A major point of anxiety for many people is getting in front of a large group and speaking without a prepared script or even a known topic. This is not true for the players involved in Comedy Sportz and other improvisational shows like it. This rare species thrives on the unknown.

This is the basic setup for a Comedy Sportz show: two teams compete for the audiences’ laughs. They play a series of improv games and receive suggestions from the audience to prove that everything is really made up on the spot. There are some rules involved: for example, if the joke is just not funny or one hesitates for too long, there can be penalties involved.

During certain Comedy Sportz shows they like to keep the material fairly clean, but there is a show that happens once a month that is called, “The Blue Show,” and that is definitely for a more mature audience. There are no limits on what the players can say in “The Blue Show.” The show that I attended was a more family friendly atmosphere, but not in any way childish. They also have a show specially curated for children, and that happens on Saturday mornings.

The show took place in a small, black-box theatre in Center City, Philadelphia. It was an intimate night of comedy, due to the fact that the players often interacted with the audience. There was one moment when the Philadelphia home team came down from the stage to go hug an audience member because they were the only person who laughed at their joke. The teams also have a bit of an exaggerated rivalry amongst themselves. They pretend to be very competitive with one another, but by the end of the show they are all laughing together, having a good time, and you can tell that they all genuinely enjoy making people laugh.

They are willing to make fun of themselves and know when they have really bombed. That is what is so exciting and different about improv shows as opposed to a stand-up routine. They realize that failure is inevitable, but they continue to go up there and try to make people laugh, and they are able to laugh at themselves when it fails miserably. It shows the human side to the entertainment business. Someone wise once said, “People come to the theatre to watch the set fall down.” I believe that is very true, because when something goes wrong in a performance it reminds us that it is just that: a performance. Entertainment is an escape from reality that we oftentimes crave.

If this article has sparked your interest in improv shows, you will be delighted to know that tickets are only $14 with a student ID (that is less than the price of a 3D movie!) and you will get a one of a kind entertainment experience, completely off the cuff.

This past year for the late night comedy show Saturday Night Live has come with many new changes. There were the changes that happen every year, like welcoming new cast members and saying goodbye to old ones, but a bigger change that happened this year was SNL’s long-running announcer, Don Pardo passed away and was replaced by Darrel Hammond, a former cast member. Many say that Pardo was the voice of SNL, but Hammond gives the show a more modern sound.

Another big change is the Weekend Update members. After Seth Meyers left the show, there has been a struggle to find the perfect person to fill his big shoes. Cecily Strong tried, but struggled, and she was later joined by Colin Jost. This duo did not work well either: the chemistry was just not there, so Strong left the Weekend Update desk and was replaced by Michael Che. Jost and Che are working to create their relationship, and it seems to be going well. It is a big position to fill considering the dynamic duos that have come before them, such as Jimmy Fallon, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Seth Meyers.

The season opened with Chris Pratt hosting for the first time, and while there were elements that were comical, the show seemed to fall flat. Critics believe that this is due to the fact that SNL is no longer known for pushing the envelope like it was when the show first began in the 1970’s. The show is still popular and fairly risque, but when the show first began it was breaking down barriers for women in comedy and people of all different races, and they did it by making crude jokes. The show often shocked people, but now the show is a cultural icon and many of the players go on to star in movies and television shows. It is hard to say if the shock factor is no longer there because we are not as easily shocked, or that the writing is not as controversial as it once was.

SNL is still paving the way for live television, and in a world of fake perfection it is refreshing to see humans making mistakes on the screen. That is personally my favorite part of the show: when the actors break into laughter in the middle of a scene. It creates excitement because everyone in the audience is sitting at the edges of their seats, waiting to see how they will recover from this. That is more entertaining to me than any pre-recorded show out there.

Sources: www.variety.com

A combination of blues, gospel, americana and folk. This is how most people would describe the music of this year’s breakthrough artist, Hozier. He has reached incredible fame in such a short amount of time due to his undeniable musical ability. Ireland-native Hozier not only has musical talent, but he is also passionate about human rights issues. His song, “Take Me to Church” went viral on Youtube and Reddit, because the music video depicts two men enduring the hardships of being homosexual in a society where it is not allowed. Hozier said in an interview with NY Magazine, “You grow up and recognize that in any educated secular society, there’s no excuse for ignorance. You have to recognize in yourself, and challenge yourself, that if you see racism or homophobia or misogyny in a secular society, as a member of that society, you should challenge it.”

His passion about these issues is prevalent throughout his lyrics, and many of his songs are inspired by James Joyce’s “The Portrait of an Artist As a Young Man.” His lyrics are incredibly thought-provoking and the bluesy tones in his voice create a delicious musical experience.

Hozier currently has two EP’s out, “Take Me to Church” and “From Eden.” The songs from both of these albums are also on his new self-titled album, Hozier, expected to come out in America on October 7, 2014. Hozier also has two concerts coming to Philadelphia, but unfortunately they both sold out in a matter of minutes. Since his popularity is rising so quickly, he is sure to come back soon, so be sure that you are one of the first to get your tickets!

Sources: nymag.com

A deranged actress, a copycat sister, a taxi dancer and a suitcase with a secret, were only a few of the characters seen at this year’s September Project. If you have been at Eastern for a few years now, and this is your first time hearing of this event, you are not alone. The first theatre production of the year usually happens some time in November, but this year the new director of theatre, Jenny Tibbels, wanted to hit the ground running with this fast-paced production. The members of Actors lab created improvised scenes with one other person using no words. The prompt was: Person A starts on stage. Person B tries to get something from A. Tries three times, fails or succeeds.

From this prompt the scenes were born, and the task was to then put words to these wordless improvs. The partners worked together for the next two days writing and revising their scenes, down to the last minute until they were performed. The stage was set up with chairs and tables for an intimate night of theatre. There were even cookies and coffee provided at this completely free event.

The first scene to be performed was written by Eastern’s playwright-in-residence, Edgar Mendoza, from his play “Broken Spoke”. Kurt Oui and Eastern alumni Kaylee Goodwin performed the scene exploring the relationship of an immigrant from Vietnam and a taxi dancer meeting for the first time in a dance hall. The rest of the scenes written and peformed by Eastern students varied greatly considering they were all given the same prompt. There was a time of questions and answers after the performances were done and we were given more insight into the rest of Mendoza’s play and the reasoning behind some of the choices he made.

This style of improvisational creating will fuel the new musical being written for the spring production. As stated earlier, our playwright-in-residence is going to be watching the improvs that happen in Actors lab and then use that material to write the book for the new musical. This is going to be a giant collaboration between the dance, music and theatre departments. The dance department is already working on a ballet piece, and the music department is going to be the orchestra for the performance. This is a huge undertaking for the fine arts department, but Tibbels said, “God asked me to do this. I could have done a musical that is already written, but this new story needs to be told.” There are big things in store for the fine arts at Eastern, so stay tuned for more exciting news.

Having a fun evening in with your Netflix account can be difficult at times because there are so many option out there, and you don’t know where to begin. I have compiled a list of a few hidden gems out there on Netflix for your viewing pleasure.

“Exit Through the Gift Shop” (2010)
This documentary explores the hidden world of street art. It focuses on the stories of a few famous artists who have gained their fame through going bigger with their art, each time they graffiti a building or billboard. Although what they are doing is illegal, it is truly interesting to see how they are trying to get a message across through their art.

“Short Term 12” (2013)
This film looks at the foster care system in America, and the difficulties that come with having your own baggage while trying to help children with theirs. The acting is fantastic, and it is so well done. Seriously, just go watch it.

“Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me” (2014)
This documentary follows the life of an aging Broadway legend, Elaine Stritch. The film shows her attempting to do one final tour of performances, and the struggles she goes through with her health that made achieving this goal incredibly difficult. It gives a glimpse into the side of aging that many people are too afraid to talk about.

“Safety Not Guaranteed” (2012)
In this dark comedy, a group of journalists respond to an ad that a man put in the paper seeking a companion to accompany him to time travel. The premise sounds bizarre, and it is, but it is just the right mix of abnormality and dark humor, to make this a great film.

“Mortified Nation” (2013)
This film is a look into the Mortified Sessions, which is a show where they ask people to read their own journal entries from their youth to a roomful of strangers. It also explains the process of auditioning and the healing process that can come from reading some of your most private thoughts aloud to a group of strangers. You hear comical and deeply touching stories, that give a whole new meaning to the word, “Mortified.”

“I’ll stop after this episode.” You probably said that to yourself 12 episodes ago, and now you realize that you have just watched an entire television season in one day. This is what a professional would diagnose as binge watching. It is an epidemic that has swept the nation since the introduction of internet video streaming services like Netflix, Amazon Instant Video and Hulu.

Back in the day, binge watching consisted of going to Blockbuster and renting the television series one VHS at a time, but now all 6 seasons of “Parks & Recreation” are right to your finger tips, so say goodbye to the real world and say hello to Amy Poehler who you will begin to consider a real friend.

The dangers of binge watching can include: thinking you are one of the characters in the show, forgetting what day it is, losing all contact with the real world and headaches. I am not a medical expert, but I would say that I am a binge watching expert. Therefor, here are some tips for you to have the safest experience while watching multiple episodes of a television show in one sitting.

1. Create a comfortable environment. This is vital if you are planning on being in a stationary position for approximately 12 hours.

2. Drink plenty of fluids. But not too many because you want to keep your bathroom breaks limited. Also, make sure to have snacks within an arms length, because around hour four, your legs fall asleep and become more difficult to use.

3. Do not cross contaminate your shows. If you switch between shows your shows, plot lines will become confusing and you may start combining the shows and that can just get messy. You would not want to get your hopes up for an “Arrested Development” and “Law and Order” mashup, because that would be amazing.

4. If you live in the same space as another human please do not forget to shower. As interesting as your show may be, around day four of not showering, the stench becomes unbearable and your roommate may be wearing a gas mask, so just be courteous and take that 15 minute break for a quick shower.

5. After a session of binge watching, try to talk about other things with your friends than the show you are currently watching. Believe me, they are tired of hearing about the emotional roller coaster that Jim and Pam’s relationship is putting you through.

6. And finally, the golden rule of any sort of television watching is to remember that is is just a
show, so try not to get too attached, because at the end of the day they will just be characters of a television show and you will be the one crying in front of your laptop.

For most of us, summer is a time of rest and relaxation. We have our summer jobs, but also some time for doing absolutely nothing. This may be enjoyable for a few days, but eventually it is time for new experiences. The next question is: what is there to do? A quick Google search shows that there are a ton of things to do, but it can get a little pricey for a minimum wage summer job. Just because summer is over, that does not mean that the fun has to come to a halt.

Here is where the helpful information comes in: make Groupon and Phillyfunguide your best friends. These websites are wonderful when looking for fun, inexpensive things to do and there is such a wide variety of things to do, you will not know where to begin.
If you sign up for a Groupon account (which is free), you can enter what things you are particularly interested in and they will send you emails with all the deals they have in those areas. They have everything from 50% off at your favorite restaurant to discounts on sky diving.

Phillyfungiude has a wide range of activities, but focuses more on fine arts events, some of which include discounts on art galleries, theater shows, comedy events and dance performances. These websites are great for doing that thing that you have always wanted to do, but you did not want to spend so much money on.

Another way to find things to do are community boards. At Eastern, these are located in a number of different places such as Walton and the bulletin boards in McInnis. There are also community boards located in stores around the area like Starbucks, Panera Bread, Great Harvest and more. These boards are filled with flyers from people in the neighborhood advertising fun events to attend.

The most important thing to remember is this: do things with people you enjoy doing life with. School is just beginning, which means that you are not yet covered in a pile of papers so high that you do not know what day it is. So go out there and do something new and fun before things get too crazy: you deserve it.