Jamie Hampton
jhampto6@uwyo.edu
The University of Wyoming campus offers many things to do ranging from leadership conferences to art galleries. Somewhere in that range, This Just In fits in with their improv shows.
This Just In is an improv troupe, created in 2009, associated with the registered student organization (RSO) Associated Students of Performing Arts (ASOPA) and is ran entirely by students.
“I’ve been a diehard fan of improv since my sophomore year in high school and was ecstatic to know there was an improv club and troupe at UW,” Emily Edgar, senior studying fine arts and co-director of This Just In, said. “I auditioned and got onto the troupe in 2010.”
Edgar is responsible for scheduling the venues for shows, rehearsals and improv club. Edgar said after the venues are scheduled the troupe runs the working parts of all the improv activities.
“Besides directing the troupe I am also the marketing person,” Edgar said. “I created and run our Facebook page and since I started in 2010, I’ve made nearly every poster advertising our shows and club.”
This Just In has had four shows this semester and tries to do two improv shows a month and one improv club, which anyone is welcome to attend to participate in and learn.
“Any student here at UW is welcome to come to club where we play games and offer advice, no experience necessary and we encourage any positive energy,” Edgar said. “The only way to start doing improv is to just get up there and go for it, there are no right answers, only helpful guidelines and the support of those in the scene with you.”
Edgar said she got involved with improv because she loves the community associated with improv and added that she has met most of her friends through improv.
“My favorite part of doing improv in feeling like anything is possible,” Edgar said. “The number one rule of improv is to never deny your acting partners. When something happens in a scene you accept it as reality and it makes the scene more interesting.”
Edgar added that she believes improv can make fun of our reality but also allows for new ides, new characters and solutions to problems.
“These ways of thinking not only help me be funnier and more thoughtful on stage, but have been adapted into my regular life as well,” Edgar said.
Two things that might be considered as important to college students would be free things and entertainment, which This Just In covers in their improv shows.
“An improv show is a great way to get together with your friends and enjoy a good laugh without a television screen,” Edgar said. “Every improv show is different, you never know what can happen and it’s completely unscripted.”
Edgar also commented on the fact that all of This Just In’s shows are free.
“We like to think of ourselves as a break from the normal stressors of life and to inspire people to have fun and be creative,” Edgar added.
This Just In has been working on a type of improv called long-form improv. Long-form improv is longer than short-form improv and offers a chance for participants to develop character and plot more and is used by professional troupes.
“It’s been a lot of hard work and experimenting, but we can only get better with practice,” Edgar said.
This Just In will have their next show Nov. 19 and will be the last show of the season. The next season will start in the spring and will have at least seven shows. More information on events can be found on This Just In’s Facebook page.
