NatickImprov Brings Laughs On The Spot to Natick And New England

NATICK, MA—It isn't so easy being funny on the fly. It's an art form called improv, and only the talented can pull it off, and share it with others.

NatickImprov does just that. The comedy organization based in Natick offers workshops and performances for anyone interested in the art of improvisational comedy. Started in 2009 the workshop spawned a show troupe called Penguin Apocalypse from some of the members that performs throughout New England and promotes the art of improv.

Performer Mark Dittelman explains that there are two major forms of improv: long and short.

"Although we do work with long form structure (longer scenes connected to one another) for local performances and workshops you will most likely see us performing short form, a la 'Whose Line Is it Anyway?'" said Dittelman. "In this style we play a series of games, where we get a suggestion like a location or relationship from the audience and then everything is made up on the spot."

And is everything always really improvised? Certainly so, said Brian Higgins, another performer in the troupe.

"Everything we do is made up on the spot," said Higgins, "but that doesn’t mean that we don’t have to prepare in some capacity. Any task requires practice and improv is no different. Some of us have been performing improv for more than years but we’re still constantly learning and honing new skills and tools."

At rehearsal, the troupe runs different games or scene structures to work out logistics for the performances, but once everything hits the stage, it's created in the moment based on suggestions from the audience.

"There are so many we could list but the short answer is 'whatever improviser I’m currently watching,'” said Higgins when asked what performers inspire the troupe, "whether it be at an improv class, workshop, rehearsal, or performance, when a moment clicks into place and a scene is firing on all cylinders it is a breathtaking experience. It’s our favorite thing in the world!"

When they were younger, they were all inspired by the original British version of "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" and one of the reasons they wanted to try improv.

"Likewise, if you look to today’s biggest comedy heroes like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, Stephen Colbert or Bill Murray, as examples, they all come from an improv background," said Dittelman. "It’s just so wonderful to see how they’ve applied their skills learned from improv to our favorite movies and TV shows."

ImprovNatick offers monthly workshops at its home location of The Common Street Community Center at 13 Common St. in Natick and has a monthly show at the Kretschmann Brewing Company, at 9 Frederick Webster.

"We also perform all over depending on events that pop up," said Dittelman. "For example, we recently helped out in fundraiser shows for Family Promise Metrowest and the American Diabetes Association."

The next workshop takes place on July 12 and the next show is July 19.

"We love seeing new faces at our shows and workshops," said performer Rosann Santorelli Corolla. "We offer our workshops to anyone interested, regardless of what skill level or background with improv they may have."

Find out more, including show dates, here.

Photo courtesy ImprovNatick