Improv Bowl V ad libs tomorrow

The age-old battle between the forces of good and evil will be resolved once and for all — with a comedic twist — at the Improv Bowl V Jan. 27 in Grafton-Stovall Theatre at 8 p.m.

New and Improv'd, JMU's funnybone-tickling improvisation troupe, will present Improv Bowl V. The theme of the bowl is good vs. evil.

The group's nine members will be split into two teams of four. One team will portray goodness, and the other evil, according to senior Dan Hodos, director of New and Improv'd. There will be one member who will serve as an emcee to the audience, he said.

Each team will compete in various improvisational games — chosen by the audience — to prove its mettle in the battle of good vs. evil, Hodos said. However, audience participation is also important in determining the winner of the Improv Bowl. Each time the teams complete a game, the audience members vote through applauding for the team that delivered the best performance in that match. The group's intern, Daniel Lloyd, a student at The Governor's School, will gauge the audience's applause, Hodos said. The team that racks up the most applause by the end of the tournament wins the Improv Bowl, according to Hodos.

Freshman Bryan Bach, a New and Improv'd member, said he is nervous and excited about the performance at Grafton-Stovall. The Bowl will feature two-minute scenes and some longer scenes similar to those from the television show, "Whose Line is it Anyway?," Bach said. The ideas for the scenes will be generated from the audience, he added.

New and Improv'd has two-hour rehearsals weekly, Bach said. "We are very serious about being funny."

The Bowl also will include a halftime show featuring the Cheerleading Club, the Color Guard and a special surprise from the members of New and Improv'd, according to Hodos.

"I want to perform and I want people to come out and sit back and relax and let us entertain," he said. "I want to give to the community and say 'have a party with us.'" This, according to Hodos, explains why admission to the event is free.

Junior Christina Boucher, publicity manager for New and Improv'd, said that it will be distributing prizes to the audience. "It's going to be a really good time, and we have fun surprises in store. You get to see comedy created before you and be part of the process," Boucher said.

New and Improv'd conducted auditions in the fall and selected four new members; however, three of the group's members are graduating this year. The group also performs at different events throughout the year, some benefiting various organizations on campus.

"I want to go to the show because I have a few friends in the group and they put on such an amazing performance, and their skits are always hilarious," said senior Andrew Rozier-Smolen, a member of Madison Project. "As a performer myself, I know how much hard work and practice goes into something like improv, it's not something that comes naturally to everyone."