Creativity, liveliness abound at CHAI Fest

By Nakita Podhradsky

Mirror Staff Writer
January 25, 2008

This past Saturday students attended a free event in the Edith Mortenson Center that helped develop their acting abilities. CHAI (Cool Hip Amazing Improv) Fest aims at providing a fun, open environment for aspiring actors to develop their talents. The festival, held every other year, features a variety of workshops and performances open to local improvisers.

Julia Bennett, theatre professor and art director of Brand Name Improv, founded CHAI Fest to provide students with the opportunity to improve their performance skills.

Bennett said that more than teaching participants how to act, “Improv cultivates spontaneity, flexibility, teamwork, creativity and interconnectivity.”

CHAI Fest spotlighted three of Augustana’s own improv troops, including Brand Name Improv, Augustana’s main improv group; Goldmilk Favorites, which specializes in musical performances and God’s Awkward Children, Augustana’s alumni improvisational group. New York City’s Upright Citizens Brigade was also featured at CHAI Fest.

Tina Lugo, sophomore and participant in the interim class “Improvisation for Everybody!,” enjoys improv.

“[It] is a way to take ideas and thoughts that come to you right away and turn them into situations and scenes that relate to anyone and put them in a humorous, fun way,” Lugo said.

Bennett said improv, as opposed to other performance types, offers acting opportunities with low overhead.

Putting on a full-length, scripted performance can be limiting as it takes time and money. It often has limited parts that call for specific character types, Bennett said. Improv, according to Bennett, is much more flexible.

Bennett has taught at Augustana for 19 years and has been involved with improv on campus for 10 years. She currently performs as a member of God’s Awkward Children.

Sophomore Casey Ring decided to take an improv class after hearing recommendations from friends.

Ring said improv allows him to be creative.

“Improv was a good outlet for me,” Ring said. “It lets me relax and is a good outlet for creative angst.”

Events such as CHAI Fest also give the opportunity for students to meet and socialize with others who have similar interests.

“I was also introduced to many theatre people so I know who to talk to if I ever want to pursue a role,” Ring said. “It’s a good way to have fun with theatre in a non-threatening environment.”
Bennett urges the Augustana community to support Augustana improv throughout the year to help keep the festival free to students.