Students will have the opportunity to witness top-tier comedians at their finest as Ohio University’s improvisational comedy troupes’ fall season culminates in a collaborative effort with a professional comedy troupe.
OU Improv and the Campus Involvement Center have worked together to provide students with a free weekly dose of laughs every Thursday evening during Fall Semester.
The final performance for the semester, which will take place Saturday, will see the student comedians team up with a Chicago favorite, Pudding-Thank-You.
Jessie Cadle, a senior studying journalism, president of OU Improv, and a former Post staff writer, said that the way the Campus Involvement Center has supported the student troupe has greatly benefited their act.
“For any organization, it’s hard to get funding, but for them to be willing to help us, look into our ideas and help them come into fruition, we’re really lucky,” Cadle said. “It’s really too good to be true.”
Self-described as comprising “four performers with completely different styles, but who have the same penchant for physical, smart, yet silly comedy,” Pudding-Thank-You’s members have been working together since 2007, and joined Saturday Night Live cast member Vanessa Bayer in her former improv group, Revolver.
Louie Saunders, a Pudding-Thank-You member, said that he and his troupe relish opportunities to work with OU Improv.
“Any time that we’ve worked with OU Improv, everybody has been so excited,” Saunders said. “When we come back from these kinds of trips, we always feel refreshed, like this thing that we’re doing in Chicago is actually making an impact in a lot of different places.”
Pudding-Thank-You is scheduled to meet with OU Improv — composed of two troupes, Black Sheep Inc. and Six to Midnight — on Saturday to guide the students in a set of workshops before the night’s show.
Joe Lalonde, a senior studying video production and member of Black Sheep Inc. since 2010, said that OU Improv is thrilled to receive direction from a troupe with professional experience.
“Having professionals tell us what’s up and how to improve, I think I can speak for everyone when I say that we’re very excited,” he said.
jd202409@ohiou.edu
