This weekend, the Georgetown Improv Association presents its 17th-annual ImprovFest, an event that brings improvisational comedy troupes from across the country to Georgetown for two nights of unscripted comedy. In terms of content and style, anything goes, but laughs are guaranteed.
“Improv comedy can literally be anything and everything,” said Emlyn Crenshaw (COL ’15), a member of the Georgetown Improv Association [full disclosure: Crenshaw is Vox Populi’s advice columnist].
Jayant Gandhi (SFS ’13), President of the troupe, agreed.“Improv is everything. It’s living in the moment. It’s a bunch of funny people getting on stage and making fools of themselves for laughs.”
The Georgetown Improv Association has a colorful history. The troupe has its roots in a group of friends who in 1995 began performing improv comedy for small audiences. They convinced the Department of Performing Arts to fund them as a theater organization, on one condition: the money the Improv Association earned was to be used to fund GU Children’s Theater. Only a few years ago did the Improv Association split from Children’s Theater. Notable Improv alumni include comedian Mike Birbiglia (COL ’00) and John Mulaney (COL ’04), a writer for Saturday Night Live who is currently developing his own sitcom to air on NBC.
This year, ImprovFest draws troupes from Ohio State, University of Maryland, and University of Florida and includes performances from a local professional troupe—which boasts a sizeable number of Georgetown Improv alumni among its ranks.
“The funny thing is,” Gandhi said, “that a lot of people who go through Improv end up sticking with it.” A four-year Improv veteran, Gandhi would like to do the same. “I’d like a TV show,” he laughed, but then grew serious.
“Of my time at Georgetown, the most important thing I’ve done is Improv. I view myself first as an improviser and second as a Georgetown student.”
Danny Graff (SFS ’16), shares this passion for improv and performance: “Practice is fun; the people are fun; it’s a big family, really. We do fun stuff and people love us.”
ImprovFest is an opportunity to both demonstrate the character of the Georgetown Improv Association and bring a larger improv community to campus.
“It’s nice because more than other groups, we have pretty strong connections with students at other schools,” Crenshaw said. “Lots of schools do things differently or have different styles. Groups have personalities.”
According to Gandhi, the small size of the Georgetown troupe contributes to its style of humor: “The thing that makes us special is that we’re a very small group. We’re all also really good friends. Our audience knows we’re close.”
The group practices five hours per week, but other traditions, such as sharing meals at Booey’s and hugging every member of the group backstage before a show (a tradition among many Improv comedy troupes), fosters a unique chemistry that may be harder to come by in troupes from larger schools.
Graff appreciates the egalitarian nature of Improv that may be lacking in other performing arts groups and student organizations at Georgetown. “You join Improv because you enjoy making people laugh,” he said. “There is no hierarchy; there are no trials or tribulations. It’s not an exclusive buddy club.”
ImprovFest takes place this Friday and Saturday at 9 p.m. in Bulldog Alley.
“It’s the perfect event,” Crenshaw said. “If you’ve seen us before, you’ll love it as usual. If you’ve never seen us before, you won’t come in with any less knowledge. (https://modtreks.com) ”
“There’s no better way to spend a Saturday night than to go to a performance and watch people be funny,” Graff said. “If you like having fun, you should go.”
Gandhi had one word of advice: “Go. Also, we throw fun parties.”
