Spring is here, the thrills are cheap, and the laughs are divine. The Tufts University Comedy Improvisation Group "Cheap Sox" has had a successful year, and will cap it off with their spring show this evening.
The group has been going strong since 1985, when at their debut show "Cheap Sox and the Violins," (a mixed reference to a movie called "Cheap Sex and Violins" and the Red Sox), their name was born. From then on, a culture emerged here at Tufts; improvisational comedy gained popularity and has been entertaining audiences ever since.
"It's not like your average improvisational group. We always look to challenge ourselves and adopt new techniques which can accentuate our performances," member sophomore Dave Adler said.
The group is currently working on their long form improvisation, a form which involves longer skits and more complex characters, as well as more possibility for "crazy and cool scenes" as Adler called them. Cheap Sox has mastered their short form improvisation, a form which is more structured and never more than four minutes per scene. Tonight's show will be a combination of both to show off the versatility of the group.
The title of tonight's show "Got Sox," was created when Cheap Sox members were all sitting around at a table throwing ideas around. Very frequently, Cheap Sox gains inspiration in peculiar ways. In fact, Adler doesn't even "know why we wear those pink bowling shirts."
But not just anyone gets to sport the bright bowling gear: "We look for funny people who work well with the troupe, are able to hold their own, and most importantly, are funny," Adler said.
While experience is not a requirement, it seems that improv is not novel to many members. "Many of the Cheap Sox members did a lot of improvisational acting in high school, but it was nowhere near as intense as Cheap Sox is. High school programs often have no auditions, and leave the actors with no control," said Adler.
Cheap Sox is one of the only groups on campus that looks forward to being laughed at. "Our spring show is our only big on-campus thing this semester and we're really excited to bring it back for a Tufts audience," said Katie Clark, the group's acting executive producer.
Cheap Sox currently has 10 members, and recently gained three new ones: Dan Erickson, Steve Wise and Madeline Schussel. In addition to its new members, Cheap Sox has been working towards achieving premier status as a Tufts entertainment group. The group has showcased at a few off-campus gigs, which they call "away games," at Jimmy Tingles, the Northeastern University Beanpot of Comedy and the National Comedy College Collective. Last month, Cheap Sox entertained relay walkers at the Tufts Relay for Life.
This past year, Cheap Sox has utilized the help of their alums in order to improve their skills as a comic troupe, and at a festival at Skidmore College, they took part in a workshop with the Upright Citizens Comedy Brigade in New York City.
"It was a really great experience, because usually we do improv with just ourselves, and all of our feedback comes from working together." Clark said. "But it's also helpful to get feedback from outside, because there might be something that we are overlooking."
With help provided by other groups, along with an average of six hours of rehearsal per week, Cheap Sox has formed a cohesive group. "When so much time is spent together, actors begin to know each other well enough that they can anticipate how one actor is going to react, and that is a gift," said Adler.
