Terror. Fear. Flouncing. These are things that many people associate with audience-involved performance art. However, relatively few of them were present during Skyline College’s Drama Night, held on Friday, March 9.

The performance, which was held by and included members of Skyline College’s Theater Club, was a showcase for a variety of different stage acts. Performances included dramatic, original monologues, re-created scenes from movies such as “Reservoir Dogs” and “Gangs of New York” as well as improvised scenes created by fan suggestions (an incompetent Russian bomb squad).

The performance was also peppered with various skits that incorporated the audience. One skit involved having two audience members provide ad-libbed translations for a scene performed in a made up language. Another scene, the previously mentioned Russian Bomb squad, required audience members to provide sound effects as the events unfolded. The fan interaction aspects of the performance
were particularly entertaining, as they brought an element of unpredictability into the stage acts.

Theater Club member and performer Kaja Ram felt that the quality of the acting was strong, and that the showcase was, from a performance standpoint, a success. “There were some great, generally moving performances, and some pretty funny moments in the improv,” said Ram, who took part in an improvised talk show skit which dealt with helping an Asian man become “whiter.”

Fellow theater club member Jamie Ball also had a positive experience at the Drama Night, but noted that the lack of turnout for the event did affect the overall veracity of the performance.

“We did pretty good with the amount of people” said Ball. “If we had a bigger crowd, we would have more energy.” Ball took part in several scenes, including the “Reservoir Dogs” re-creation, and as a bride who was missing a leg.

Turnout for the event was,
in fact, fairly sparse. This was unfortunate, as every performance was executed with a great deal
of energy and creativity. The actors were all very engaging
and emotionally believable, and the improvised scenes were very dynamic and entertaining. The performers were able to make the most out of the small audience, and create a memorable evening. One would be well advised to attend future performances.

Regardless of attendance, camaraderie and support within the theater club was a unifying force for the performers involved, as stated by performer Ben Rampley.

“What I loved was the full house we had,” said Rampley, with an air of sarcasm. “But I liked the support within the club.”

Upcoming performances that will be held by the theater club include a “Culture in the Quad” event, which will be held on March 27.