2008 Woodie Awards
Noodling around
Students sharpen improvisation skills in upcoming show
Abby Olcese
Issue date: 4/26/07 Section: After Hours
- Page 1 of 1
|
The lights come up on a group of janitors sweeping the floor, setting the stage and dancing to the Squirrel Nut Zippers' "Wash Jones." Moments later, the same actors sit at a pair of tables, playing a squabbling group of prekindergarten Sunday-schoolers and their exhausted teacher, followed by scenes from a singles club, a quilt guild and a couples therapy session. No, this isn't "Saturday Night Live" or "Mad TV." It's the PSU Theater Department's latest show, "Macaroni and Jell-O," an improvised set of scenes centered on a church. The show will be performed by Cynthia Allan's improv acting ensemble at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday and at 2 p.m. Sunday in the PSU Studio Theater in Grubbs Hall. Allan offers the improv acting ensemble class only after she's developed a concept for a show. "I first started doing improv shows in 1998 when I was working in South Carolina," Allan said. "Since I've been here, I've done two new shows, one called 'American Edit,' and this one." "I started thinking of this almost two years ago," Allan said. The idea to set scenes in a church community came from her own life. "My dad was a minister, so I grew up around all the petty politics in the church," Allan said. "The show isn't about religion so much as just about people trying to work together. They try to be good, but they just can't help but be human." Todd Hoover, graduate student in communication education, was in "American Edit" in 2004 and performs in "Macaroni and Jell-O." "As an actor, improvisation really makes you rely and be focused on what you're doing," Hoover said. "It's nice to be able to not have to work from a book." Other students in Allan's class, like Austin Laverty, haven't had as much experience. "I did improv for forensics in high school," Laverty, junior in communication, said. "There were a lot of people, including me, who weren't very confident at first, but now we're more confident, and we're closer friends, too." Laverty says the hardest part is staying fresh in each performance, saying it's hard to "make up new material every day." Chelsea Smith says the experience has given her a boost of self-confidence. "I did a workshop with Dr. Allan last summer, and I was horrible," Smith said. "But now, my confidence has definitely increased." Daley Leintz, senior in communication, says she's enjoyed playing multiple roles in the show. "I've loved the different range of characters I've played in the kid scenes, the picnic scenes, all of them have been lots of fun," she said. Bekah Grieb, senior in communication, says her experience has taught her to look more closely at the world around her. "You pay more attention to things," Grieb said. "You see situations in life that can help you with your improv." Allan says she's had difficulty balancing the roles she has to play offstage as a writer, director and teacher. "Sometimes it's hard to come as a director and know what I want, but also know that it's a learning experience for the students," Allan said. But through all the challenges, Allan says she's proud of the way things have turned out. "I was very nervous that nothing would read well, or it wouldn't communicate well to the students," Allan said. "But I was impressed that they took to the choreography scenes, and understood the concept of how to work and move with the music." In conjunction with the show, the cast will be holding a food drive for Wesley House in Pittsburg. Audience members are encouraged to bring macaroni, Jell-O or items that go along with it. Cooking up Comedy Thursday, April 26 - 8 p.m. Friday, April 27 - 8 p.m. Saturday, April 28 - 8 p.m. Sunday, April 29 - 2 p.m. Grubbs Hall Studio Theater Tickets: $8 - General public $6 - Faculty and staff $5 - Under 17/Over 65 PSU students free with ID |
Be the first to comment on this story