The ComedySportz team held virtual workshops for students on Monday, Jan. 11 and then tryouts on Tuesday, Jan. 12. The students were taught the basics of improv and played some of the ComedySportz improv games themselves. 

“We made sure to teach the potential members of the team necessary aspects of Zoom,” junior and ComedySportz assistant manager Jack Gilbert wrote to the Talon. “In addition, just like we have been doing for Zoom games in the past, many of the games are adjusted to fit the online format.”

Gilbert found that most students were less stressed in the virtual format and felt more comfortable online.

“The major dynamic change to the workshops, tryouts, and all of our online games so far is the fact that we cannot see or hear the reaction of our audience,” Gilbert wrote. “This makes it difficult for us improvisers to understand if we are going into the right path in terms of the scene but also makes it difficult to remain confident. However, as improvisers, we have learned to adjust our ways and to make our improvising as similar and as fun as it is in real life.”

While this year has been different, team manager and senior Karen Dotan is glad that the team is able to provide some joy to the community through ComedySportz. She found the workshops to be an enjoyable experience and is grateful to be able to continue ComedySportz in a safe and fun way.

“Even though it was online, everyone seemed to have a really amazing time at [the] workshop,” Dotan wrote to the Talon. “We listened to music while people were working out any tech issues, which helped things feel more comfortable. Each newbie got a lot of individual attention in the breakout rooms, which helped the team form personal connections.” 

The team hopes that more people will come to their virtual games to cheer them on and laugh at their jokes. 

“The ComedySportz team is working extremely hard to provide the top quality improv for its viewers,” Gilbert wrote. 

New members, or “newbies,” that have been welcomed to the ComedySportz team this year are juniors Lyndie Knispel, Delaney Pryor and Ashley Sanft, sophomores Kai Koehler and Noah Simon and freshmen Elizabeth Dusek and Jai Singh.

Tickets for the upcoming games can be found here.