Last Wednesday’s snowstorm was no match for comedy-loving students who enjoyed a night of improv comedy featuring the Upright Citizens Brigade Touring Company and Emporia State’s own improv group, Zoiks!, as the opening act. The show was free for ESU students at the Granada Theatre.
“It was great to see people come out, even though it was snowing,” said Amanda Sitko, UCB member.
Jackie Morris, freshman business major and vice chair of variety entertainment in UAC, said UAC had been planning the event since winter break and that it was rewarding to see students attend, despite the weather.
Zoiks! opened the show with an improv skit, asking the audience to call out suggestions for a historical figure to base the skit on, with the exception that they were not United States presidents.
“It was really awesome working with them (UCB) and doing similar stuff as,” said Emma DePriest, Zoiks! member and junior secondary English education major. “It’s kind of cool seeing that there is definitely a future in improv comedy.”
For UCB’s first act, they pulled an audience member, Ashley Langdon, junior elementary education major, onstage and asked her questions about her life that they used in a series of skits.
The group asked about her experiences living in the Alpha Sigma Alpha house and studying elementary education.
UCB’s second act was based on text messages audience members had received. The resulting skits occasionally visited raunchy and bizarre territory, pushing the envelope further with each text message called out.
“The crowd seemed to really be on board with the stuff we were doing,” said David Harris, UCB member.
Allan McLeod, also a UCB member, said the group just finished their tour through Kansas. McLeod said he enjoyed the “onstage feel” of the Granada Theatre and the vibe from the audience.
“This (theater) is actually the most ideal venue for an improv comedy show,” McLeod said.
Danae Coffee, junior economics major and chair of variety entertainment for UAC, said the next event will be “Black Light Laser Pursuit at the Recreational Center” April 17.
