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(10/23/12 3:47am)
While Homecoming Weekend is known for its rambunctious tailgates and the crowning of a king and queen, the Department of Performing Arts has started its own tradition: the Instant Laughter comedy show. In its second year, the show, put on by students in the department, hosted two nights of improvisational comedy for peers, faculty and alumni.
Hosted by junior Winston Koone, the show was made up of a variety of sketches, from “Death in a Minute”, in which the actors needed to play a scene in which they die in as close to a minute as possible, to “Shared Story”, in which the players built a story off one another’s dialogue.
In order to keep the show appropriate and the players in line, sophomore Anna Weis acted as referee, blowing the whistle on any “foul play” and doling out the appropriate punishment. For example, Weis made freshman Jack Vincenty die creatively when he implied that a little girl would be at a fraternity party.
Fred Rubeck, chair of the Department of Performing Arts, worked with his players for a month in preparation, teaching them games for the show and having them get to know each other.
“We try out a whole bunch of different games that we can put into the show,” Rubeck said. “Then we decided which ones work best for this group and tried to set up a list of things we’re going to have happen each night that will have variety to it.”
Helping Rubeck in the show’s preparation was his assistant director, senior Sean Liang, who is no stranger to comedy. Liang spent the summer improving his own improvisational techniques with the Chicago-based group Second City, which has been home to famous faces like Tina Fey and Steve Carell.
“I acted as a coach to the improv team,” Liang said. “I applied what I learned at Second City here and helped (the group) work through improv exercises.”
Of the players, three of them – junior Jared Allen, sophomore Sam Jones and junior Caroline Klidonas – were returning from last year’s show, while Vincenty, sophomore Ariadne Vickers-Davis and freshman Rebecca Hurd were rookies to the production. The month of rehearsal was especially important for the new players, according to Hurd.
“(When we played games), we have really gotten to know each other, which always helps with improv,” she said. “You have to be comfortable with the people around you.”
All that practice appeared to pay off, culminating in a show that had laughter ringing off the walls in Yeager Recital Hall. And, as promised by Rubeck, the players used plenty of audience suggestions to fuel their games, from death by unicorn during “Death in a Minute” to using dialogue written by audience members in a game called “Slip Up.”
“(The audience reaction last year) made us want to do it again,” Rubeck said. “And you learn a lot from doing it for an audience, what things work well.”
And while this kind of show could be done at any time of the year, Rubeck said an improv show during Homecoming is an easy event to create for the weekend, and it gives the department a chance to thank its donors.
(09/27/12 2:45am)
A magic show on a university campus cannot be an easy thing to perform. But Sept. 25 in McCrary Theater, Kevin Spencer was up to the challenge of giving a show that surpassed the power of skepticism.
(09/21/12 1:26am)
Mohawks, knit hats and graphic tees. These aren’t the typical items one would associate with a Celtic rock band. But nothing about the Tartan Terrors’ performance at Elon University Sept. 18 could pass as typical.
(09/19/12 7:51pm)
The cultural calendar. It’s never a surprise when it shows up in students’ campus boxes, a tangible reminder of a new semester in bloom. It is a map that guides students through four months’ worth of speakers, musical artists and theatrical performances. Many quickly glance to find the big things — the commencement speaker, the fall musical — before discarding it in a desk drawer. It is only found again at the last minute, when students are scrambling to fulfill a cultural events requirement for class.
(09/14/12 1:43am)
The Twittersphere and countless celebrity magazines were in a fury Monday morning with the news of a surprise Hollywood marriage: Ryan Reynolds and Blake Lively. The couple, who has been dating since co-starring in the 2011 superhero flick “The Green Lantern,” shocked the gossip world with their secret nuptials, which took place over the weekend in South Carolina. Reactions ranged from sadness, with fan girls virtually wailing over the loss of another handsome face to matrimony, to humor, cruelly reminding the world that this is Reynolds’ second attempt at marriage (the first, with Scarlett Johansson, ended in divorce).
(09/06/12 1:48am)
Superman and Hello Kitty, paintballs and glitter, sexuality and gun violence: These are not the typical phrases one encounters in an art discussion, especially in conjunction with one another. But some artists, such as Craig Hill, disagree with such a strict assessment of art.
(09/03/12 9:30pm)
Unsurprisingly, Taylor Swift’s newest single, “We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together,” has topped both the iTunes and Billboard Hot 100 charts since it debuted Aug. 13. Swift’s latest anthem tells the story of a girl who finally puts an end to a relationship stuck in the perpetual break-up-make-up cycle. Despite this being a relatively tame song for Swift – especially when compared to previous no-holds-barred hits such as “Dear John” and “Better than Revenge” – the media still ponder this thought: Who did Taylor write this song about?
(03/09/12 1:53am)
Bikinis, board shorts, clear water, tanning lotion and fruity drinks with little umbrellas. These images are typically associated with spring break. Yet, as Elon University’s spring break approaches, students have their own ideas about the best and worst places to spend the week.
(03/07/12 8:45am)
Students in the Elon Dance Company will get a taste of professional experience later this month, performing at the Semaine de la Danse Festival in Aurillac, France. Nine dancers, accompanied by professors Lauren Kearns and Karl Green, will perform their piece, “End Games,” as well as take classes with French choreographers and other dancers.
(02/21/12 8:57pm)
Elon University is continuing to provide hands-on experience for its students.