UC-Denver students bring in the laughs with improv show Hit and Run

Once in a while, we have dreams of stardom. This seems to especially occur in the dark moments, alone with Joan Rivers, the Oscars—and you could be Johnny Depp or Kate Winslet. If only you had the chance. Then, cut to commercial, the moment passes.

For some, getting bit by the acting bug is a big deal. Despite aspirations of greatness, the average actor usually starts at the bottom. While there, learning improv is an important tool to master.

Becoming great at improv, or even mediocre, requires practice and persistence. Denver's Bovine Metropolis Theater is a great place to take classes, rub elbows with other witty on-the-fly actors, and watch amazing improv. Each Friday, at 8 p.m., musical meets improv with the show Hit and Run, offering the Bovine audience an unrepeatable performance.

The only scripted portion of the performance is the title. Theater-goers scribble suggestions on scraps of paper before the show. A title is then plucked from "the magic fishbowl" and a musical such as England!; Vikings, the Musical; or Alaska, Palin begins. An hour later, you've peed your pants into oblivion from laughing at six actors putting together a hilarious, coherent show—complete with song and dance numbers. 

Actor-turned-director Stephen Wilder brought musical improv to the Bovine. Wilder got the idea of putting improv to music when he did time in L.A. as an aspiring actor. He offered advice for getting started in unscripted acting: "Take classes and see shows. Take as many classes as you can, from as many different people as you can. You need to get exposure to all the different schools of thought." As far as acting improv goes, Wilder said some people are able to learn very quickly while others take time.

"I'm one of the long-term learners," he said. "It's taken me about four years to feel like I kind of know what I'm doing on stage. At the same time, I know I need to keep learning and growing."

After moving to Colorado, he organized Hit and Run to get audiences laughing.  Among these improvisers are two UC-Denver students: recent theater and film graduate, Mark Shonsey, and grad student in the 11-month Masters of Business Administration program, Natasha Gleichmann.

Shonsey started improv in 2003 and said his time in the UC-Denver Theater helped him develop. "Directors would ask us to try different emotions and styles." He continued, "It helped me come up with more creative ideas." 

Other than classes at UCD, Shonsey took all five levels of improv courses at Bovine. Now he teaches there. Classes at Bovine run all week and teach skills, like how to listen better to other actors and develop a believable imaginary environment. Classes also include monthly performances for friends, family, and stragglers off the street. 

Even if you're geared toward the more Shakespearean aspect of thespian life, Shonsey said he thinks a background in improv is helpful for any actor.

"There's a lot of commercial work around town, and they love for you to improvise," he said. "They usually say, ‘This is kinda what we're thinkin'; just kinda improvise. Do somethin' funny." Directors want a lot of experimentation with lines and characters."

Doing improv is difficult, Shonsey said. "You're having to think of a lot of stuff: do something funny, pay attention to your partner, pantomime props."