The anticipation is palpable in the darkened room. As the stage lights up the low buzz of chatter dies down. The audience faces forward eager and ready to laugh. Soon after the Pepperdine Improv Troupe members are introduced and the quippy lines and punny exchanges take over the stage. Such is what we’ve become used to from PIT over the years. And just as the apprehension hangs thick before each show so is the anticipation for this coming year of PIT antics.
After recent auditions this year‘s PIT team has been finalized to include Seth Allison Sophia Bien John Capobianco Dante Carr Isabela Comerford Blake Curtis Josh Downs Savannah Garrett Zach Garrett Jeff Loveness Katie McDonough David McKee Stephen McNeil Shelby Parsons and Mishy Turner. PIT is known for its game show-like format where its participants are broken down into teams and then asked to partake in various interactive spontaneous “games.” After each game the audience is asked to score the performance on a scale of one to five by clapping for the appropriate number. The team that receives the highest score at the end wins but winning is hardly the focus of a PIT night.
Known for both his production of and participation in quirky films and skits senior Jeff Loveness is looking forward to the start of the new PIT season.
“I can‘t wait to be able to perform again with my friends. Even though [the shows are] on a Friday or Saturday night we always get a great crowd Loveness said. We‘ve got a lot of new people this year and I think it’s going to be fun to see how our different styles and personalities will mold together on stage.”
New to the improv stage senior Sophia Bien felt elated rather than nervous when she went in for her audition to become part of the team.
“Normally I would have been extremely stressed out. But ironically the stress that accumulated over the week exhausted me to the point where I was too tired to be self-conscious she said.
Students are not the only ones who enjoy the pithy back and forth on stage.
I took my parents to a PIT show when they were visiting one time and they loved it senior Hayley Johnson said. My dad couldn’t get over how funny the students were. He quoted it through the weekend.”
PIT stands as the perfect opportunity to laugh away the afflictions faced daily by Pepperdine students. PIT can provide “a moment of comedic relief from the stress of being a student at Pepperdine in Malibu. Seriously Bien said.
PIT members like Bien enjoy the chance to brighten someone else’s day. Taking part in something that benefits others while being lighthearted rarely goes unappreciated.
PIT is the punniest improv troupe Pepperdine inclines to present involving theatrical performances in 3-D. Who wouldn’t want to be involved in that?” Bien said. “Laughing helps me get through my day so if I can help someone out with a joke why it’d be PITacular.”
After receiving the advice to try improv as a way of developing characters for screenwriting senior Stephen McNeil decided to grab hold of the opportunity to be an active participant this year. Having been a regular attendee of their shows in the past McNeil is hopeful of the budding promises PIT holds.
“The cast and ensemble we have are really talented. I’m really excited to work with a bunch of new people McNeil said.
Advertised on Facebook as a (completely consensual) tickling of your funny bone PIT aims to bring laughter and general joviality bubbling from all. Anyone wishing to enjoy a hearty laugh and melt away the hardships of completing the first month of school can stop by the second floor of the HAWC on Saturday, Sept. 25, at 8 p.m.