Just like any college campus in the nation, Millersville can get pretty gloomy — whether it’s from the dreary weather or the knowledge that finals week is (only) approximately five weeks away. Thankfully, we have a fantastic troupe of improvisational artists, aptly named Improv Molotov, to brighten our semester and raise the morale on campus. Over the years, Improv Molotov has grown in both size and diversity, shifting from a small, predominantly male group of students to a team comprised of both males and females of equal hilarity and talent. This profile highlights the experiences of the three female cast members: Taylor Onkst, Lisa Shaffer, and Rachel Miller. Enjoy!
What year are each of you?
T: Sophomore.
L: Also a sophomore!
R: Not also a sophomore! I’m a junior.
How long have you been involved in Improv Molotov?
T: This is my second semester.
L: This is my third semester.
R: This is my fourth semester. I joined during the spring semester of my freshman year.
Why did each of you join Improv Molotov?
T: It seemed like a lot of fun! I did [improv] in high school, but I couldn’t really perform in any shows. We performed in a lot of nursing homes, so we didn’t have really lively audiences. Then I went to one of the [Improv Molotov] shows here and loved it.
L: I’ve always been the kind of person where, if I’m doing any kind of public performance and I’m not making everyone laugh, I’m doing it wrong. So, it was my first semester of college and one of the first things I did was go to an Improv show and I immediately said, “I want to do that!” So, I went to the audition and thought, “Oooh, that didn’t go well.” But then I got a callback and I walked out of that thinking, “Ooohh, that really didn’t go well.” But then they added me to the Facebook group that night and I couldn’t believe it. I was so excited!
R: I grew up watching Whose Line Is It Anyway? and it was always my favorite show. I looked up to Ryan and Colin and the rest of the cast members. I ended up doing mainly theatre and it pretty much took over my life. In high school, I was a part of the theatre department and always at school longer than school hours. I never got involved in serious productions, just comedies. Senior year, I joined my school’s improv group because I was already there all the time, so I thought, “Why not?” I loved it. When I got to Millersville, I heard about Improv Molotov at the end of the fall semester of my freshman year. I went to the first show of the spring semester and decided to audition!
How does it feel to be forging your own path in the male-dominated field of improv?
T: At first, I sometimes felt like I was downplayed in scenes. From then until now, though, I’ve found my voice and self-confidence and built myself up to be a bigger part of my scenes
L: I don’t feel like I dealt with that as much, but that’s because another member took me under his wing and encouraged me to speak up and demand to be heard over the other male voices. Now working in improv feels natural.
R: I feel like I struggled to find more of a balance with the other female members, not so much with the guys. However, I found myself being placed in those stereotypical roles — the concerned girlfriend, the judgmental mother, the sister… But now, especially with our troupe, I feel like we’re getting into a space where we don’t have to be our age, our gender, or even a human. We don’t have to play the counterpart to a male part. We can have a scene with a big female character or whatever else we want.
What is your greatest takeaway from your time in Improv Molotov?
T: Confidence. Being on a stage as yourself is super intimidating, but with improv you’re on a stage as all these different characters. You learn how to be comfortable in front of a crowd and the value of flexibility. There’s a huge sense of community between you, your partners, and the audience.
L: I’ve gotten a new sense of self-confidence in theatre. Improv got me out of the “romantic” genre box that most musicals are set in. Plus, I feel like I’m not happy unless I’m making other people happy, so being a part of Improv Molotov has been rewarding for me and the audience. This is something huge that I get to do and other people find it to be important.
R: Realizing not everything has to be funny. We don’t do improv to be funny, we do improv to be entertaining. We find conflicts and solutions in scenes, but the things we discover on stage help us off stage and in real-life situations. It prepares us for everything else we go through. Life isn’t always going to be serious, but it also isn’t going to be funny either, so we have to figure out what to make of [our situations].
What would you like to say to our readers who don’t know much about improv and/or would like to get involved?
T: Our next show is on Thursday, Nov. 3 at 9 p.m. in the SMC MPR! If you can’t make it to that show, come out and see our show on Dec. 1 — same time, same place! You’ll enjoy free laughs and have the opportunity to feel that sense of community I mentioned before!
L: As far as getting involved in improv, just know that you’re going to grow constructively. Yeah, you might get up and say something really dumb, but someone else is also going say something dumb or embarrassing and we’re all going to learn from it. We try to build each other up as much as we can — not always through positive comments, but through encouraging each other to get out of our comfort zones and try different things until we find something that works in a scene. As far as coming out to our shows, it’s always a fun time filled with lots of laughs! After all, we’re just a group of people who are really committed to making other people’s days better.
R: If you want to get involved in Improv Molotov, come out to our shows! Don’t feel intimidated because there aren’t any written lines. Not knowing what you’re going to say isn’t always a bad thing! Sometimes, you don’t need to know what to say, you just need to do it. Improv is really just having conversations on-stage, but as someone else. Also, come out to our auditions or workshops! We’re hoping to add more workshops to our schedule next semester. Plus, auditions can be a great opportunity to get out and get a feel for Improv Molotov. We have people who come out to auditions just for fun and to grow in their abilities. So don’t be shy!
Now that you know more about the ladies of Improv Molotov, make sure to come out and show your support at one of their upcoming shows! You won’t regret it!
Show dates: Nov. 3 & Dec. 1 at 9 p.m. in the SMC MPR.