Student improvisation troupe gets laughs while making up every show on the spot

Whose line is it anyway? Awkward Silence Comedy can tell you in its Drew Carey-like performances. \nAwkward Silence Comedy, the only group of short-form improvisation performers on campus, makes up every show on the spot. Each show features a different improvisation game that the group picks ahead of time. Members create some of the games while others are standard improvisation techniques.\nAwkward Silence members welcome comedy lovers to join their group. The last chance to audition this semester will be 7:30 p.m. Wednesday in State Room East in the Indiana Memorial Union.\nStudents Brian M. Frange, Andy Blastick, Alex Young, Mike Stone, Grace Friedman and Indiana Daily Student photo editor Georgia Perry perform every Thursday at 9 p.m. in the IMU.\n“School is very stressful, and it’s nice to know that every Thursday night at nine I get to release that stress,” said Frange, the group’s founder.\nImprovisation experience is not necessary to try out; only the desire to learn the technique, Frange said. Before taking the stage, new members will be trained in the fundamental skills of improvisation. \n“It’s the best thing I’ve ever done in college,” Young said. \nA lot of people love comedy but do not have time for it, she said, and the group offers different opportunities to get involved.\nThursday, Oct. 11, after the regular show, will be the first night of the first ever “Showdown” at IU. The Showdown is a three-on-three improvisation tournament in which the audience determines the fate of the teams. Eight teams will be placed in a bracket and will “duke it out” every week until a winner is named in November. The only rule is that the improvisation must not be scripted. Three more teams are still needed, Perry said.\nFor those who only want to dabble with improvisation, troupe members said, the group hosts “Jam Nights” the last Thursday of every month after the regular show. This is a time when any audience member may volunteer.\n Every show is based on suggestions from the audience to ensure originality. Overarching themes for the skits are based on upcoming holidays or special days in history, and the audience throws in ideas accordingly.\nThe comedy can get awkward and silence may be the result, but most times it is not. \n“Ninety-eight percent of the time, I laugh almost non-stop,” said sophomore David Barker, who said he only recalls missing three shows this year. \nCheck out www.awkwardsilencecomedy.com for show information.