Jim Nielson conducts Complaint Orchestra while Michael Carter, Sandy Ilsen, Roxy Banta, Elaine Pilbrow-Cash and Jim McElenney complain.
Andrea Hummel
If you’ve ever seen a show by the ImproVables, you probably wondered how the group develops their fast-paced comedy shows.
For the ImproVables, Sun Lakes improvisational comedy troupe, Monday mornings between 10:00 a.m. and noon are sacred. Or at least pretty darn special. That’s the time that the troupe workshops new games and ideas for their shows. And on Saturday, October 10, the ImproVables invited interested Sun Lakes Community Theater members to join them for a rare Saturday workshop.
The workshop opens with warm-ups. Players stand while they are led through physical, mental and vocal warm-ups. Players begin to relax and the mood of the group picks up.
Then it’s time to move the chairs into “audience seating.” The leader for each activity explains the game, selects participants and brings them forward. At this point, it’s “Let the games begin!” Some games work and the audience (and sometimes the participants) join in the laughter. Since this is a workshop, there are no failures or judgments: some things require more work, some things are great, and some things are dropped.
For the guest participants, some activities seemed a bit challenging, some seemed pointless and some they had done before in other venues. Players, old and new, had a chance to meet each other and play together. What a Saturday!
The ImproVables and the guest participants all agreed it was a great experience and plans are underway for another Saturday event. All SLCT members will be invited to attend, so if this sounds like fun, perhaps SLCT membership is for you. Check out the web page SLCTinfo.org.