In a small University lecture hall, the air fills with anticipation and laughter. A group of students in the audience lean toward the actors on stage, waiting to see what will happen next. There is no script or memorized lines — just whatever feels right in the moment.
This is what an AKA Improv meeting looks like.
The RSO meets on Saturdays from 4-6 p.m. in Gregory Hall. It is the only non-audition improv group at the University, giving students the chance to try improv, whether they’ve had experience or not.
The group was founded in the spring of 2023 by David Hopping, facilitator of AKA and a graduate student studying informatics. Hopping said he initially joined because he wanted to have a larger role in teaching improv, and felt that AKA was a good fit because of its relaxed environment.
“(The facilitators) can be a part of running the show, and then the rest is just public,” Hopping said. “Anyone can come and participate or just watch.”
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Adam Vinn, vice president of AKA and sophomore in Social Work, first heard about the RSO from Hopping. Vinn said he had no prior experience, but was interested in trying improv. After going to a meeting for the first time, he said he felt comfortable in the group’s low-stakes environment, which drew him to keep coming back.
“You can just go do some improv, make some friends, learn some skills and then go home,” Vinn said.
Dylan Jenks, president of AKA and graduate student studying education, said he joined AKA after seeing it listed among other RSOs and decided to attend a meeting out of curiosity.
Jenks has also been involved in Spicy Clamato, another improv group at the University, since his freshman year. However, he said he was pleased at the idea of joining another improv group without the pressure of auditions.
Each AKA meeting begins with warm-up games that teach core improv skills like timing and awareness. One exercise they do is clap-passing, where members stand in a circle and one person makes eye contact with someone else, clapping once. That person must match the timing exactly, creating a single, seamless clap sound.
Another common warm-up exercise the group does is the five-finger spin, where everyone holds up one hand and uses their fingers as mini actors, moving them around like miniature people. A facilitator gives a prompt, and members create short scenes using only their fingers to show emotion and movement.
These warm-up exercises help members become familiar with each other before moving into more complex scenes. Vinn said the exercises build trust within the group.
“It teaches you how to nonverbally communicate,” Vinn said. “It also shows you how to recognize the power that one has.”
After warm-ups, the group moves into games and scene work. One game they play is called crossing the river, where everyone forms a circle. One person steps into the center and performs an action — anything from pretending to row a boat to mimicking the act of pushing against heavy wind.
Marco Sorce, member of AKA and sophomore in LAS, said AKA meetings are intentionally low-pressure, and breaking character is common. The group follows basic improv guidelines, such as saying “yes, and” and avoiding asking open-ended questions unless they add more to the scene. However, the rules are flexible as long as the scenes stay respectful.
Sorce said the relaxed structure makes it easier for people to try new things without worrying about getting it right every time.
“Sometimes we’ll break character in our own scenes,” Sorce said. “I’m not sure if that’s something you’re supposed to do in an audition team, but in AKA, it’s totally fine.”
AKA also collaborates with other RSOs, like Written Arts and Media and The Creative Collective, to host events that blend improv with writing and art.
One of AKA’s biggest contributions on campus is Survival of the Funniest, a competition-style event inspired by ComedySportz. The event takes place each fall, inviting all five University improv teams to participate against each other.
According to Jenks, AKA hopes to expand outreach next year, especially to students who feel hesitant to join midsemester. Facilitators plan to start hosting welcome events and run more collaborations with other RSOs on campus. They also hope to continue recruiting students to come to meetings, try improv and have fun.
“I want to keep doing it, and keep going, and keep getting funnier,” Sorce said. “It makes me happy to make other people laugh.”
