Group member enjoys
acting in improv skits

By Kate Johann
Assistant Features Editor

John Sobeski was tongue-tied.

He was doing a performance with The Crazy Monkeys, an improvisational comedy troupe, when two members of the audience suggested that the group perform lawn dart chess as part of their slow-mo, or slow motion, skit.

Slow-mo sports, where everyday events turn into competitions in slow motion, stumped Sobeski.

"It was just that I couldn't think of anything," said Sobeski. But as a member of the Crazy Monkeys comedy troupe, he had practiced enough to ease right through the game.

"I had acted in high school but really hadn't done anything with improv before now." In fact, Sobeski started his improv career with the Crazy Monkeys only one year ago.

The Crazy Monkeys will perform at 8 p.m. on Jan. 25 at the Vienna Coffee House.

"It's free," said Sobeski. "Anyone can come. It's a cheap date."

"We were friends through BGR (Boiler Gold Rush)," said Angie Bauman, co-director of the Crazy Monkeys. "Through BGR he showed his creativity and ability and leadership."

Impressed with his humor, Bauman asked Sobeski to come to the Crazy Monkeys auditions.

So, now Sobeski uses his humor and personality to entertain audiences every couple of weeks.

Sobeski said he's always been a big fan of "Whose Line is it, Anyway?," the popular improvisational TV show that resembles the skits and games that an audience member might see at a Crazy Monkeys show.

Sobeski's favorite game to perform is soap opera. "You set up fake soap operas and ask for a fake name for it, and then we ask for two character names and then maybe a conflict. Everyone dies in the end, and there's usually something about babies and amnesia."

Bauman said that Sobeski shows his comedic personality in all aspects of his life. "Every once in a while, he speaks in an accent for a whole day to practice it.

She remembers a time when Sobeski was practicing his accent and improvisational skills at the same time.

"Once, he had to make up a whole elaborate story to tell this lady to go with his English accent that he was practicing at the time. It was a whole funny ordeal."

Bauman also said that he works humor into his class assignments. "I remember that last semester or last year he took an advanced speech class and he did one speech on how humor can help people."

 

Purdue Exponent 2002