Upping the Ante
Rough Edges makes some changes

Robert Zodda | staff writer
rzodda@smcvt.edu

              
Mass e-mails have been sent out and flyers posted around campus.  These are the ways students are spreading the word about Rough Edges, the improvisation group at St. Michael’s College.    

Rough Edges holds its meetings in McCarthy Arts Center. Robert Zodda, photo

Unscripted at St. Michael's College

Ashley Favreau, director of Rough Edges, is a junior at St. Michael’s and is double majoring in theater and English. 

“I got into Rough Edges during my first year here," Favreau says. "My friend was running it and got me involved.”

Sophomore Dan Ferris is the assistant director of the group. 

The student-run group usually meets Tuesdays and Thursdays at
5:30 p.m. in the McCarthy Arts Center.  The meetings include short games and some longer activities which are helpful in building improvisational skills.  One such game is the alphabet game, where one group member starts a sentence with a certain letter.  Another person then responds using a sentence beginning with the next letter. Similar games can be seen on the popular television show Whose Line Is It Anyway.

Students take on the challenge

Despite the fact that the club is run entirely by students, Favreau says it is well-constructed and well-organized.  As the director and assistant director, Favreau and Ferris coordinate workshops together. 

During rehearsal the group runs through sketches. Robert Zodda, photo

“Everyone is very respectful and they enjoy the fact that the group is student-run,” Favreau says. 

Even though the group lost a couple of its most dedicated members this semester due to studying abroad, Ferris was pleased to see a good turnout at the group’s first meeting.  Favreau estimates that there are about seven new members. 

Although the lively band of thespians is expecting to do well and get some laughs this semester, the group is worried they will not get a big turnout when an event comes up.


Spreading the word

“It is not well-known, and we’re trying to fix that,” Ferris says.

In addition to mass e-mails and flyers around campus, the improv group hopes to get some plugs from the drama department.  Rough Edges does operate out of the drama department’s budget.  

When asked what else Rough Edges could do to gain popularity, sophomore Betsie Miltner says, " There are so many flyers on campus, nobody can stop to read them all."

One misconception about Rough Edges is that in order to be involved, students must be taking drama classes. This is untrue, and Ferris says he is not involved with the drama department in any way. 

“This group is open to anyone and everyone,” Favreau says. 

All of the members' lines are original, not scripted. Robert Zodda, photo

This year the directors of Rough Edges would like to make some improvements to the program. 

Both Favreau and Ferris agreed that the one show the comedy group held last year was successful. 

Favreau says, “We were really impressed,even though the show was so last-minute.”

However, the group was not entirely pleased with performing only one show and would like to up the ante this year, Ferris says.  Ferris would like to put on several shows for students to come and watch. 

During an improvisational performance, the audience is often involved.  Audience members are chosen to shout out, among other things, a time, place or situation.  Group members then use the cue as a starting point and hilarity ensues, Ferris says. 
However, not all types of improvisational are comedic. 

Aside from more performances, the group would like to have some more workshops and possibly even meet with professional actors this year.