Yes, and: Adapting to college life through Chapman’s Improv Inc.
Photos by Riley LeBlanc, Photographer
Every other Thursday at Chapman University, laughter spills out of Irvine Lecture Hall, drawing in curious passersby and recurring fans to watch the latest Improv Inc. show. This club, although welcoming, has increased in popularity over recent years, making it competitive to join — yet rewarding for those who take the risk.
For many freshmen on the team, auditioning for Improv Inc. was their first leap into putting themselves out of their comfort zone in college.
“When I got to Chapman, I was incredibly nervous … but I think definitely being part of improv has kind of opened up my world,” freshman writing for film and television major Oliver Pardo said. “It has introduced me to a lot of new people, and the confidence to introduce myself to new people.”
For many freshmen, the initial nervousness is a shared experience. The transition to college comes with uncertainty on all fronts — with new environments, unfamiliar faces and the search for a sense of belonging from the day of arrival. Improv Inc. becomes more than just a club for new members, it serves as a space where students can begin to navigate those changes in a supportive environment full of laughs.
“When I first got to Chapman, it was obviously scary, but now I’m much more involved and I feel I have found my place here,” freshman writing for film and television major Lily Benensohn said. “Whenever I try a new game for the first time, I step out of my comfort zone, but I enjoy trying new things.”
As students grow more comfortable, the challenges of being a new member slowly start to turn from something scary into opportunities for growth. Being a part of Improv Inc. takes significant effort; one has to remain confident, quick on their feet and respond to prompts on a moment's notice.
“I always worry that something I do may not be funny enough,” Benensohn said. “But I've learned since joining that not everything you do will be perfect and to try your best, trust your gut and that the team has your back.”
Photos by Riley LeBlanc, Photographer
Improv, although primarily marketed as instant comedy, is an extremely difficult skill to master as it features multiple disciplines of comedy and challenges combined into one.
“There's something so special about improv because it really helps you think fast,” Pardo said. “You have to think of many different ways that you could go with a joke or prompt, which helps a lot in writing because it's great to be able to think of a bunch of different ideas.”
While improv sharpens and quickens creative thinking during performances, its impact extends beyond the stage. For many students, it becomes a powerful tool for building self-confidence and navigating social interactions in everyday life on campus.
“In our world right now, there's this emphasis on kind of being nonchalant, or this apathy that comes from a bombardment of information and atrocities, and we get kind of desensitized to the care that we all have within us,” freshman broadcast journalism and documentary major Aivree Watkins said. “But what improv does is it takes that passion and turns it into something really light and in a way that's really powerful.”
Photos by Riley LeBlanc, Photographer
For many, improv has given students the confidence to walk up to a new person and not only make them laugh, but also connect with them.
“(Improv) has gotten me more comfortable going out and being quick in the moment,” Pardo said. “I'm definitely a people person, I like being funny and talking to different people, but certainly improv is helping get that jazz back.”
As laughter continues to echo out of Irvine Lecture Hall every other Thursday, these members put on more than just a performance on stage. This team is learning to take risks, trust themselves, trust each other and find connection through comedy. For many freshmen, Improv Inc. isn’t just a student club, but a starting point for becoming more confident in exploring who they are as they grow in this new chapter of their lives, both on and off the stage.