Salve Regina to Host College Improv Festival

By: Emily Dauenhauer
Posted In: News

Salve Regina will be hosting its first ever College Improv Festival from March 24-25 at 7:30 p.m. The event will take place at Salve Regina University’s Theatre Studio in Mercy Hall.

The College Improv Festival will showcase nine different improvisational troupes from a variety of local colleges and universities. Directed by Tom Gleadow, 14 members of Salve Regina’s improv troupe, Seahawk Down, will be participating in the festival.

“Improv is the art of creating theatre as it’s being performed,” said Gleadow. “Improv is a celebration of spontaneity and creativity, based on guiding structures often determined by the audience.”

Improvisation is a unique form of theatre which requires actors to perform on unrehearsed topics. Since September 2005 Seahawk Down has focused on performing long form improv. This type of improv requires the troupe to perform monologues and scenes for roughly 30 minutes that focus on one randomly selected word from the audience.

“Improv requires a lot more concentration and is challenging for actors, but it teaches important skills that are necessary in theatre,” said Seahawk Down member Mary Beth Luzitano.

Improv techniques can vary. Other forms are short improv, which is similar to what is performed on “Whose Line is it Anyway?” It can also be done as sketch comedy similar to “Saturday Night Live.” Each troupe will perform a variety of improv techniques during the two day festival.

The festival will showcase improv troupes from Marist College, Northeastern University, Providence College and the University of Rhode Island, among others. Seahawk Down member, Peter Simons said, “Having different troupes is an opportunity to celebrate, improve, and to learn new techniques and ideas.”

This festival is an opportunity for improv troupes to come together and share their techniques. It is not a competition, it’s simply a chance for actors to display and practice their skills to an interested audience.

Ticket prices are $5 and can be purchased in advance or at the door. Stage manager Siobhan LaPorte-Cauley said she expects students to fill the theatre studio and thinks it’s possible that the festival may perform to a sold out crowd. To reserve your tickets please call the Salve Regina Theatre Company Box Office at (401) 341-2250.