time commitment was the set, Meiser said. She and others stayed up several nights until 3:30 a.m. making backdrops.

The writing was a collaborative effort, with several actors chipping in lines they thought would be funny. Once they got a rough script, more bits emerged from improv, including a herd of deer springing across the stage, and bratty dialogue from kids stuck in the back seat of the car.

“That’s one of the best things, because I really like inside jokes,” Meiser said.

Meiser’s plans for the rest of Winter Carnival included going back to St. Al’s and having a pasty.

The Stage Revue winner will be announced at the Winter Carnival awards ceremony.

Carnival continues Saturday with sleigh rides, snowmobile competitions and more. It culminates in the Torchlight Parade and fireworks at 8:30 p.m.

For a full schedule of events, go to mtu.edu/carnival/2023.