This semester Joyous Chaos entertained us all with one improv show themed, “Lord of the Rings: Return of the Team”. Now, the existing team of six is looking for four to five new members, a host, a manager, and a piano player. The Joyous Chaos improv team hosted the tryouts on Thursday, Sept. 17, at 7 p.m.in the Ladue Auditorium. The existing team includes Rachel Walton, Nate Bjorge, Mikhaela Romoser, Roman Butler, Rachel Rousseau and Eddie Allison. When asked what they were looking for in the tryouts, Rachel Walton stated, “We are looking for projection, continuation of story and stage presence.”
The tryouts were an interesting bunch of freshmen, sophomores, juniors and seniors. Together, the bunch numbered around 30 with 24 trying out to be members of the improv team and the remaining six applying to be the host, manager or piano player.
The tryouts began with a fun warm-up and a few stretches and then the real games commenced. Each existing member took time evaluating
every student who tried out. The Joyous Chaos team each had an evaluation sheet divided into three sections; one representing each game played.To begin, Joyous Chaos introduced the first game called “Four Corners.” If you have been to a show before, you know the hilarious game where every side of a square on stage has a different and random theme. The students trying out stood in a square formation with themes such as Sons of Anarchy, yellow, Nike, and Apple Bottom Jeans. Then they began to act out each scene until the host called forward or reverse. Then they continued to act out the scene before or after the scene they were currently in.
Tryouts proceeded with another scene changing game called “Team” and a hilarious role-playing scenario called “Bigger and Better.” Four improv applicants stood out in this game while acting out a scene of family monopoly. They acted out the scene once all the way through. Next, the host yelled bigger and they had to act out the same scene just more dramatically. Their voices got louder as the scene became more ridiculous and the crowd erupted in laughter.
The tryouts lasted over two hours and the applicants were evaluated in at least two different games. Though the applicants were asked to leave, the existing teammates stayed to decide who would come for callbacks. Walton said, “We will stay here as long as we need to and I am sure there will be much yelling and deliberation before we all agree on who we want to join the team.”
Joyous Chaos notified the callbacks the following day after tryouts. The second audition was on Sunday, Sept. 20. This tryout included harder games to uncover even more talent. The same night of the second tryouts, the existing team picked the new members. In Walton’s own words,“The new members will find out if they made it or not in a creative and improvised way. It should be interesting and that is all I am saying.” From the moment the new members find out, they are officially a part of Joyous Chaos and the rest of campus will see their comedy debut in the next improv show.
the team. I am excited to see how their style is different from ours because there is not one single type of comedy.”
Overall, the tryouts held bright hopes for a hysterical, interesting and entertaining new dynamic team. The entire campus is waiting expectantly to find out what new faces will grace the stage of the next improv show. Keep an eye on the Joyous Chaos Facebook page to find out when the next improv show will be.
