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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Sept. 28, 2000)
.Robinson Theatre 2000-01 SEASON UT’s Freedom Pack Vouchers She Sloops to Conquer by Oliver Goldsmith November 3,4:9,10,11,12; 17,18 Dancing at Lughnasa by Brian Friel January 26,27; February 1,2,3,4; 9,10 A Robinson Theatre Production FREE PARKING Electro by Sophocles April 13,14; 19,20,21,22; 27,28 Angels in America A Gay Fantasia on National Themes Part I: Millennium Approaches byTonyKushner May 25,26; 31, June 1,2,3; 8,9 Evening shows at 8:00P.M. • Sunday matinees at 2:00P.M. UO Ticket Office 346-4363 • Information 346-4190 University of Oregon V^§97fm ► ► across from the Hult Center ffllDOUS (OOITWU 24 beers on tap WHJIIV ifli SPtdflLS (Excluding Holidays & Hult Center Events) Great Deals All Week Monday: Manic Monday Tuesday: Burger & Brew Wednesday: Hump Day Thursday: T»G*I*A»F vmm t Looking for a place for breakfast? Saturday & Sunday open at <3:00 AM LUHC4J i DIHNlfi Emphasizing fresh homemade ingredients, choice steaks, famous halibut, fish & chips, pasta, seafood, the best burgers, sandwiches, salads, soups, kid’s menu Dinner and lunch specials change daily! All menu items available to go! EC WCT CHI • 4QC-2QC1 1 (jWeMeB'e. Run your for sale item in the ODE classifiedsfor five days (items under $1,000) ... if you don't sell it, we'll run it 5 more days for free! Dan Brunell Emerald Absolute Improve is a theatrical organization in its’ fifth year in Eugene. The troupe will perform at Robinson Theater all this week. ■Absolute improv members make on-the-spot acting look easy and inviting By Josh Ryneal Oregon Daily Emerald I remember taking a few theater classes in high school. The one ex ercise that still stands out in my mind were the improvi s a t i o n a 1 drills we did; no other ac tivity provoked as much cold-sweat terror and uncontrollable hilarity as those did. "• "'9 "'9 '9 "'"9 9 Reporter’s NOTEBOOK LOW Student Airfares Eurailpasses More Than 100 Departure Cities Study Abroad Sm universe i IT'S YOUR WORLD. EXPLORE IT studentuniverse.com 800.272.9676 Basically, improv games involve a group of people standing on stage and acting off-the-cuff. Using props or members of the audience, the quick-witted and sharp tongued can evoke huge laughs. I always laughed uproariously when I was in the audience, but when it came my turn to get up and partici i ( There are lots of mis takes sometimes, but out of that comes a lot of good comedy. Minnie Goode troupe member n pate, I would feel the slow creep of imminent terror wash over me. I just don’t think on my feet very well. That’s why I respect the members of Absolute Improv, a University improvisational troupe, immense ly. They put on numerous shows a year, have a library of more than 60 improv games and approach their craft with such obvious joy that it makes me want to get back up onto the stage again. “There are lots of mistakes some times, but out of that comes a lot of good comedy,” troupe member Minnie Goode said. “We do it to re member where we come from.” The troupe has been doing shows in and around Eugene for five years, playing venues ranging from the Robinson Theatre to Char lie’s Comedy Club with general success. “We have a strong cult follow ing,” Kirsten Schmieding said. Tyler Boeh, another member, added that audience reception can be a mixed bag. “People either like it or are terri fied,” he said. Members of the troupe, many of whom act in scripted shows at the University, said that improvisation al work can help them become bet ter actors. “I started improv to help with my scripted work, and it really paid off,” Luke Hamilton said. “I can re ally see a difference.” A large part of the Absolute Im prov show is picking “volunteers” from the audience and having them act out on stage. “Sometimes we have to force them to speak,” Schmieding said with a chuckle. Don’t take my fear of thinking on my feet as indicative of the general improv experience. Improvisation al comedy is fantastic to watch, and — who knows? — you may even have a good time on-stage. In regard to my experiences with improv, I eventually got up in front of the audience enough times that my terror boiled away, leaving only a vague sense of enjoyment. Soon, I didn’t even mind getting picked out of the audience. Absolute Improv will be per forming at the Robinson Theatre Sept. 29-30, and tickets are now available at the EMU ticket office. Tickets are $5 for University stu dents, $8 for seniors and University faculty and staff and $10 for the general public. Doors open at 8 p.m.
