By Flynn Demapendan-Espana
Improvisational theatre is an art form in which a live performance happens where the actors in the improv troupe make up scenes and characters on the spot. Improvised performances have been around for centuries in many different forms in theatre, but it grew into popularity in the late 1950’s.
In Solano County, there are two highschool improv troupes: one in Benicia High School and the other in Armijo High School. These troupes give students a chance to learn and master the style of improv.
Scarlet Albrecht, a student in Benicia’s Improvisational Theatre Troupe, also known as B.I.T.E, said she joined simply because “It’s the craziest art form when it works…even more so than any scripted theatrical production.”
Esten Freitas, from Armijo’s Improv team, reaffirmed this sentiment stating, “I chose to do improv after realizing how little I did after school and how much I didn’t wanna talk and interact with people, [so] it was a way to push me out of my comfort zone.”
Improv doesn’t just help with making things up for a scene on stage, it also helps with situations outside of theatre. A student, Spencer Reynolds, in B.I.T.E, said that improv helped him with his confidence.
“..Improv has enabled me to approach those aspects of my life with more confidence and to do so as someone quick on my feet,” says Reynolds. Reynolds then went on to say that with the newfound confidence he received from improv, it helped him ‘strengthen friendships with old friends and forging new friendships.”
Another student, Jenn Monsalud, from the improv troupe in Armijo also stated that improv helped them grow as a person. “Improv has made me one thousand percent more confident in myself than I have ever been,” says Monsalud. “Freshman year me and Junior me are very different people, in fact that I can command a group of people now while speaking, I don’t think freshman year me could ever.”
Currently, the improv troupes are getting together to rehearse for an up-and-coming show. Both schools perform in their school whenever they can, giving the opportunity for the community to watch improv live on stage.
Both teams agree that getting ready and pre-show rituals are the most important to get warmed up and ready. Malik Rahim from B.I.T.E said,“Before a show, I will eat a light and healthy meal, put on my improv shirt, and, before you know it, I am ready to go.”
AJ Beuder, an improver from Armijo, says he has a tradition before every improv show: “Before most improv shows, I walk downtown from my school and go to this gas station that has a little kitchen inside it, and I get the exact same burrito.”
Both of the improv teams are different and unique in their own way, having their own specialities in certain games or quirks, having more physicality or more expressiveness, but both teams have something in common: very responsible leaders.
Malik Rahim, a veteran improver on BITE said, “As someone who has been on the team for four years, I make sure that everyone on the team, especially those who are new, feel supported and welcomed.” Rahim is known by the team as someone who doesn’t let anyone in the team feel left out
Jenn Monsalud, the team leader in Armijo High School said, “Being captain makes me both anxious and confident.” Monsalud has two other co-captains, also known as ‘mateys’, on the team, Freitas and Beuder. Monsalud ended the interview by saying, “I am really happy that I’m that figure for them, but I’ll forever be shocked that I am.”
As to getting to know more about both Benicia’s and Armijio’s improv teams, go check out the cage match between both schools on March 7th from 7-9pm in Armijo’s cafetorium!
beniciapaw.com 