Improv Review
Erin Eldridge '17
This past Friday and Saturday night, BHS students were exposed to a new side of the theater experience. The Varsity Improv team took the stage for their first ever performances, dazzling the audience with their combination of honed skills and natural talent.
The show began on Saturday with host Kenny Gray at the microphone, introducing the cast. A flood of students from various theater backgrounds ranging from the lead in the play to none whatsoever. The show was categorized as “short-form” improv in which performers play a variety of improv games on stage that require frequent suggestions from the audience.
Layla Wickwire and Jon Violette put on an impressive display when they improvised a Ted Talk on Cold Fusion as it relates to fish. A standing ovation also resulted during an improvised advice panel in which Kira Fahmy, playing an avocado farmer named Karen, replied in a nasally timber to the question “How can one find their stairway to heaven?” with: “Um, you can find the Stairway to Heaven at the end of any middle school dance.”
Ryan Bellerose, a junior who attended the show both Friday and Saturday night explained how even though the games they played were primarily the same, the varying audience suggestions helped to vastly set one show apart from the other. He admits to having perhaps had some bias when he replied, “definitely the Dan and Lubomir duo,” when I asked who his favorite performers of the night were, but both skilled impressionists received high praise.
Recent lead in the school musical All Shook Up, Hannah Frederick provided insight as to how being a part of the improv troupe was incredibly different from the structured, repetitive environment of typical productions. She spoke about how it is different when you are on the spot, but, “the musical training definitely helps.”
The audition process was similar to the format of the show in which kids participated in games to see how naturally they could communicate with the other students. Allyson Lavoie explained how being funny is not the only key to improve, “It’s about keeping the scene going.” The students learned that feeding off the other actors is the most important aspect of a successful show and that the audience will appreciate any joke as long as the other people on stage sell it with all they’ve got.
The show was hosted by Kenny Gray, a member of Improv Boston. He started his career in 2009 and has worked with various groups until coming to Bedford to teach the Varsity Improv Team. He told Unleashed, “They [the actors] came into it with a lot of energy and we had to kind of tame it...it’s a great group of people, a lot of energy. Everyone is just honestly having fun up there, it’s good to watch.” Little else of Gray’s commentary could be heard over the rambunctiousness of the dressing room as the cast reenergized for the second act.
Brendan Joyce, another two-time attendee, was frankly overwhelmed by the performance of Sean Kenny, but was overall thrilled with the show in its entirety. The production even inspired Brendan to consider it as a part of his own future: “I would love to try out given the chance,” he said.
All the students worked incredibly hard and were successful in creating a highly entertaining weekend for community members. The show was certainly a step in the right direction for BHS culture, so if you missed it, keep your eyes peeled for upcoming installments of this spectacular show.
This past Friday and Saturday night, BHS students were exposed to a new side of the theater experience. The Varsity Improv team took the stage for their first ever performances, dazzling the audience with their combination of honed skills and natural talent.
The show began on Saturday with host Kenny Gray at the microphone, introducing the cast. A flood of students from various theater backgrounds ranging from the lead in the play to none whatsoever. The show was categorized as “short-form” improv in which performers play a variety of improv games on stage that require frequent suggestions from the audience.
Layla Wickwire and Jon Violette put on an impressive display when they improvised a Ted Talk on Cold Fusion as it relates to fish. A standing ovation also resulted during an improvised advice panel in which Kira Fahmy, playing an avocado farmer named Karen, replied in a nasally timber to the question “How can one find their stairway to heaven?” with: “Um, you can find the Stairway to Heaven at the end of any middle school dance.”
Ryan Bellerose, a junior who attended the show both Friday and Saturday night explained how even though the games they played were primarily the same, the varying audience suggestions helped to vastly set one show apart from the other. He admits to having perhaps had some bias when he replied, “definitely the Dan and Lubomir duo,” when I asked who his favorite performers of the night were, but both skilled impressionists received high praise.
Recent lead in the school musical All Shook Up, Hannah Frederick provided insight as to how being a part of the improv troupe was incredibly different from the structured, repetitive environment of typical productions. She spoke about how it is different when you are on the spot, but, “the musical training definitely helps.”
The audition process was similar to the format of the show in which kids participated in games to see how naturally they could communicate with the other students. Allyson Lavoie explained how being funny is not the only key to improve, “It’s about keeping the scene going.” The students learned that feeding off the other actors is the most important aspect of a successful show and that the audience will appreciate any joke as long as the other people on stage sell it with all they’ve got.
The show was hosted by Kenny Gray, a member of Improv Boston. He started his career in 2009 and has worked with various groups until coming to Bedford to teach the Varsity Improv Team. He told Unleashed, “They [the actors] came into it with a lot of energy and we had to kind of tame it...it’s a great group of people, a lot of energy. Everyone is just honestly having fun up there, it’s good to watch.” Little else of Gray’s commentary could be heard over the rambunctiousness of the dressing room as the cast reenergized for the second act.
Brendan Joyce, another two-time attendee, was frankly overwhelmed by the performance of Sean Kenny, but was overall thrilled with the show in its entirety. The production even inspired Brendan to consider it as a part of his own future: “I would love to try out given the chance,” he said.
All the students worked incredibly hard and were successful in creating a highly entertaining weekend for community members. The show was certainly a step in the right direction for BHS culture, so if you missed it, keep your eyes peeled for upcoming installments of this spectacular show.
