Justin O’Connell
When the burden of the coming week rears its ugly head most severely, are you not quite sure how to pass the time on Monday nights? Try improvising with the Awkward Moose club.
During a typical meeting, the club plays a range of improv games, many of which are derived from the popular ABC television show “Whose Line is it Anyway?” The club also plays its own unique improv games.
Last year, the Improv Club, known among its members as Awkward Moose, competed in the American Collegiate Theater Festival. They also performed at ComedySportz in Portland last year.
In addition to off-campus competitions, the club regularly performsat Linfield.
“Every couple of months we will do a show in front of the school,” junior Vice President Zane Johnston said.
The club was founded in the fall of 2006 by juniors Matt Cantelon and Keegan Basset after the two attended the ACTF. Awkward Moose received its charter the same semester.
“We both went to a lot of improv workshops and we enjoyed watching the other college’s teams,” Cantelon explained.
The club’s name is a spin on the phrase “awkward turtle,” a phrase used to describe an awkwardsituation.
Though many of the students in the club participate in theater, it is not required to take part in the club.
“Good actors are not necessarily good improvisers,” Cantelon said. “Anyone can do it.”
The purpose of the club is to perform for the student body and help its members develop formidable improvisation skills.
“We try to be inclusive because we take anybody who wants to learn, and sometimes people just come to watch,” Cantelon said.
Johnston and Cantelon both insist everyone has the ability to make others laugh, so there is no reason for people to feelapprehensive.
“A lot of people think they have to try very hard to be funny,” Cantelon said. “Everybody is funny.”
Awkward Moose meets every Monday from 9 p.m. to 11:30 p.m in Withnell Commons. The club will perform April 4 at the Informed Choices Friday Night Live Program and is open toall students.
