Dave Kahn, Wendy Shanker, Deborah Grayson, Michael Blieden and Matt Price.
Highly Improvable
SUZANNE CHESSLER SPECIAL TO THE JEWISH NEWS
ive University of
Michigan seniors are
getting very serious
about a future full of
laughs. As members
of the Highly Improvable
comedy ensemble, they are
looking for different ways to
offer their talents in profes-
sional and profitable set-
tings.
The aspiring comics, who
formed their group two
years ago, perform every
Thursday evening at the U-
Club, a campus gathering
place for students and fac-
ulty. Although they also
have appeared at private
parties, they are seeking
work on a steadier basis,
both now and after gradua-
tion.
Two group members are
from West Bloomfield —
Wendy Shanker and
Michael Blieden. They are
English majors who at-
tended Andover High School
together. The other fledg-
ling humorists are Deborah
Grayson, a psychology ma-
jor from New York; Matt
Price, an English major
F
from Illinois; and Dave
Kahn, a biopsychology ma-
jor from New York.
The five became close
friends while performing
with the university's Come-
dy Company, which pre-
sents scripted skits. On
their own time, they exper-
imented with some new
ideas and decided to move
on to improvisation.
"We wanted to try some-
thing new, and we're at the
mercy of our audience," Ms.
Grayson said. "Every once
in a while someone who's
seeing us perform will say
we planned ahead of time,
which is the best compli-
ment we can get."
For their act, Highly Im-
provable members have es-
tablished several continuing
formats. Each is explained
to the audience, with indi-
viduals asked to fill in the
specifics and thereby turn
every show into an original
presentation.
For example, "Lecture Se-
ries" sends one performer
out of the room while the
crowd is asked to name ob-
A University
of Michigan
group is
planning
a little
spontaneity.
jects according to random
categories. After the objects
are drawn on poster paper,
the performer is brought
back on stage, given an un-
related theme by a volunteer
and directed to come up
with a lecture based on the
theme and using the diverse
drawings as visual aids.
In the "Gripes Sympho-
ny," one comic takes on the
role of conductor leading the
other four in the use of their
voices as instruments to
gripe about topics shouted
to them by the crowd. Sig-
nals from the conductor let
the others know whether to
raise or lower their voices.
"We all need to express
ourselves, and this is a way
of publicly expressing our-
selves and having other peo-
ple enjoy it," said Mr. Kahn,
the only one with reserva-
tions about seeking an en-
tertainment career. "We
have a really great time
working together.
"Improvisational comedy is
based on trust, and you're
much more vulnerable be-
cause you sometimes put
yourself out on a limb, and
you hope other people in the
cast will help you, catch you
if you fall or help you go on-
ward to perpetuate the idea
just created."
Except for Mr. Price, whose
mother is a puppeteer in
Chicago, group members are
entertainment pioneers in
their families. The interest
seemed to appear in high
school and strengthened with
their involvement in the Corn-
edy Company.
Ms. Shanker realized she
enjoyed making people laugh
as she opened gifts at her
Sweet 16 party. Guests re-
sponded easily to her funny
comments.
Ms. Grayson had a similar
experience at her brother's
wedding, where family and
friends were amused by her
remarks about the newly-
weds.
Mr. Blieden used to lip-
synch to Steve Martin
records, not anticipating that
he would be planning his own
routines. Mr. Kahn's stage
initiation was as a singer.
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