Stranded in the Butz-Carruth Recital Hall, 23 students fought vigorously to outwit, outplay and outlast the other contenders.
The battle to be in the Rice Pilaf Comedy Club went down on Sunday, Sept. 8. Wade Frances, a senior management and marketing major and Rice Pilaf captain, said it was the best audition he had ever seen, making it impossible to only accept one or two new members.
Stepping into the reality television show “Survivor,” TJ Fausnight, Thane Syswerda and Hudson Bell outlasted the talented group of auditioners and entered the Rice Pilaf family.
As the club’s fan base grows, so does the team, Frances said. Selling out at their first show of the year, Rice Pilaf has entertained a wide variety of audiences through improvised comedy.
“I think it’s the best way to bridge different people together because I think everybody likes to laugh, and everybody wants to laugh,” Frances said. So if you can find a space where you make everybody from different groups around the world laugh, I think that’s the best way to connect (with) each other, at least in my experience.”
Rice Pilaf was the crowning finale to Taylor’s Homecoming festivities. On the evening of Oct. 4, Rediger Chapel was filled as the eight comedy team members took the stage.
TJ Fausnight, a sophomore musical theater major and new member of Rice Pilaf, shared how he has demonstrated his love for obscure humor while on the stage.
“It’s a gift for our audience,” he said. “We go in there, lots of humility, and just want to provide a gift for the people watching and make people laugh.”
Fausnight is looking forward to getting better at improv, especially as a musical theater major. In addition to avidly participating in rhythm games, he described making Lego Rock Bands on his video game console as a love that goes “deep in his veins.”
Hudson Bell, a sophomore majoring in social studies education and a new member of Rice Pilaf, talked about his physical humor on the stage and the important balance between pushing boundaries and maintaining appropriateness.
“A lot of times, like the improv games, you’re just rolling with the bit,” Bell said. “You just kind of have to go with the flow and what’s happening—and maybe it’s funny, maybe it’s not, but you at least try it out.”
Despite being only two shows into his improv comedy career, Bell said he has experienced several memorable moments.
One particularly funny moment happened when Bell and Frances shared the Life Together Covenant (LTC) cone during a performance. A comedy member is required to do this when the audience believes something was said that might have violated the LTC code. While it normally only puts one person to shame, both were forced to share the cone after making a joke about Wengatz Hall.
Thane Syswerda initially hesitated to join Rice Pilaf, but after some inspiration from his peers, he decided to audition. He has focused on using physicality and facial expressions to create comedic moments in the shows.
Syswerda’s biggest motivation was Chris Farley, an actor and comedian who did work on Saturday Night Live. Syswerda has taken after Farley’s visual characteristics, which have always inspired his acting.
“I also just like throwing myself on stage or doing crazy emotions in order to just kind of get the crowd running a little bit and get energetic,” Syswerda said.
Whether it be sharing the LTC cone or mooing on the ground, Rice Pilaf offers a space to relax and escape from the ordinary burdens of classes, Bell said.
Rice Pilaf is organized by a set list that determines what games will be played at each performance, Frances said. Games like “Revolver” and “Freeze Justified” start the show with high energy, ensuring that the audience is hooked right off the bat.
Frances has looked at past shows for inspiration to draw from to adjust to a similar energy.
“That’s why practice is important to see, like who has good chemistry in what games and stuff, because ultimately, when you come to the show, you have no idea what’s going to happen until it happens,” Frances said.
