On February 13th, The Hasty Pudding Theatricals celebrated Valentine's Day eve by gifting Boston a rose, specifically 2026 Woman of the Year Rose Byrne. The festivities began with a parade through Harvard Square. The brisk winter air didn't stop fans from gathering on the streets to celebrate the star.

President of the Hasty Pudding Theatricals' 177th production, Salooney Tunes, Daisy Nussbaum '26, and cast Vice-President Isabel Wilson '26 joined Byrne in a white Bentley. The speakers blasted celebratory anthems like "Pink Pony Club" by Chappell Roan and the fitting "Party in the U.S.A." by Miley Cyrus to welcome the Australian actress to the city.

Tap dancers clacked down the street behind the car while fellow students dressed in security detail suits helped guide traffic. Wilson whispered to Byrne about the fans cheering her on from the top floors of the surrounding buildings. She gasped as she looked up, caught an adorable pig plushie they tossed to her, and posed in her donut glasses for a photo op.

The Pudding team escorted her to the stairs of the historic Farkas Hall. They formed a kickline and executed 10 lively high kicks as Byrne beamed in the center. She bid adieu until the roast before they rushed her inside.

As the evening rolled in, guests attending the Woman of the Year roast and showing of Salooney Tunes gathered in Farkas Hall. Wilson and Nussbaum returned to lead a thoughtful and jabby roast. They first gave the star an ink blot test based on her role as a therapist in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You, showing random shapes and a photoshopped image of Byrne winning the Academy Award. They had Byrne deliver a dark and humorous script for Peter Rabbit 3 with student Will Jevon '27 sporting a rabbit costume to play her counterpart. The grand finale for the event was a wedding to the Pudding Pot.

Bernardo Sequeira, Jackson Coombs, Arwen Zhang, and Matt Chen '26 stepped out from behind the curtain in frilly, pastel-colored bridesmaids' dresses, putting a veil and white lacey dress on Byrne for the ceremony. The prewritten vows were the cherry on top. They had Byrne promise to mention The Hasty Pudding Theatricals in whatever acceptance speeches she may have coming up. Pudding Pot presenters Benjamin Langman '26 and Gunnar Sizemore '27 carried over the trophy for Byrne to plant a kiss before she posed for the adoring crowd.

Byrne headed upstairs to join Weston Lewin '26, Chaelon Simpson '26, and John Kulow '26 at the conference table. Members of the press asked her about award season, seeing if she had started preparing anything for her Oscars speech if she wins Best Actress for If I Had Legs I'd Kick You. She laughed and shared how she's savoring the moment and taking each experience in as it comes.

Samantha Davidson from Following Boston asked, "Would you say that the genres of drama and comedy are connected, and how you prepare for lighter roles like in Bridesmaids versus something very intense like in If I Had Legs I'd Kick You?" Byrne revealed that she tends "to approach it the same way with comedy and drama. It's the same thing, it's a drama but in a comedy, on top of that, you have to get a laugh." She acknowledged that "the stakes really aways have to be high with comedy and drama, but I'd say even higher with comedy. It's a serious business, as they say."

Byrne returned to the theater to watch Salooney Tunes, a knee-slapping, nail-biting heist-gone-wrong that follows notorious outlaw Robin Yablind and his fame-hungry sidekick Aiden N Abettin. They must find a way to avoid Mayor Gerri Mandarin and pregnant Sheriff Carrie N Twins, who are on the hunt to put them behind bars. Chock-full of lovable characters like skittish saloon owner Bart Ender, sultry saloon-singer Sarah Problem, and twelve-year-old dancer Anna Fivesix-Fivesixseveneight, Salooney Tunes's twists and turns will keep you on the edge of your seat.

To purchase tickets to the Hasty Pudding Theatricals’ 177th production and Woman of the Year event, visit https://www.hastypudding.org/buy-tickets/, email tickets@hastypudding.org, or contact the HPT Box Office at (617)-495-5205. The show will be performed at Harvard University’s historic Farkas Hall at 12 Holyoke Street from February 7th to March 8th. The company then travels to NYC for performances on March 13th and 14th. They will then travel to Bermuda for performances from March 18th to 20th.