ELYSE GRIECO
Special to The Leader
Fredonia’s Random Acts held their first-ever character cabaret on Nov. 10.
Random Acts is an improvisation comedy group on campus that never fails to make their audience laugh.
The group has been on campus for quite some time, but they have never held this kind of show before. Each member of the group developed their own abnormal character to embody for the night.
Some of these characters included Lester Loofa, a former aspiring actor turned top-percussion-store-owner, and Reginald Butterswartch, a billionaire with one eye.
The night started with a panel of four characters answering questions from the audience. These questions ranged all the way from relationship advice to opinions on problems in the bathroom. Luciana Perri, a sophomore speech pathology major, was a huge fan of this portion of the show.
“I honestly don’t know what came over me, but I could not stop laughing,” she said.
After the panel, the characters played a dating game.
Deborah Matthews, an over-the-top mother of three and recent widow, was in search of a new man to not only love her, but keep her financially stable.
The show was hosted by Barry Thatcher, the number four rated meteorologist in the Milwaukee area.
Alongside Thatcher, three of the characters acted as the contestants.
The participants consisted of the following: Jorge the Squirrel Guy, a man who eats, sleeps and breathes squirrels; The Big Squish PHD, a pizza loving gangster; and Gordon Scatena, a Vietnam veteran who does not suffer from PTSD from war, but from all the acid he has dropped.
In the end, Matthews picked Jorge, and the two celebrated their engagement.
The dating show was followed by an abrupt wedding reception where the whole cast gave speeches to the happy newlyweds.
Although the members of the group came knowing their characters for the night, everything they say and do is completely improvised. Ana McCasland, alumni and former team captain, returned to Fredonia for this week’s show.
“Nothing is planned,” she said. “The only thing that is planned is the game and the structure of the game. The content within it is completely improvised.”
Auditions are necessary when it comes to joining the group. This procedure ensures that the cast is as talented as possible.
“I auditioned my freshman year. I’ve known about comedy improv since I was in high school, but this was the first team I have ever gotten on. It is honestly the best thing that has ever happened to me,” said McCasland.
Improvisation is an art of its own.
Sophomore acting major Grace McCulloch said there is a lot she can appreciate from an actress’s point of view.
“It’s hard to just come up with stuff on the spot and execute it properly. The fact that the actors are able to do it and for this long of time is impressive,” she said.
Random Acts performs for free every other Friday night at 10 p.m. in McEwen 209.