If you have ever forgotten to prepare for a presentation, you probably know a little bit about improvisation. For most people, standing in front of a group of people and thinking of what to say on the spot can be hard and uncomfortable. However, believe it or not, there is actually a group of Kennesaw students who do improv for fun.
This past Saturday and Sunday, K.I.S.S., which stands for “Kennesaw Improv Society, Stupid!” had their annual Fall Showcase, K.I.S.S. ROFLOL. The theater group whose mantra is “Improv Dangerously” took the stage of KSU’s Onyx Theater and brought down the house.
As the doors opened at 7:45 p.m., the entire cast was ready to greet their guests and even encourage them to post to the group’s Twitter page (@KISSMustache), which was live streaming on the projector at the back of the stage. As everyone waited for the show to begin, the audience enjoyed taking selfies with their friends and seeing them appear on the screen for all to see.
Finally, right at 8 p.m., the show began. The first act of the show consisted of an improv game called Drive By, which required the actors to create small scenes on the spot and keep them going until another actor ran by them, signaling them to stop. At that point, it was the job of the actor who had stopped the last scene to begin the next. The audience was in stitches as the fast-paced game started developing its own inside jokes, with recurring characters and themes. The game went on for thirty minutes, with each scene funnier than the last, and by intermission, everyone was left teary eyed from laughter and ready for more.
The second half of the show was filled with shorter games that really got the audience involved. The first game they played, Autocorrect, started with one of the actor’s asking an audience member what she loved. She answered with “chocolate,” and the show began. The entire cast stood in a line and created a story, one word at a time, that featured chocolate.
Many more games ensued, with the actors asking audience members questions like “What is a relationship you value?” and “What did you do today?” However, the funniest game of them all started with a cast member asking a girl, “Can I borrow your phone?” The brave audience member gave up her phone, and a scene began in which one character could only say lines that he found in the cell phone’s text log. Little did the actors know when they chose that cell phone, that it was full of commentary on the show, including some messages geared directly towards certain cast members. The audience was doubled over in their seats with laughter, and the girl who had given up her phone was blushing for the rest of the show.
The members of K.I.S.S. truly proved themselves this weekend and left everyone in attendance genuinely impressed by the cast’s ability to think on their feet. Kennesaw’s Improv Society is a must-see for anyone who loves a good laugh.
