Gallery • 3 Photos

Aaron Yang

This is a photo of the Stillwater Improv's director, Grif Sadow. The photo is a photo of Sadow in his office.

In only its first year, the Stillwater Improv Troupe has shined their light on many students throughout the year. Now that this year has started, the Stillwater Improv Troupe is looking forward to perform again, and be even more successful. While the actors and actresses perform, they will be able to have an audience enjoy what they are passionate about for another year. For the newer members, they will get to experience what it’s like to have an audience enjoy their content.

Although the Improv Troupe had an outstanding year in 2015, this year they are hoping to look even better. Director of the Stillwater Improv Troupe, Grif Sadow, has thought of solutions and improvements to make this year even better. Having goals in mind will provide the young actors and actresses the mindset of becoming better at acting. Whether it be practicing public speaking or facing the fear of stage fright, the mindset of achieving what they want will help the students perform with confidence. As for future plans, the Stillwater Improv Troupe is still slowly progressing to become a better learning environment. The things that were accomplished are memorable, but the obstacles ahead of them will be even more challenging, yet achievable.

This year marks the year of the second opening of Improv for the Theater department. Sadow’s first thoughts of having an improv team for theater really sparked a future for many young actors and actresses.

“Improv is the skill that everybody can use, no matter if they are a performer or not. It really is a great, fun after school activity that really promotes getting out of your head, thinking on your feet, taking risks, working as a team,” Sadow said. “I thought last year, ‘wow we really needed the opportunity to experience improv’, so we created the jockeys of comedy, and sketch comedy truth and showcase, and so this is our second year.”

Many students of the theater department benefit from acting. Sadow opens the door for the students to learn, and expose them to the world of acting, and how it can help people grow as a person in and out of their life. The benefits for a student to act includes helping the student become a better person.

“I think mostly it’s confidence, and building your confidence in yourself. There’s a learning to use your voice, your body, your imagination and creativity. It’s working with others, it’s really working on a process to a final product,” Sadow explained.

Appreciation for the sketch piece really can expose the true emotions of the character, and can change the perspective of the character and it’s surroundings.

“It gives you empathy when you’re able to put yourself in someone else’s shoes, and really embody their life and character,” Sadow said. “So it creates a more understanding of appreciation for differences and others.”

Watching others act, whether it be professionals, or peers, taking that moment to learn the positive things they are showcasing can help grow in the point of view in acting. Being courageous and vulnerable can really change acting from being something done for fun to a passion.

“Watching others act shows how courageous they are. Just put yourself out there in front of people and be vulnerable to the environment, work hard to entertain people, and to educate and inspire them. Anybody who does that, it really is easier than what it looks like,” Sadow said.

The memorable moments of last year’s improv what when the theater department invited Tom Reed, a performer and writer based in Minneapolis, to help the young leaders realize the true beauty of acting.

“We invited Tom Reed from the brave new workshop downtown, to come and do a workshop on improv and sketch comedy. We created five original sketch comedy pieces that were student written and performed. We showcased our work from our after school work, in performance. That was widely received and highly entertaining. We’re expanding our spring improv opportunity as well, so we’re  growing that way,” Sadow explained.

Although the previous year has been very successful, this year the Improv Troupe is looking to expand more on the knowledge and experience of acting. Sadow is hoping to create different levels of acting groups from beginner to intermediate.

“I’m hoping to create different levels of accomplishments, and also create mini groups of jockeys of comedies so that we have different levels of experience and knowledge,” Sadow said. “I think kind of more of the same thing as last year. The new improvers, opportunity of improv, and learning what it really is, and getting comfortable is what we’re hoping to achieve. As well as creating more of an intermediate advance for those who were in improv with us last year that had the experience.”

With a full year ahead of the second year of improv, there will be varieties of obstacles in their way. Rather than looking back on last year’s achievements, the future will guide the way to provide more memorable events for beginner actors and actresses. As the year goes on, so will the individual skills of each students who take part of improv.

“Just keep doing it. I think the more you do something, the more comfortable and easier it gets. Although it’s always a process, so you’re always learning. Just keep an open mind, and be gentle with yourself and realize that you’re still just learning. And know that you’re always gonna keep learning. As soon as you think ‘Wow I’m so good and brilliant’, it’s probably going to be your downfall. Just give it a try, and if it’s your passion, then keep doing it until you succeed,” Sadow said.