The Bluffoons held their first improv performance on Sept. 14 to a full house.
Sophomore Beau Borek practices “count down,” an improv game in which performers practice a scene over and over again, faster each time. (Kayla Wong | The Beacon)
By Rachelle Ludec, Staff Writer ludec13@up.edu
As the house lights went down and the stage lit up, it was clear that everything was not as it seemed. Devin Helmgren and Jackie Ackerson emerged from the curtains dressed in vibrant ties that wrapped around their heads, necks and waists. These two Bluffoons would serve as the MCs for a night filled with mouth guards, macaroni and teen fiction panel experts.
Just after 7:30 on Friday night, once the audience had done its fair share of the work in raising the excitement in the room, the remaining Bluffoons took the stage ready to act out scenes based off audience suggestions.
The audience watched in elation as UP's student improv comedy group, The Bluffoons, performed scenes around building planes and computers out of mouth guards with the use fellow Bluffoons as stunt doubles or around the story of Thumbelina and winning her, or in the Bluffoons case, his, love, as proposed by the audience.
Without audience suggestions, the shows would not be what they have become.
"I don't know where to start without a suggestion," junior Ryan Belisle said. "Shows don't work without our fans; and the more people in the room, the better the performance."
In a place where chairs become fences and single ties become full costumes, The Bluffoons invite the audience to enter into another world where the sun always shines and a dark room becomes a cloud-filled sky.
"We're actually in the cloud appreciation society, but scheduled our meetings too late in the evening," junior Olivia Alsept-Ellis said.
Although The Bluffoons consist of as many as 30 members, only ten members perform each night on a volunteer first-come first-serve bases. Last Friday, the ten Bluffoons performing were President Ryan Belisle, Vice-President Jackie Ackerson, Treasurer Rachel Van-Nes, senior Matt Tominaga, juniors Devin Helmgren, Stan Peck, Ben Mesches and Matt Sepeda, and sophomores Allie Seibert and Beau Borek.
"The number of members waxes and wanes during the year," junior Devein Helmgren said. "But there is a core group of ten or 15 people."
Members of The Bluffoons join for a number of reasons, whether to perform in the show or to simply have fun.
"For some of us, it's like church. It's like priority number high," Helmgren said.
Regardless of the importance of comedy improv team, The Bluffoons welcome anyone interested in improv even if it is not their number one priority.
"We are a very diverse group, but all united because we like having fun," Belisle said. "I don't think I've ever met an improv person I don't like."
"If people came to our practice, people would be surprised by who came and did improve," Helmgren said, referring to UP alum and basketball player Luke Sikma, who joined The Bluffoons when he was a student.
The Bluffoons hold practices every Tuesday and Thursday from 10 p.m. to 12 a.m. in the Mago Hunt Recital Hall and the Buckley Center Auditorium, and welcome all UP students interested in joining.
"I was introduced by a friend," Helmgren said. "It sucked me in body and soul, in a beautiful way."
Bluffoon members find improv comedy to be usefulin multiple aspects of their lives.
"Being part of The Bluffoons is great because it causes you to think on your feet, you're able to develop skills, other than being funny, and apply them to the rest of your life," Van-Nes said. "It makes it easier to adopt to situations."
People continue to join the Bluffoons via word of mouth, through a friend or after attending a show.
"I initially joined freshman year because my friend dragged me to it," Van-Nes said.
Many of the members also found participating in the Bluffoons to be a significant contributor to their health.
"It is a great way to relieve stress, and it is a lot of fun," junior Natalie Vierra said.
The Bluffoons are constantly encouraging people to join, whether they are new or returning members.
"I was gone all last year [in Salzburg], and I missed it," returning member junior Olivia Alsept-Ellis said.
The comedy improv team is run by members of the board of Bluffoons who understand the busy schedules of UP students and the possibility of the inability to attend every rehearsal.
Those not wanting to simply watch The Bluffoons can find them on Moodle, Facebook and YouTube, or at one of their four remaining shows this semester.
"I've seen them last year, and I really enjoyed it," junior Ross Hallauer said.
The Bluffoons' next show is on Sept. 28 in Mago Hunt Hall at 7:30 p.m.
Next performances 7:30 p.m. in Mago Hunt
Sept. 28th Oct. 12th Oct.19th Dec. 1st
Juniors Stan Peck and Chelsea Davidson practice a scene Thursday before their perfomance in Mago Hunt on Friday. (Kayla Wong | The Beacon)
