Leaders of the Wellesley High School improv troupe, Caroline Mack ’22, Jared Goldman ’22, and Lucy Calcio ’22, held their final performance on May 27.

Q: What does a normal improv troupe show look like?

LC: A normal improv troupe involves doing many different types of games. We have larger group games in which the whole troupe participates and anyone can participate. As leaders this year, we added smaller group games where we randomize the assignment.

CM: For those we ask the audience to pick a random game, and see what they want us to play.

JG: Every game starts with us entering into a song. We usually have a theme to our game, like when we had a Wild West theme, we had cowboy music, and then we all danced onto the stage and hyped up the crowd. 

Q: How much time goes into preparing for each improv troupe show?

CM: So many hours!

JG: Days and days of work go into preparing for a show

LC: A lot of people ask ‘why do you rehearse for improv?  The answer is we have to make sure that everyone is completely comfortable with all the games, so that when it’s time to perform, everyone is ready to go. 

Q: What will you three miss about improv troupe when you graduate?

JG: Improv has just been my home because I’ve been in it since freshman year.

It’s what made me friends with the other people that do improv. IImprov introduced me to the arts, so now I do singing as well as acting in shows like Mamma Mia. 

LC: I am actually the opposite of Jared. I’ve been doing theater forever, and then I auditioned for troupe my junior year. I was so scared to audition because I never thought I could improv. After I made the cut, I discovered my passion for improv. It has built up my confidence so much, I’ve learned a lot from it. I’m definitely going to miss the people in it the most because they are so funny.

CM: I have been here since my sophomore year. At first I was very scared, but the troupe helped me realize that comedy was my ‘thing’; something which I will always be thankful for. I will probably miss our gigs the most, and the ability to do improv as often as we get to do it.

Q: What skills from improv troupe do you think will help you for life after high school?

CM: I want to do theater, so the comedy aspect is really helpful in being able to explore improv itself.

JG: I’m not planning to pursue theater after this year, but I want to study pre-law and go to law school, and in a way, of course, you’re kind of performing for people. Every presentation I’ve ever had, the teacher has commented I’m a great public speaker, and I always seem to know what I’m talking about, even when I don’t, and that kind of comes with thinking on your feet and just speaking confidently with whatever comes to mind.

LC: Similarly to Jared, college interviews this year were somehow my favorite part of the process, because I’ve been thinking on my feet for the past two years. Even when I don’t know what’s going to come out of my mouth next, something has to, and I’ve learned how to at least sound like I know what I’m talking about.

Q: What’s one thing you wish more people knew about the improv troupe?

JG: This could be a huge ego thing, but I feel like our grade has integrated performing arts a lot more to the rest of the student body.

LC: Every year the senior class gets really into the performing arts stuff because they realize ‘Oh, what they’re doing is funny,’ but the underclassmen never really get into it because they’re going to the football games. I wish people would give it a chance during their underclassmen years, because from what I’ve heard, people love it, and I’d love to see more underclassmen in our audience


CM: What I think people should know is that we’re pretty cool! We’ve had the opportunity to perform alongside some college groups at [Boston University]. Ditto to Lucy, we’d love to see more underclassmen

Q: What has been your favorite moment from the improv troupe?

CM: For me it would be our Valentine’s Day Gig this year. I remember after that gig, we all went out to get ice cream and we were all just so happy. 

JG: I loved One Act. For reference, our One Acts gig was probably the least rehearsed gig we’ve had all year. It was after the One Act festival, which is where Acting Intensive directs a little play with underclassmen and juniors in it. 

LC: That’s really what inspired us making this year so much more randomized and incorporating the improv practices into our gigs more, because in the years past we knew who was gonna play each game, those people had been rehearsed in those spots all year, and we realized it was getting kind of stale, so I think we really changed that this year.

Q: What advice would you give to someone considering joining the improv troupe next year?

All 3- Do it!

CM- Everyone can improv, everyone is funny in their own way! It’s low commitment, it’s super low stakes, and it’s really fun! It’s not as scary as it looks, and the people in it are nowhere near scary!

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *