“I have a question. Will you marry me?,” a girl exclaims, standing on one knee, center stage of the dimly lit Black Box Theatre. A grotesque fake skull takes place of a ring in her hands. The audience, filled with proud parents and peers, erupts with laughter. This is just a typical night with the Improv Club, where skulls become wedding rings and imagination runs wild.

“[Improvisation] is to create and perform spontaneously or without preparation,” freshman Daniel Scovill said.

After a great trial run at last year’s Fine Arts Fest with positive feedback and interested students, the Improvisation Club, or Improv for short, grew into a full-fledged club with over 20 members this year. The brainchild of English teacher Rebecca Walker, the club’s first performance came to life on the stage last Thursday, scoring laughter and giggles from the audience.

“Honestly, I thought it was going to be a disaster, but everyone was actually putting their best into it. We got really good audience reaction,” sophomore Benjamin Weiss said.

Despite less rehearsal time than last year’s group and only one remaining member, the first show of the season boded well with Walker as well.

“For the number of rehearsals they had and the time they had together with a new group, I thought they did amazing. I’m super proud of them,” Walker said.

Through weekly workshops, the club meets each Friday, learning the ropes of improv comedy. “Everybody has ideas about what they can say to be funny. If you do anything, eventually somebody will laugh,” sophomore Laurel Westphal said. But perhaps the most important part of improv is the chemistry between team members, trusting one another to place the next joke and to keep the energy high.

“We had to get closer and had to have that chemistry. If we wanted people to laugh and wanted people to have a good time,” Westphal said.

For the performers, the Improv Club gives more just than laughter. It gives a sense of family. “With improv, you seem a bit shy at first with each other, but after a while you grow into this family,” freshman Jessica Oliver said. And with the spontaneity demanded from improv, performers expand themselves to newer heights.

“Improv taught me to be brave and to try new things. It may not always work, but it takes bravery to go out there. You have no choice but to expose yourself,” freshman Erik Ohst said.

“The performing benefits of this group make me so happy… We’ll ‘improv’ your day,” Walker said.

You can catch the Improv Club’s next performance January 26, 2017 in the Black Box Theatre at 7 pm.