TJ’s improvisational comedy club continues to impress, with a wondrous performance in a full house setting.
TJ’s Improv gets started at its weekly meeting. Photo by Clayton Bridges.
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A loaded theater of rowdy, but good-natured, improv fans throwing out suggestions, and laughing hysterically at the many stage skits and shenanigans, was the scene set at the TJ improv club’s, Improvable, March 5th performance at the Bovine Metropolis Theater (located at 1527 Champa Street).
TJ’s team, organized by TJ Special Education Paraprofessional Travis Grant and comprised of Juan Barraza, John Cushing, Jeremy DeVivo, Andrew MacCormack, and Elizabeth May, wrapped up the weekly annual Monday night Improv Hootenanny! at the Bovine Metropolis Theater. Among three other performances by Bovine Classes 62 and 64, and Call Time, TJ’s Improvable really stood out with a truly hilarious performance. “I think we did really well…umm, people laughed, so that’s generally a sign that you do really well,” said May.
The small time comfort that the Bovine Metropolis offers is a perfect fit for the many TJ performances it hosts. “I graduated from the Bovine Metropolis Theater’s improv school, so I often schedule things with them,” said Grant. Improvisational comedy is the practice of unversed comedic skits based on the suggestions of the crowd. Every performance by each of the four teams was not only creative, but also unpredictable. Bovine Class 64 opened (after the hyperactive and enthusiastic host, Chris Groves, introduced the show) with a couple that loves and hates basketball, changed to cheerleading, and eventually covered driving through Kansas and swimming in a volcano. Bovine Class 62 followed with the wasting of food, a bad date, and throwing garbage into a neighbor’s yard. Finally, Call Time did a very unique form of improv called long form improv. They introduced a variety of curious characters, and had them all share some connection to one another in the end. This was very interesting to watch and had a distinctly different flavor than the other three acts. TJ’s Improvable closed out the night with an elaborate story about spotty snow shoveling and bribing police officers, which eventually swayed into the board game Monopoly. I found TJ’s performance to be the best I’ve seen and I’m not alone in this belief. “Their performance was their best one so far that I’ve seen, and a lot of that is just from them learning over the years and stuff like that. You get better with each performance, and they are an example of that,” said Grant.
The improv club was started about four years ago and many of its members have been a part of it throughout their entire high school career. Among these veteran members is TJ junior John Cushing. Cushing had no real improv experience prior to joining the club, but he was a fan of comedy. “I wasn’t part of anything really organized, but I made jokes,” said Cushing, who joined the club his freshman year and has been an avid member ever since. He says his inspiration for joining the club was a cool poster he saw in a TJ hallway. He admits that the club is responsible for the improv star he is today. “Well, yeah, it’s all my improv ability. I didn’t have much before I started doing improv,” chuckled Cushing.
The club is comprised of a fairly small number of students, many of whom will be graduating next year. Among them is the only female club member, Elizabeth May, who also believes that the club has had a positive impact on her improv ability, and her personality as a whole. “I am more confident, I know that much. And I’m a lot funnier than I was in the very beginning,” said May. Despite being an active participant in the many improv performances in which TJ partakes, May does pursue other interests outside of school. “I actually like to write stories and draw outside of improv,” said May.
TJ’s improv club encourages people who have a possible improv intrest to join the club post haste. Everyone is accepted in the club with any prior experience and/or comedic skill. “If people want to join the Improv club, we’re always willing to take new members,” said May.
Cushing, in particular, would really like new students to become club associates. He says he would like the club to continue on after he graduates next year. “Join the club… get in there… make jokes… yeah,” loudly whispered Cushing.
Improvable will be performing a few more times before the 2013 school year is out. Grant does not yet know the dates of these performances, but he does know there will be more at the Bovine and one at the Voodoo Comedy Playhouse. Anyone who has not yet seen one of Improvable’s shows should consider viewing one in the future. Every performance is uniquely different from the last; that’s the beauty of improv. “Improv is always different. It’s a different experience every time you go out there,” said Cushing. The stage presence of TJ’s improv club has also improved with each act, and will likely continue to do so. “I really think so, yeah, because after a while you really get to know the people you’re performing with and how they might take a scene, and you can sort of work with that and make something better,” said Cushing. After all is said and done, Improvable will continue to perform, improve, and hopefully grow for many years to come.
