The cast of Iwazaru performs a skit about the presidents of the United States.
For most people, going up on stage with a script, let alone making everything up on the spot, is challenging. The cast of Iwazaru, a student-directed and student-acted improvisation show that was performed on November 4 and 5 in Gelb Theatre, faced this challenge head-on.
Although the show was centered on improvisation, a lot of work and effort was put into perfecting the performance. Cooperation among the cast members was crucial to bring the audience the best experience possible. Connor Barnes ’19 said, “A lot of work went into the end product of Iwazaru. The cast met every Monday through Friday for a month and a half for two hour-long rehearsals. We did a lot of experimentation for our skits and games. We also did many bonding activities.” Christian Hakim ’17, another cast member, added, “As we grew closer, the show grew closer. It was more intimate, more in sync. We also wrote all of the non-improvisational material such as the recorded commercials and the AA News Sketch. We worked hard to refine every aspect of the show.”
The performance featured many controversial themes such as cultural appropriation, parental control, racial tension, misconceptions of boarding school, as well as male supremacy. The cast presented these themes through discussions and more unconventionally, carefully selected methods and games. Barnes said, “When deciding on the games, it had to be taken into account what the audience would enjoy. We needed the games to translate well. We played with themes that was close to home, like the presidential election and cultural appropriation.” The cast made their own commentaries on disputable topics and lightened the tone by adding a satirical spin. Hakim added, “The AA News section and characters like Rita Foster portrayed by Polina Ermoshkina’19, were continuations inspired by the previous year’s show.”
However, the audience members were not the only ones that Iwazaru made an impact on. The cast members themselves had many things to say in terms of unforgettable memories. Mckynzie Romer’17 said, “Roasting my mom when she was in the audience during my stand up role was the most memorable part of the show for me. It was something I usually would not do in front of so many people.” Christian Hakim’17 added, “I will never forget the Saturday Night show. I have never had such an incredible performing experience before, and I got to share it with the most amazing cast. It was a rush.”
According to Barnes, “The most difficult part of improvisation is improvisation. It’s difficult to be quick on your feet, and to realize that not everything will be a witty one-liner. Sometimes the audience will not laugh. But I love it. Improvisation is different every time. Each performance is challenging, and making people laugh is even harder. When I land a successful joke, I feel accomplished.” Christian Hakim enumerated another challenge of improvisation, “When you are doing improvisational comedy, you can always depend on yourself to do and present what you want. But the problem is you never know what your cast members are going to do.”
Though unpredictable, the performance was enjoyable. Hakim said, “I love getting a reaction from the audience. I don’t care what the reaction is, because the ‘I can’t believe he just said that!’ reaction from the audience is just as good as laughter. I want to know that they are listening to what I have to say.” Romer added, “I was physically dragged to an Improvisation Club meeting and ended up sticking with it because I realized how fun it was. I liked that I was able to laugh at myself and act without judgment or fear.”
The cast of Iwazaru lit up the Gelb Theatre with their satire and quirky personalities, and a new cast will do so again next year in their own unique way, allowing their personalities and dynamic to shine through improvisation.
