Game On: Improv! wiped away student worries and provided a source of entertainment with its witty performance this past week.

Game On: Improv! is a Shippensburg University club for students to practice improvisational theater. Keith Russell, the Game On: Improv! president, explained how it closely resembles “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” and “Saturday Night Live.”

The group strives to perform twice a month with one big show in McFeely’s Café and a small one in the residence halls. Each performance consists of eight-- to 10 “games” for the audience to participate in and observe.

One of their first games on Friday night was “Party Quirk.” Three of the club members were given an odd habit and the “host” had to guess what it was. The quirks ranged from being addicted to mayonnaise to having a crab stuck to their butt.

Another game they played was called “Pocket Lines.” For this one, the audience wrote down a word or phrase on a slip of paper. The two actors had to then constantly pull slips of paper out of their pockets and incorporate the word or phrase into their conversation. This was quite amusing to watch since a lot of the phrases were nonsense.

During their performance the group poked fun at this year’s presidential election. One actor could only say, “Build a wall,” per the audience’s request, while the other was limited to saying, “Tear it down.”

Game On: Improv! ended with “Good, Bad and Worst Advice.” Three of the club members sat in chairs lined across the stage like “American Idol” judges. Audience members asked them questions and the three had to give either good, bad or worse advice. One student asked, “What should I do if I want to ask my best friend’s sister out?” The worst advice giver took it to the extreme and recommended killing their friend to avoid the obstacle while the good advice giver recommended talking to the friend.

Overall, the show lasted an hour, making it feel like an episode full of entertainment. While it was a bit corny at times, the club members did a great job of composing instant laugh-worthy scenes. Since they asked the audience for help selecting scenes and dialogue, it was rather easy to get engrossed in the event and be unable to wait and see what scenario they would come up with next.

According to the club home page, “Its purpose shall be to provide an atmosphere promoting freedom of individual expression and creativity, while also encouraging the development of confidence in a public setting.”

Russell emphasized that students do not need any experience prior to joining the club. In fact, he joined without any background in acting. Game On: Improv! helps students improve their public speaking skills and meet lots of new people.

“It’s very inclusive and open for anyone. Everyone is real friendly and relaxed,” Russell said.

Game On: Improv! meets Sundays 1–3 p.m. in Orndorff Theatre each week to discuss and plan upcoming shows. 

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