Let's play a little game called improv... First,think of the name of a place where the scene will occur, like a supermarket or a gas station...
Next, name an occupation or profession, like a lawyer or mountain climber...
Finally, create a scene that involves multiple actors and actresses with only the above information and...
Go.
Think you could do it?
If yes, then imagine that with this little information to go on, you are on stage, standing in front of a crowd of people, ready to act out this scene. What do you say? What do you do? How do you choose to portray that action on stage?
Thirty-seven University students tackled this experience during last week's invasion of the Chicago-based troop, Baby Wants Candy. This renowned improvisation group has won numerous awards since it's inception in 1996.
This past week, Baby Wants Candy's 10 talented members attended University drama classes, discussing their techniques and teaching students about the wonders of improvisation as an acting style. The group held individual workshops for people interested in learning the skills of improv and also chose, through competitive tryouts, 37 students to attend ensemble workshops so they could perform with members of Baby Wants Candy Friday night at Culbreth Theater.
Ranging from first years to graduate students, the University students chosen to perform Friday were trained rigorously during a three-night ensemble workshop running from Tuesday to Thursday and culminating with Friday's two-hour production.
Two of the most influential members of the cast, second-year graduate student Maura Malloy and third-year College student Kate Roehr, both drama majors, were in charge of overseeing the entire workshop program and making sure everything came together smoothly.
Surprisingly, the remaining students in Friday's performance were not all drama majors. Their topics of study fluctuated from English and Media Studies to Physics.
First-year College student Alana Levinson had never been in a drama performance until her debut with Baby Wants Candy.
"I was an athlete in high school, but I was not in drama, so this is my first performance," Levinson said.
Two other first-year College students, Kevin Bache and John "Ed" McNamee, both participated in the First Year Players production of "Joseph and the Technicolor Dream Coat" and decided to join the improv group's production to learn more about the different styles of acting. Even though it was their first time performing improv in front of a large audience, excitement overpowered their nerves.
"We had the privilege of attending classes with some of the members of Baby Wants Candy," McNamee said.
Bache also appreciated the troupe's appearance in his classes.
"They came to my musical theater class and had us improvising songs," Bache said with a wide grin on his face. "It was so much fun. None of us are any good -- we just loosen up and let the scenes flow."
And flow they did. During the ensemble workshop, the students improvised scenes ranging from acting out an emotion and making up a musical number to receiving the name of a place and an occupation to act out with one of their co-performers. A potentially nerve-wracking experience for the performer turns into a hilarious performance for the audience as the cast comes up with gestures and dialogue to illustrate their given roles. Quick thinking is needed, but certain techniques can be implemented to assure the scene's continuity.
"While performing, you have to break down a mental barrier because [improv] is a totally new experience," second-year College student A.J. Johnson said. "We all had to attend these ensemble workshops before the performance to allow us to be cohesive together and to develop a group mindset that is important for improv. It's all about creation."
Third-year College student Adam Segalter also said he felt that there was more behind the art of improvisation than most people realize.
"It's like an advanced form of group storytelling," he said. "You have to try and set the other person up for a joke and play the game correctly. You have to be careful not to contradict any one player because that could lead to an argument and the scene would not flow."
The University performers also relied on outside sources to help them to become successful "improvers." Many of the players tuned in to "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" -- a popular improv show on ABC, for inspiration before their big performance.
Others had their own ideas about what would bring them good luck.
"If it's possible during the performance I wouldn't wear shoes," Levinson said. "I don't wear them before the performance, and I feel more relaxed and comfortable without them."
Fourth-year College student John Petersik has his own way of readying himself before a performance.
"I can't have anything in my pockets while on stage," he said. "It's too distracting and it's extra baggage. Right now, I have a cell phone and keys in my pocket; both will be gone when it comes time to act."
The students weren't the only ones with many memorable moments from this week of workshops and performance. The members of Baby Wants Candy said they greatly enjoyed working with the students as well.
Ali Davis, a founding member of Baby Wants Candy, said the group's stay at the University was the longest duration of time that they have ever spent on a college campus.
"We have visited other colleges to put on performances, but this is the only time that we've spent a whole week working constantly with the students," Davis said. "While here, we got to attend all sorts of drama classes, from the introductory level 202 classes to the amusing History of the Circus class. It was a lot of fun; we just got to play for an hour with talented students."
It's not all fun and games, however. The entire cast of Baby Wants Candy has a sentimental attachment to the art of dramatic improv. One group member, Al Samuels, a long-standing member whose previous accomplishments include co-producing a reenactment of the Kennedy Assassination called "Who Shot JFKlay?", described the power of improvisation.
"An improv performance is one of the few places in the world where magic happens right in front of your eyes," Samuels said with emotion in his voice.
If asked, any one of the incredible University cast members who joined Baby Wants Candy this past week probably would agree
"Improv is an improvement on perfection," McNamee said.
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