In theatre, improv is all about telling a story through dialogue and actions that are made up in the moment. However, recreating an experience that lies so heavily on listening and reacting can be difficult virtually. 

To help overcome this challenge, Improv Club is getting a boost in their training as Heather Willingham, the theatre director, has formed a virtual opportunity for students to hone their skills. 

“The amazing parents of the Redhawk Theater Booster Club have generously paid for a special guest artist, John Rawley of The Alternative Comedy Theatre, to host five Zoom improvisation workshops over the next month,” Willingham said. “On October 8th at 7:00 PM, the Liberty students that have participated in those workshops will perform a virtual improv show. This will be the first Liberty theatre production of the 2020-2021 school year.”

Junior Connor Burke is optimistic about the possibilities of Rawley’s workshops over Zoom.

“I’m most excited to see him again because I actually worked with him before 6th grade, but secondly i’m excited to see how we will work in the virtual setting with him,” Burke said. “I love to participate in improv for many reasons but at the core of it it’s nice to have fun and laugh with good people.”

Starting at 5:00 p.m., the attending students will participate in student-led warm ups via Zoom, and then transition to the improvisation workshops with Rawley from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m.

Former Improv Club president, junior Brynn Soulakis, is looking forward to practicing for, and participating in the first show of the 2020-2021 season. 

“I’m most excited to be able to learn new improv techniques and to learn new games as well,” Soulakis said. “I really love doing workshops and being able to learn from a professional so i think it’s going to be a really great experience. We can hopefully use some of the things he teaches us in our upcoming show.”