On Thin Ice (comedy group)

Last updated
On Thin Ice performing an improv game at one of their shows. OTI Performing.jpg
On Thin Ice performing an improv game at one of their shows.

On Thin Ice, (OTI) is Harvard College's oldest Improvisational comedy group. OTI specializes in short-form improvisational theater taking the form of various comedy games in the style of Whose Line Is It Anyway?.

Contents

History

Founded in 1984 by Brigit Fasolino Vucic, On Thin Ice is Harvard's oldest improv troupe. [1] [2] Shows performed once every few weeks, are about 45 minutes long and depend on audience suggestions. OTI's constitution requires that they perform free on-campus shows. OTI is famous for their Trial By Fire show, a showcase for their newest members. Performed once each semester, the Trial By Fire show requires all new members, having only had one practice, to perform in every game. Additionally, they have competed in a number of short-form improv comedy competitions across the country and travel locally and nationally performing for numerous events and organizations. [3] [4] And every year, during the Harvard-Yale football game weekend, OTI performs with an improv troupe from Yale. [5]

Notable alumni

A number of notable individuals in the entertainment business have been past members of On Thin Ice. Among the early members were actor Christopher Liam Moore, Producer-Writer Nick Davis, screenwriter Adam Barr, and TV executive Susanne Lieberstein Daniels, as well as Eric Ronis, Christian Bordal (formerly Christian Kanuth), Ashby Semple, Eric Oleson, Kristen Gasser and Betty Achinstein. Other members in the 1980s included Writer-Producer Daniel Zelman, novelist Arthur Phillips, journalist-actress Faith Salie, and associate justice of the Supreme Court Ketanji Brown Jackson. Mike Roiff produced the 2007 film Waitress (film). [6] More recent alumni include Colbert Report writer Rob Dubbin and actor-comedian Sabrina Wu. [7] [8]

On Thin Ice sings the final note of a musical improv scene at the Hasty Pudding's annual Fall Show. OTIPuddingPerfomance.jpg
On Thin Ice sings the final note of a musical improv scene at the Hasty Pudding's annual Fall Show.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Improvisational theatre</span> Theatrical genre featuring unscripted performance

Improvisational theatre, often called improvisation or improv, is the form of theatre, often comedy, in which most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted, created spontaneously by the performers. In its purest form, the dialogue, action, story, and characters are created collaboratively by the players as the improvisation unfolds in present time, without use of an already prepared, written script.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ComedySportz</span> Improvisational comedy organization

ComedySportz (CSz) is an improvisational comedy organization started in 1984 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by a group of local comedians including Dick Chudnow, Bob Orvis, Brian Green, and others.

The Annoyance Theatre, or Annoyance Productions, is a theatre and associated ensemble based in Chicago, Illinois, that deals mainly in absurd and outrageous humor. Many people who have performed with the ensemble have gone on to become successful stage and screen actors. Popular productions have included Co-Ed Prison Sluts and That Darned Antichrist. Annoyance Productions currently runs classes in improvisation, writing, musical improvisation, acting, and solo work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Second Nature Improv</span>

Second Nature is a long-form improvisational theatre troupe based in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Friday Nite Improvs</span>

Friday Nite Improvs, or Friday Night Improvs (FNI), was a long-running weekly improvisational comedy show staged on the campus of the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The show functioned as an improv jam, performed by improv actors who don't normally work together. FNI was unique in that, in addition to the audience's providing improv suggestions, the performers are all pulled from volunteers in the audience. FNI ended in 2014. A student improv group, Ruckus, has succeeded FNI as a resident improv group on the University of Pittsburgh's campus.

The Whole World Theatre is an improvisational theatre located in Atlanta, Georgia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Austin</span> American improvisational theatre teacher, writer and director (1941–2017)

Gary Austin was an American improvisational theatre teacher, writer, and director who founded The Groundlings theatre company in 1974.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scotch'n'Soda Theatre</span>

Scotch'n'Soda is a student-run theatre organization that resides on the campus of Carnegie Mellon University. Its initial dedication was the creation and production of original musicals, but has now taken to performing both professionally published and student-written materials. Students are welcome to write, compose, design, direct, perform in, and otherwise become involved with every aspect of each production. The organization is open to all Carnegie Mellon students from all backgrounds who are interested, and all performances are public with varying ticket prices.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Respecto Montalban</span> Comedy troupe in New York from 1998 to 2005

Respecto Montalban was an improvisational and sketch comedy troupe associated with the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in New York City from 1999 until September 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ImprovBoston</span> Nonprofit improvisational theater

ImprovBoston is a nonprofit improvisational theater, based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. It offers shows and classes its theater in Central Square. Classes are offered in improvisation, stand-up comedy, musical improv, and sketch writing.

The Wellington Improvisation Troupe (WIT) is a not-for-profit, community-based improvisational theatre group in Wellington, New Zealand. It is run by a committee elected by and from its forty to sixty active members. WIT performs both long and short-form improvisation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Theatre Strike Force</span>

Theatre Strike Force is the University of Florida's premier improv and sketch comedy troupe. The group also goes by TSF. The style of improv performed by Theatre Strike Force is a combination long form and short form. They both teach and perform improvisational comedy. They have six house teams which include both forms of improv as well as a sketch team. There are four long form house teams which are cast every semester and usually have six to eight members. The TSF Short Form Team is cast every semester as well and usually has fifteen to nineteen members. TSF Sketch is the final house team and usually has twelve to sixteen members, cast each semester.

The Fracas! Improv Festival is a three-day annual improvisational theatre festival held at The University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. The festival is hosted by Second Nature Improv, one of USC's improv troupes. In addition to performances, the festival hosts discussion panels with professional improvisers currently working in television, film, and/or theatre, as well as improv workshops. While the performances and panels are open to the public, workshops are available only to registered festival participants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oui Be Negroes</span>

Oui Be Negroes is an African-American improvisational sketch comedy ensemble, founded by Artistic Director Shaun Landry and Director Hans Summers. They worked together for many years in Chicago with the Underground Theatre Conspiracy, and had thrown around the idea of an African-American-driven sketch and improvisational comedy troupe, which would be geared specifically toward social and political humor.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">The Immediate Gratification Players</span> Harvard improv comedy troupe

The Immediate Gratification Players (IGP) are a collegiate improvisational comedy troupe based out of Harvard College. They specialize in long form, free-form improvisation and are recognized as one of the top college troupes in the nation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Purple Crayon</span> Improvisational theater group at Yale University

The Purple Crayon of Yale, or the Purple Crayon, is an improvisational theater group at Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. The group specializes in longform improv, such as the Harold. The Purple Crayon is Yale's second-oldest improv group, after the Ex!t Players, and the oldest collegiate longform group in the country. The Purple Crayon currently consists of twelve members, and is directed by Noam Scully '25 and Amara Neal '26.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exit Players</span>

The Yale Ex!t Players, or the Exit Players, is an improvisational comedy group at Yale University in New Haven, CT, United States. The Exit Players was founded in 1984, making it the oldest improv group on Yale's campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peoples Improv Theater</span> Theater in New York City

The Peoples Improv Theater (PIT), also known as the PIT, is a comedy theater and training center in New York City, founded by comedian Ali Farahnakian in 2002. Shows combine improvisational comedy, sketch comedy, stand-up, theater, and variety. Each show is hosted by a combination of "house teams" of comedians hired by PIT and by outside comedians.

Alison Gates is an American comedy writer and actress who is currently a head writer for Saturday Night Live. She previously lived in Chicago and worked with the Second City's touring company and an all-female iO Theater troupe.

References

  1. "The Harvard Crimson :: News :: Improv Comedy Groups Play for Laughs". Archived from the original on 2009-08-04.
  2. Tench, Megan (26 October 2008). "'Legally' bonded". Boston.com via The Boston Globe.
  3. "404 Error". 17 November 2015.{{cite web}}: Cite uses generic title (help)
  4. "Lampy Comedy Night To Raise Funds for PBH - News - The Harvard Crimson".
  5. Gibbons, Lauren. "The Yale Herald".
  6. "Michael Roiff". IMDb .
  7. "Colbert University - Better Know a 'Report' Staffer". Archived from the original on 2009-02-13. Retrieved 2008-12-21.
  8. "What's so funny?". ofa.fas.harvard.edu. Retrieved 2023-04-24.