By Ronni Meier
"Waitress! There's a hurricane in my soup."
"Well that blows!"
Rice Pilaf members laughed and kept the puns going during their Tuesday night practice, playing one of their games, "Soup's On." Made up of 10 members, Rice Pilaf, Taylor's improvisational comedy group, is styled similarly to the once popular show "Whose Line Is It Anyway," and they are sure to keep you laughing."We play games that require us to think quickly on our feet, and our particular style is with a short form which basically means we keep our games short and sweet, around two to seven minutes for each game," said Organizer of Rice Pilaf, junior, Blake Andersen.
Recently they have performed in the Union raising money the Beckett Fund and in Rediger Auditorium during the J-Awards.
"We try to have a show every month, although sometimes our schedules don't line up correctly," said senior Julia Mattice.
For each show, there is a one dollar ticket fee that has gone to a variety of venues.
"Last year we spent it to donate a camel in a third world country. This kind of donation marks the quirky yet caring attitude of the group," Andersen said. "We have also partnered with OneVerse and other organizations to benefit those in need of our revenue. Occasionally, we will go on McDonalds runs and purchase large amounts of chicken nuggets to feed the hungry, which at eleven o'clock is usually us college students."
Each Tuesday night, the group consistently meets to practice. Since they run only on improvisation, practice can be difficult, and the team members must learn to think on their feet.
"Our practices are formed exactly like a real show. We begin with the same games, end with the same games, and experiment with new games or practice old ones in the middle," said Andersen. "Though a common perception is that improv should require no practice, our practices help us learn each other's strengths and weaknesses and unite our thinking as a group."
Some of the skits and games they play include "World's Worst," where members act out a professional acting poorly on the job, "Say It Again, Sam," where players must repeat scenarios and rework phrases after the ringing of a bell, and "Press Conference" where the interviewers must give subtle hints to help the interviewee figure out who/what he or she is.
"Rice Pilaf is always new, always original," said another member, senior Jack Galbriath.
Rice Pilaf advertises though Bob Craton emails, posters in the Union and DC and by word of mouth.
"Taylor students should come to our shows for a few reasons," Andersen said. "Where else are you going to find a show with these improvisational qualities and audience participation? You can only go open housing a limited number of times on Friday night before people see it as a desperate plea to get the ring by spring. We provide a rare experience of humor, enjoyment, wit, and a bit of crossing the line that keeps people on the edge of their seats with a belly full of laughter."
Rice Pilaf has a show on April 26 at 9 p.m. in the Recital Hall and another during the Freshman Formal on May 3.
