Improv: Subtitle

Impro. Spontaneous Theater. Improvisation. Improv. Improvisational comedy. Those are different ways to say the same thing and create more words for my blog entry.

If you don't know what improvisational comedy is, you should, it's kind of a big deal here at John F. Kennedy High School. Essentially, a group of actors and actresses, usually ranging from 1-5 at a time, perform funny little scenes spontaneously to the delight of everyone in the audience, always, because we're hilarious. Usually, to help ensure the audience that we are truly coming up with these scenes on the spot, we will incorporate certain elements suggested by them into the show. Sometimes different characters are suggested, sometimes a setting, or oftentimes, just a general plot or scenario for the actors to follow.

Corporate watermarks. The man is trying to bring me down, man.

I'm sure now there's a question eating at the very fabric of your being... Why did I get started with improv? Well, my friends, that is a very, very interesting story. So interesting, in fact, that it may just take around 300 words to tell. Why yes, I remember it like it was only a couple of years ago...

A couple of years ago, my friend Andrew Hanzelka and I stumbled into this school as awkward, bumbling freshmen; no doubt mere shells of the powerful, influential men we have developed into over the years. As I celebrated my first term of vaguely free-reign education by enrolling in a 5th hour study hall where I played Madden on my iPod all class, my naive friend chose instead to enroll in an acting class, adorably under the impression that he had some semblance of natural dramatic talent (buy your tickets to see Andrew star in Suessical this week!). Teacher of the class at the time, Mr. Yuska, took rather a liking to Andrew and recommended decided that Andrew's energy would make a wonderful addition to a "Group Mime" being organized as part of the "Speech Program", which was decidedly less about standing up and giving speeches than either of us were aware.

Andrew and I, being the wonderfully close friends that we were, often spent time together. As such, he was once at my house before announcing that he had to be at group mime practice in 10 minutes. He also recommend I came and watch, because it was really fun and stuff. We got dropped off, and I pulled up a chair as practice began. Only, practice didn't begin, because one of the members of the mime (who will remain unnamed) did not choose to come to this rehearsal. So they waited, and waited, and eventually Andrew suggested that I step in and take the absent person's role. Just for one night, so the practice could go on. It was a trap.

One unanimous All-State mime later and we had left quite an impression on the speech team staff. Although we were decent mimes, it was clear by our lack of focus and penchant for... not miming in practice that we would have a different role in years upcoming. Last year, we made the improv team. Through the valiant effort of me and my two group mates, we advanced to the State level and received a "1" ranking. That's the good one. Also, Andrew's group won the All-State banner for best improv group in the state of Iowa, or something like that.

Didn't want an origin story? Sucks.