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March 13, 2008 issue

Sketch Comedy Troupe NouN at Legends March 19

Story by Anna Oakes

Improvisation comedy troupe NouN presents its spring performance on Wednesday, March 19, at 9:00 p.m. at Legends on the Appalachian State University campus.

The group typically performs a brand of short-form improv akin to that presented in the television show Whose Line Is It, Anyway?, with interactive comedy sketches and games. Lately, however, NouN has been working with more long-form sketches that focus more on scene work and development.

“We’re trying some long-form improv, which we haven’t done much of at Legends shows in the past,” said Peter Lundblad, a member of NouN since 2004. “It’s closer to what professionals do in Chicago, New York, Boston, Los Angeles and other improv capitals. We’re still doing games, just fewer.”

NouN consists of several ASU students who practice twice a week or more. Most are theatre and dance students, but the group also includes English, criminal justice, psychology and foods and nutrition majors. They are Lundblad, Anna Gettles,

Kelly Cloudsdale, Joe Carroll, Chase McNeill, Blake Ervin, Jordan Westra, Meg Anderson, Tom Brigham and Maggie Saunders.

Playcrafters, the theatre and dance drama club at ASU, founded NouN in 1999, Lundblad said. The group has grown since then and gained club status with the university a few years ago. The NouN performance troupe is open by audition.

NouN attended the Dirty South Improv Festival in Chapel Hill in February and took classes with troupes from all over North America.

“ASU might be interested and take pride in the unique qualities of the troupe,” Lundblad said. “We have no director, as most improv troupes do, and we are one of the few troupes that puts both long-form and short-form in our shows.”

NouN has expanded its performance schedule to include several local venues, including coffee shops, schools and campgrounds. The group is available for booking.

Tickets to the March 19 show are $2 for students in advance and $3 for guests and students at the door. Patrons may bring up to a six-pack of beer with the proper ID. For more information about the show, call 828-262-3030. For more about NouN, click to www.myspace.com/nounimprov.