The Wright State student organization, Troupe, held their first performance of the season Thursday night Feb. 25 in Health Sciences 116.
The long form improv session lasted for an hour and started at 7 p.m. Following an audience participation approach, a performer would ask for one word in which they would center a monologue around. The sketches immediately following would be centered on key phrases expressed within the previous monologue.
Key monologue topics included pineapples, octopuses, whitey-tighties, snails, dumpsters, and the color blue. The sketches were strictly acted out using verbal and aggressive body language. No props were used accept three chairs placed in the center of the “stage” area.
“I thought this performance was good.” Michaela Scholl said, who claims that this is her fourth time seeing Troupe perform. “I like their new space, they use to perform in the Medical Sciences building and it was kind of big. This new location is better because they are really good with engaging the audience and this space is more accustomed for that.”
This experimental show is the first of its kind in Troupe’s history and is the spiritual successor to last semester’s improv show called antici according to the organization’s president Mitch Centers.
“This show was a long form show, it was a little experimental and the first time that we have ever done a show like this at Wright State,” said Centers, a Motion Pictures Production major. “In the past we have done these shows called ‘nights of random one acts’ in which they are semi scripted, but we still make up stuff on the spot, it’s half improve and half scripted.”
Troupe first formed in 2010 and is a drama club that is designed to let non-theatre majors participate in the theatrical experience at Wright State University.
“We provide an avenue for people of any major to participate in theater,” Centers said, who is currently in his fourth year with the group. “We try to do a little of improv and scripted shows.”
The acting group will be featuring their first fully scripted show later this semester titled William Shakespeare Abridged: Citation Needed. It is a comedic piece parodying the works of Shakespeare. The fully scripted work will be simplistic and will not be featuring costumes or props; it is expected to occur on Apr. 15.
For more information on Troupe you can reach the group via email at centers.17@wright.edu.
