Laughter fills the Illini Union at the end of every week when Friday Funnies takes place and improv teams take the stage. The improv community is a hidden gem among the many RSOs on campus, often performing in small lecture halls where audiences can contribute to the humor, rather than in the University’s larger venues.
When building an improv scene, the performers ask the audience for suggestions, which are usually a location, occupation, object or grab-bag-anything.
“Nothing is prepared except for the general framework — which are the games. But, other than that, it’s free rein,” said Chloe Totman, member of Odd Request Improv and junior in LAS.
Five improv groups can be found on campus, each with its own specialization. Odd Request Improv and Phoenix Improv Company perform short-form improv, while Hive Society Improv is the only long-form team on campus. DeBono Improv is a musical improv group, and Spicy Clamato is the longest-running improv team at the University.
Hive Society, established in 2016, is formatted differently from the other teams. The organization has three separate groups within itself: Mental Chillness, established in Fall 2023; Bermuda Triangle, created in Spring 2024; and Gnome Alone, assembled in Fall 2024. Next year, Bermuda Triangle and Gnome Alone will merge into one.
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Games typically found in a Hive Society show include Bear Dog Shark Mice — better known as BDSM — along with Small Towns and Armando. These sets usually last 15 to 20 minutes, which is representative of Hive Society’s long-form style.
“We try to not rely on certain hinges like blue humor, which is basically any joke that might be a little bit too juvenile or potentially offensive,” said Neha Samuel, member of Hive Society and sophomore in LAS. “In practice, we try to stay away from easy jokes, like talking about politicians or pop culture that will get an easy laugh.”
The game BDSM has two people in a scene at a time, while other players have the ability to “tag in” and replace one of the scene members. The person who didn’t get tagged out remains the same character.
Small Towns takes place in a suggested location where the characters already know each other, and they create a scene with rising action, conflict and resolution.
Armando is one of their most popular games and has three monologues, followed by a scene surrounding the subject talked about. Each speech is completely real to the speaker.
“I like monologuing because it gives me a chance to yap about anything,” Samuel said. “I just had a monologue where I talked about how much I like ‘Mortal Kombat,’ and then on Mother’s Day weekend, I think I did one about how much I hate bananas.”
At the beginning of the year, the groups host their “improv jam,” held the day before auditions begin. Anyone interested in joining improv is given the opportunity to play games with the different teams to see which group would be a good fit and if it’s something they are actually interested in.
When it comes to auditioning for the individual teams, each team holds them differently. Odd Request mingles current members and potential members to test their chemistry in scenes, while Hive Society begins with a game called 10/60, where the prospective members have to perform 10 different characters in 60 seconds.
For the people on campus who aren’t a fan of the audition process, there is an open participation group that anyone can join called AKA Improv.
“Improv is for everyone,” Totman said. “If you want to do it, there’s a place for you. There’s a team for you. And if you’re hot, it’s Odd Request.”
Last weekend marked the fourth annual Universities Near Illinois Comedy Improv Festival, a gathering of improv groups to perform and mingle. Groups from other colleges, such as Michigan State, Illinois State University and the University of Illinois Chicago, were in attendance.
“I have met some really awesome people through the improv community and through the other teams too, and I feel like it’s just a really great environment,” Samuel said. “It’s a bunch of funny and creative people who just love performing.”
Improv not only builds community, but aspects of the performances bleed into the performers’ regular lives. Joe Hinsberger, member of Odd Request and sophomore in Engineering, said that improv has helped his confidence in public speaking and conversations.
“Improv is a highlight of my college experience,” Hinsberger said. “I like that it’s the team aspect. … We are all individually funny, but together, we are so much funnier and improv is all about working together to build the scene, and (the team) have made me so much funnier.”
