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The
Louisville Improvisors lead a full slate
O.C. Arts Center events
Group’s
founder teaches improvisation
at the Oldham County Arts Center
By
Konnie McCollum
Contributing Writer
CRESTWOOD, Ky. (March 2006) – Back
in high school, actor Chris Anger decided to take a high school
drama class. What he discovered during a course in improvisation,
or spontaneous acting without a script, was a lifelong passion
for the art. More than two decades later, Anger still has
that love and excitement for improvisational comedy. Anger
and his comedy troupe, the Louisville Improvisors, will bring
their skills to Crestwood for an 8 p.m. performance on Saturday,
March 23. The show is for all ages and tickets are $12.
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Photo
provided
Alec
Volz (left)
Joshua Lane (center) and Chris Anger (right) will
entertain in Crestwood
on Saturday, March 23.
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Anger described improv acting as an extraordinary
experience. “Being in the moment is almost magical.”
He added that being on stage and coming up with the perfect
lines is “like having a metaphysical or out-of-body experience.”
Originally from the California Bay area, Anger relocated to
Louisville, Ky., about seven years ago. He is a part-time
instructor at Louisville’s Walden Theatre and teaches
a weekly class at the Oldham County Arts Center in Crestwood.
Previously, Anger taught various workshops and classes in
improvisation at several schools in Louisville, including
Spalding University, and Indiana University Southeast in New
Albany, Ind.
After working with numerous other actors in a variety of shows,
Anger decided to start his own improvisational comedy troupe,
the Louisville Improvisors. He and fellow actor Alec Volz,
a full-time instructor and director at Walden Theatre, co-founded
the new team.
Actor Joshua Lane, who has directed and taught improv for
years, rounds out the trio. Lane has only been with the Louisville
Improvisors for about 11/2 years. He was selected during the
troupe’s only audition session.
Anger said the troupe, which has enjoyed almost seven years
of success, works well together. He said the key to good improv
comedy is to work with a group mind. He attributed their success
to good team chemistry. Anger said that being able to trust
your teammates and counting on their support is essential
in this type of comedy acting.
Although the troupe gets its actual materials from the audience
during live performances, there is still a need to rehearse.
The trio practices to perfect their skills and to achieve
the cohesion that is so important in improv comedy. Anger
said that while many people are just amazed out how the improv
actors can think so quickly and create comedy out of thin
air, there are a few rules that they follow. The main rule
is to always say “yes and….” The second rule
is to never say “no.” It can end the conversation.
Anger also said that improv actors need to really listen,
be positive and work at the top of their intellect.
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At
the Oldham Co. Arts Center in March
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• Saturday,
March 11 at 8 p.m.: The 18-piece Signature Jazz Orchestra,
led by Oldham County
percussionist Jim Polley, will perform. Lovers of large
ensemble jazz will thrill to the music of Stan Kenton,
Frank Sinatra, Sammy Nestico, Duke Ellington, Count Bassie,
Maynard Ferguson and even Steve Allen. Tickets are $10.
• Sunday, March 12 at 2:30 p.m.: The
Oldham County Arts Association, in partnership with Kentucky
Humanities Council, presents a Kentucky Chautauqua®
program called “Sallie Ward, Queen of Society.”
In this one-woman presentation, storyteller Suzi Schuhman
plays Ward, noted 1800s Louisville southern belle known
for her independence and high spirits. The program is
free.
• Saturday, March 18 at 7:30 p.m.: The Arts
Center and Walden Theatre presents “As It Is In Heaven,”
a play set in the 1830s Kentucky Shaker community of Pleasant
Hill. Tickets are $11. Walden will also present a performance
for school groups at 10:30 a.m. Friday, March 17.
• Monday, March 20: A student photography
show opens in the Business and Professional Women-Oldham
County Art Gallery. Showcasing the work of students throughout
the county, the exhibit, called “Art’s Up,”
will include color and black and white photography. The
exhibit will be in the gallery until May 8.
• Friday, March 31 at 7 p.m.: The Oldham County
Arts Association will feature another film in its series
from the 2005 Bluegrass Independent Film Festival, the
comedy, “The Wild Guys.” Tickets are $5. |
The Louisville Improvisors actually perform
what is known as the longform in their stage performances.
In longform, the audience is asked to pick a general theme
and then the comedians perform scenes centered on that theme
for about 15-30 minutes at a time. They have no prepared lines
or themes.
The other type of improv comedy is called the shortform. In
this type of improv, a series of unrelated themes are put
together in a game. The audience suggests the themes to the
actors. Many television viewers have seen shortform performed
on the show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”
The troupe welcomes all ages for most of its performances.
Anger said they try to keep all of their material clean and
appropriate for children because many of their students are
children. However, Lane and Anger have worked up a ventriloquist
act, called Rickets and Randy, which is a variation from their
normal performances. Some of the material in that offshoot
is directed toward a more mature audience.
Not only have the Louisville Improvisors performed at theaters
throughout Louisville and the surrounding area, the troupe
has taken its performance on the road, touring various cities
such as St. Louis and Chicago. The troupe has also performed
at many festivals and even held a national festival every
January.
The festival, the Improvapalooza, is held at the Kentucky
Center’s MeX Theater, in Louisville. Since the troupe
started the festival, its popularity has grown nationally
every year, Anger said. The event usually lasts two nights
with several troupes of improv comedians performing each night.
Because of demand, last summer the Louisville Improvisors
played host to a summer festival dubbed “Improvapalooza
5.5.”
In addition to the Louisville Improvisors, several other events
are scheduled for March at the Oldham County Arts Center.
“We have the strongest programming schedule in our short
history coming in March and early April,” said Harrie
Buecker, principal of the Arts Center. “The Center has
something for everyone. We will be filled to the rafters with
music, drama, and laughter.”
• For more information on these events,
call the Arts Center at (502) 241-6018. or visit: www.oldhamcountyartscenter.com.
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