Rich Kids Comedy, Biola’s improv comedy team, works to spread the joy of God to students, faculty and staff through laughter. Established at Biola for a second year, the troupe has been preparing for their first show — taking place on Sunday, Nov. 18 — since auditions at the beginning of the semester.
Back to basics
“We practice once a week on Thursday for two hours,” said senior cinema and media arts major and club president Blaze Russo. “That’s mostly where our preparation happens, which consists of learning the basics of improv.”
Russo explained how the returning team members returned to the basics so people with experience could meet those without on a whole new level.
Kristen Dzialo, another team leader and a senior communications major, explained how the team goes about preparing for making things up on the spot.
“There’s a lot of theoretical stuff that goes behind it that a lot of people don’t see, like a lot of little rules that make up a really good scene in the end,” said Dzialo, who has professional improv experience with Second City and Green Room Productions in Chicago from before coming to Biola. “We have just been making sure to get those ingrained into our minds.”
Some of these basics are giving and accepting gifts to and from partners as well as confirming a question with a simple “yes.”
This year, nearly 60 people auditioned for a spot on the team. While only 17 were accepted, Dzialo noted the increase from 10 members last year and Russo commented on the difficulty in making the choice.
“It was a very challenging process to say ‘no’ to a lot of people because we don’t want to be rude, but we do want to have more or less an exclusive group of people,” said Russo. “It took a lot of prayer and tears.”
New members adjust to established team
One new member, junior biblical studies and sociology major Marin Cordova, joined to be with her friends.
“I had friends that did Rich Kids Comedy and I went to one show last year and thought it was hysterical,” said Cordova. “I had never done improv before and I don’t think I’m particularly good. For me, it’s a fun time to hang out and laugh with my friends.”
Cordova also cites her lack of experience as a factor in her jitters for the show.
“It’s nerve-racking doing it in [practice],” she said. “So I know it’s going to be 10 times that in front of people.”
Senior cinema and media arts major Ross Philip is also a new member this semester after seeing Russo’s involvement and going to last year’s performances. He is looking forward to the performance despite his anxiety.
“The energy you get from performing for an audience helps amp up the energy of all your team,” Philip said. “I’m looking forward to having that build up in intensity for us and see how we’ve grown over the course of the semester.”
Profits will benefit SMU mission trip
The Nov. 18 performance, which will be Rich Kids’ only performance of the semester, will be in Mayers Auditorium at 9:15 p.m. after Singspiration. The cost is $3 per person and a percentage of proceeds will go towards an SMU mission trip.
