Collegiate improv groups across the state are coming to BGSU’s campus this weekend for a group performance and weekend-long retreat- fusing them together.
The event hosted by the Plastic Shatners, an improv group on campus, exists to (unify?) the collegiate improv scene and provide a free night of fun for students on-campus.
The shows will be held on Nov. 15 and 16, at 7 p.m. in the Education Building, room 115.
“The fuse is a two-day event where improv groups around Ohio come together to build connections and perform with each other,” Plastic Shatners Director Derick Cox said.
In addition to three of BGSU’s improv groups including Lady Parts and Bad Genetics, colleges like Ohio State, Kent State, John Carroll University and Miami University will be participating in the event.
Off-campus improv groups involved are OSU’s Fish Bowl, Kent State’s Black Squirrel, John Carroll’s Rouge Understudies, and Miami University’s Sketched Out.
And unlike the traditional hour time frame for a set, improv groups on the first night, are only given ten minutes for a set.
“We have eight people from Lady Parts who are attending, so we’re trying to squeeze in as much as we can,” said Vidya Niroula, Director of Lady Parts.
After the first night, the separate troupes will come together and split off into new groups for the second night. The new groups will take improvisers from all seven teams and combine them into seven new teams, mixing everyone up.
“They’re going to get assigned into different teams, all randomly mixed. Then Saturday, it’s basically going to be from noon to about 6 p.m. where all these new teams are able to experiment with what they want to perform with at the show that night,” Cox explained.
Planning for the two-day show has been going on for around nine months.
“One of the biggest things is to contact early, like this year, I contacted Black Squirrel and Fish Bowl around March because they love coming every year, so we wanted to make sure there were no schedule overlaps,” Cox said.
After contacting the teams who will be attending, finding housing is the next big step.
“Usually some of the people on the BG teams let some of them stay at their apartments nearby. We know Black Squirrels staying at one of the hotels, and then some of the other ones are thinking about Airbnbs as well,” Cox explained.
Finding improv groups to join the fuse every year has come from connections made between the troupes.
“Other troupes have their own improv festivals that we’ve met other groups from. So really, while we’re at these festivals, we usually try and build connections and say, ‘Hey keep your November open, we’d love to see you there,’” Cox said.
Lucas Eldridge, PR Manager for the Black Squirrel Improv Troupe, says the fuse is a great way to form and improve connections too.
“These kinds of events have made us all more familiar and friendly with each other, and we always look forward to attending. This is a fun and exciting weekend for all troupes involved,” Eldridge said.
With it being her first year as director, Niroula is using the event as a learning experience.
“As a director, I see it as looking for advice, because you obviously want to do the best you can for your team and lead them to success, but it’s always nice to see other experienced directors and what they would do with certain situations,” Niroula said.
In keeping an event like this free, Plastic Shanters said it’s for the students.
“We want to keep it free, just because we know it’s a lot to ask college students for money, so we want to make sure it’s a free event, so they’re they can go have fun and not have to really worry about much,” Cox said.
The show involves the audience, so without students, Cox adds that it will fall predictable.
“There’s gonna be a lot of participation from the audience. So the toupes are gonna be looking out for callouts or stuff that they can really use to goof around,” Cox said.
At the show, the audience will also see how quickly improvists can form a team and an entire set.
“They’re really going to see how a team who has just formed the day before came together and really worked together to give a really good performance,” Cox said. “They will also see how quickly, people in improv can really fit themselves into a space and really become comfortable with new people.”
Cox urges students to come see the show to not only have a night filled with laughter but also to support the numerous improv groups.
“It’s very important for the audience because they come and have a great time, but it’s also very important for the performers because it’s a chance for them to meet people, build connections, and get to do what they love in front of new audiences,” Cox said.
