Troupe is a real trip

WASILLA — There is history being made at Wasilla High School, with a lot of humor thrown in.

The Wasilla High School drama department has grown a reputation for comedic improvisation that has gone on in its drama and acting classes, and now it has been taken to a whole new level.

Last year, two students founded the Wild Warrior Improv Troupe, the first of its kind in the Mat-Su Valley. It consists of a group of talented students who have a knack for all things comedic. If you have seen the television show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” you already have a taste of what goes on at the Friday Night Improv.

The first Friday of every month at 7 p.m., the WHS theater is filled with people ready for a good time. Over the course of the evening, games are played (with help from the audience) and shenanigans ensue. Nothing is planned — the troupe members learn which games will be played the night of the performance, but the prompts and scenarios are up to the audience. Everything is spur-of-the-moment, which is a recipe for hilarity.

Dewayne Joehnk, the drama teacher at WHS and sponsor for the Wasilla High chapter of the International Thespian Society, said, “People love it! They can’t believe they’re our students. It has broadened people’s interests as far as drama goes and has become the draw. (Friday Night Improv) has been well received. It has the blessing of the school administration and has overwhelming support from the youth. It’s become a real positive move for the Thespian (drama) Society and a challenge for students involved.”

The WWIT has grown in popularity since its beginning.

“It’s grown exponentially,” Joehnk said. “It started out small and became the thing last year. Now, people are clamoring to get into it.”

Jake Beauvais, a founding member and graduate of WHS, said, “I’m really glad with how the improv troupe has grown. It started out as a dream between Briggham Perez and I, and has flourished into a living, breathing group that has taken the Valley by storm. We now have a fan base, which is something I never expected. There are quite a few people who make it the highlight of their month and come to every show. It’s become something larger than I could’ve possibly imagined. It’s great to know that the ‘Lucky Seven’ has taken this idea and run with it.”

The “Lucky Seven” are the main members of the troupe. They are Briggham Perez, Rachel Clark, Kyle Pealatere, C.W. Twohy, Kara Marlin, Anfisa Kuzmin and Rachel Gundlach. They are permanent fixtures in the shows and are “possibly Wasilla’s funniest people,” according to Jake Beauvais. Alongside the “Lucky Seven” is a group of rotating members who alternate between shows. These members are Jessica Ziter, Sabrina Holbrook, Garrett Banner and Calvin Turcott.

“Rotating through alternate members, you will see a great amount of talent and humor that will greatly enhance upcoming shows,” Beauvais said. “We also have some new members — Jessica Ziter made quite a splash at her first show last month and has a lot of potential.”

With the freedom that improvisation allows for speech and expression, there is always concern with stepping over the line. The Wild Warrior Improv Troupe is strictly PG-13 at the most and has remained vigilant in keeping it that way.

“Mr. Okeson said it best: ‘You guys have the opportunity to step over the line and you don’t,’” Joehnk said. “The troupe has learned where the line is and each member has enough of a sense of ownership to want to protect it.”

Jacob Weinstein, a regular at Friday Night Improv, said, “It is definitely something new! It’s a good show to see. There is constantly new material and always has the crowd laughing. They keep the crowd guessing. I’ve been to pretty much all of the shows and have yet to see something that doesn’t bring tears of laughter to the audience. I would recommend this group to young people everywhere and all adults with a sense of humor.”

Wild Warrior Improv Troupe has become more than a source of entertainment for the public. It is a close-knit family of young people with big dreams. Perez, a WHS senior and member of the Improv Troupe’s “Lucky Seven,” said, “We have really grown as individuals and have become more comfortable with ourselves. We play off each other.”

Beauvais said, “It’s not only become an event to look forward to, it’s a group that has solidified the friendships of everyone within it. [Improv] has brought us all together. I’m glad we have something like this in the Valley. I’ve searched and found nothing else like it at all.”

Wild Warrior Improv Troupe performs the first Friday of each month. The next Friday Night Improv is 7 p.m., Nov. 5 at the Wasilla High School theater.

Rachel J. Clark is a Wasilla High School student.