With the amount of uncertainty present in many aspects of the current semester, Armstrong’s Last Laugh Improv Troupe is ready to provide laughter and positivity to all students and faculty looking for fun, unpredictable entertainment.

Auditions for the troupe were held on Thurs. Aug 26 on the main stage of Jenkins Hall. The auditions were attended by members of Savannah’s Front Porch Improv, who assisted in coaching the students through the process.

Despite the pandemic affecting many aspects of school life, including the accessibility of student-led organizations, Sophomore Logan Western described the process of resuming the troupe as “exceptional.”

“It was actually pretty easy.” Western said. “We inherited this from an older member of ours, Fiona Schirmer, she inherited from another member of ours, Trey Anderson. Trey was the one who really started this up, and interest was very high then.”

Interest remains moderate today, despite the challenging times. Around 8 students signed up to participate in the auditions, allowing for a solid base of members with some room to grow.

Many improvisers find that the art of improvisation is a very rewarding experience in a variety of ways. For some, it allows them to become better at thinking on their feet, and for others it improves their confidence in their own acting ability.

Western described his favorite part of the process: seeing other people shine.

“When I see people really get it, and they’re like ‘Oh! This is improv!’ you see that look on their face when they realize how fun it is.”

Moments like these occurred plenty of times throughout the hour of auditions. Positivity was a massive priority displayed throughout the process, with shouts of “We love you!” and “You’re a genius!” acting as a mantra to guide the students through the audition.

Students were coached to listen to their peers, accept their ideas, and add to them without undercutting the original idea. They were coached to hold back on their eagerness to fulfill what they wanted to do so they could allow another student to come up with their own idea to create something greater than the sum of the parts.

Confidence, trust in one’s peers and lack of ego are all essential to improvisational comedy, especially due to the fact that nobody knows for sure what’s going to happen on stage. I asked Western if there was any anxiety regarding the uncertainty of the process.

“I love the idea of just going out there with no idea, and doing the first thing that comes to mind. Once people realize how fun and how funny it can be to just not think and not have to worry about it, then I think it’ll become easier for them,” said Western.

Not having to think and not having to worry are certainly enviable qualities in today’s world. Students who are interested in participating with the Last Laugh Improv Troupe can look forward to an Improv Workshop this Thursday, Sept 2, in Jenkins Hall at 4 p.m., with more performances to come. More information about Front Porch Improv can be found on their website.