"Divers" are all about the laughs
Campus improv comedy group has knack for greating "great shows out of thin air"
Ashley Miller '08
Issue date: 2/28/07 Section: Features
| |
|
The only comedy group on campus consists of nine members - seven guys and two girls. You would think that an improv group would be slightly stressful or even very intense, but sophomore Diver Sam Brown begs to differ. "We just do it to make people laugh and make their lives more entertaining," he says.
Performing for the greater good of the Wheaton community is what the Dimple Divers are all about. That was both freshman Sean Clarke and Brown's underlying theme. All they want to do is make people laugh.
Getting exposure is difficult for them. They do not have a consistent venue in which they perform. They have done performances in Mary Lyon, the Meadows Lounge, and the Lyon's Den, among others.
"It's free. We train all year long for nothing in return," Brown says. They are more than happy to perform for the public, but would love to have more exposure and a larger audience.
The Divers had to wear the same uniform for three years because of the lack of funding. This year was different for the group though.
They decided to design and purchase their own uniforms because the Student Government Association does not have the ability to fund such items this year. To be fair, the members are paying for you to see them.
The senior members take the role of mentoring and constructively criticizing younger members. The members have this ability to create a great show out of thin air. Their only practice time is on Sunday evening for a mere two hours - an impressive feat when you see how cohesive their performances are.
Their rehearsal is structured in the way that they take what they choose to call "games" from previous shows or ideas. The Divers then utilize these to build a foundation off of. Each member has different strengths, which are played upon within their performances.
Performances for the improv group are usually once a month in various places. They like to mix it up a little and get a piece of everywhere around campus.
Their next show is scheduled to be on March 21, however, Brown and Clarke explained that they have not figured out which area on campus to hold their show.
"We're hilarious," Brown said. From the moment these two came into view, it was apparent that they are in it for their audience. Both Clarke and Brown are completely different, but their subtle comments and overt opinions make for why they are part of the Dimple Divers.
"We get around basically by word of mouth," Brown says.
Hopefully with their next show advertised, these improv comedians will get more recognition and fans. They deserve it.
Be the first to comment on this story