SOPHIA ROOKSBERRY
Staff Writer
The art of improvisation is as old as live theater itself. For centuries, actors have learned to think on their feet to prevent flubbed lines, enhance the comedy of a scene or build an entire performance with whatever they can imagine in the moment. For Chautauquans interested in the latter type of entertainment, Chautauqua Theater Company will present “Conservatory Improv Night” at 10 p.m. tonight in Roe Green Theater Center.
One of the performers is Mengwe Wapimewah, who recently received her MFA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and is spending her summer as a member of the CTC Acting Conservatory. Although her experience with improv is limited to a few sketch comedy and clown classes, she said she often finds herself leaning on those skills.
“Whenever we’re doing scene work, we also do improv as our characters,” Wapimewah said. “… I think it’s super useful. I do a lot of commercials, and they always want you to improv something for commercials, so it’s a skill that a lot of actors have in their back pocket.”
Despite the industry-wide emphasis on the value of improvising, walking on stage with no preparation is still nerve-wracking for experienced actors.
“They say, ‘If you’re not nervous, then it doesn’t mean anything,’” Thaddeus Fitzpatrick, another member of the Acting Conservatory, said. “… Whether you can pinpoint what you’re nervous about or why, it’s good that you are … I’m nervous about people coming and seeing us … but to do the thing anyway because you’re nervous, that’s where the magic is.”
Fitzpatrick said he has also noticed a certain “magic” within the Acting Conservatory cohort since the beginning of summer, which he believes will translate onstage during the night of improv comedy.
“We have a really great cohort of people that are multi-talented and multifaceted in beautiful ways, and each one of the people in the cohort have this light,” Fitzpatrick said. “… [Audience members] can expect for us to share that light in really fun and bright and beautiful ways, and then also to see us mess it up, have fun and laugh with us.”
Wapimewah has experienced the same nerves leading up to the performance, as well as the same kinship with the cohort that helps calm anxiety around improvised performing and will make for an even more rewarding night of comedy.
“There are some people who haven’t done improv before [and] there are some people who hate improv,” Wapimewah said. “Those of us who … hate improv are going to do it because it’s something that’s out of our comfort zone and makes us uncomfortable … I don’t know what we’re doing, but that’s exciting because I’m not the only one. A lot of people are like, ‘I’m so scared,’ and we’re like, ‘Do it. We’re all scared, let’s just do it together.’”
Although the nerves are essential to delivering an emotive performance, Fitzpatrick believes many cohort members are more prepared than they realize based on the daily interactions of the group.
“Nobody lets go of the bit,” Fitzpatrick said. “Everybody will continue with the bit. Nobody denies the bit, and I’m like, ‘I don’t know why everyone’s so scared to do improv — we’re doing it right now.’ We just let things build in a hysterical way, [and improv] is just that, and remaining at home with each other in a way that is reminiscent of the first day we got here. On the daily, just never saying no to the opportunity to create a moment of comedic magic with each other.”
“Conservatory Improv Night” will feature a selection of improv games and scenes, but there is no way to know what jokes or bits will be featured until tonight’s program commences.
“I’m most excited to see how diamonds are made under pressure, seeing how the thing shapes up and comes out, especially with a group of people this talented,” Fitzpatrick said. “I can’t articulate just how talented everybody is … That’s what I’m most excited about, to see how that pressure brings out the most beautiful aspects of everybody’s talent.”
