Improv is the art of improvisational theater, techniques and skills. But, unlike the usual style of theater, improv isn’t scripted and is created right on the spot. 

“At its very core, improv is, you know, the confidence and ability to react and adapt to an improvisational situation,” Associate Professor of Theater and the Curriculum Coordinator for the Theater Program Kevin Daly said.

There are lots of variations on approaching this unscripted performance. The two main forms are short term and long term. Short term is the most well known and is used in the popular show, “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” 

Today, you can find improv on TV, comedy clubs and even here at Quinnipiac. Daly, who teaches an Introduction to Improvisational Theater course on campus every semester, emphasizes that there is no prior experience needed. “It’s all low stakes, high fun and often leads to just a really enjoyable and meaningful semester,” he said.

Coming next fall, an advanced course in Improvisational Theater will be offered as well. 

When first introduced to improv, Daly thought it would be a fun, light comedy activity, but what he discovered was much deeper. 

“Improv introduces you to an entirely new way to think about relationships and to think about interactions with other people. What it does is it presents the idea that it’s entirely possible to create or to accomplish something in agreement with another person,” Daly said. “One of the things that we sort of do societally is we create ideas in conflict, but if we support each other’s ideas and we embrace them without being critical of them initially, we might discover things we haven’t been thinking about.”

He found that he was much happier in general and a better listener to the people around him. Improv unexpectedly changed his life for the better. 

Other ways to try out improv at Quinnipiac is through a student-led organization: Comic Sans. The group performs free improv shows on campus. In 2013, Quinnipiac formed two comedy groups, the other called The Right Amount of Silence. In 2016, the two groups merged together. In 2019, Comic Sans became its own official student organization with a charter. 

Today, Comic Sans has 19 members and had its biggest member count last year with 21 people. Each show is packed with an audience of 80 to 100 people and has had shows with crowds of 120 people. 

“We all think that we all deserve a laugh once in a while and I think that’s a great thing,” sophomore journalism major and future Publicity Coordinator in Comic Sans Wyatt Gallant said.

Every member of Comic Sans says they love doing improv and being in such a happy club. 

Tobias Adams, graduate student in the 3+2 MSW program, has been in Comic Sans for four and a half years and always looks forward to their rehearsals. 

“Genuinely the highlight of every week for me,” Tobias said. 

Senior journalism major and Vice President, Rocco DiCarlo has had an amazing journey with the group. 

“So I tried out, had like the time of my life and each week I was just having more and more fun here,” Roco said. 

The group has all types of majors that have found improv has helped them prepare for their future jobs. Past Publicity Coordinator Sese Allerheiligen, a graduate student and software engineering major found improv has improved her career.

“For me, improv is so applicable in software engineering. Which seems so crazy, but because what improv teaches you isn’t just how to be funny, that’s a nice side effect, but
 it teaches you how to build off of what other people are saying, how to formulate a response quickly, how to address an audience, and how to be confident in front of an audience,” Sese said.

Others have found personal growth in improv as well. 

“I can just be goofy, because I wanna be goofy,” sophomore nursing major and future Comic Sans President Josie Mates-Muchin said.

“It’s kind of really gotten me out of my shell and out of my comfort zone,”  sophomore marketing major and future Treasurer Jake Damato said.

So many lives have been positively affected by improv at Quinnipiac. For the future of Comic Sans, 

“I hope that it just keeps growing,” senior film television media major and current President Ben Shannon said.  

So, look into joining an improv course or attending a Comic Sans show. 

“And I always say it doesn’t matter if we’re good or bad; you can either laugh at us or with us,” Sese said.