Members of the CROW Improv troupe who will be performing and acting as judges at the "Theatresports" show at 8 p.m. on Saturday, July 15 at the Norwich VFW Post 2782. Members include Brandon Cole (judge), Bethany Opara, Richard Lasky (judge), Chris Storch, Laura Koppenheffer, Moshe Shtrauch (judge), Jo Jo Russel, Pat Williams, Sharon Soloway (judge), Virginia Lee, Zachary Meseck, and Norwich Improv Artistic Director Gil Polk. (Submitted photos)

NORWICH — This Saturday, July 15, watch members of the CROW Improv troupe compete in a completely improvised and interactive show at the Norwich VFW Post 2782, located at 61 East Main Street in Norwich.

Doors open at 7 p.m., and the show is slated to begin at 8 p.m. Admission is $9 per person, cash only, for those 18 years and older with a valid ID.

The troupe is made up of Chenango County area residents Brandon Cole, Bethany Opara, Richard Lasky, Chris Storch, Laura Koppenheffer, Moshe Shtrauch, Jo Jo Russel, Pat Williams, Sharon Soloway, Virginia Lee, Zachary Meseck, and Norwich Improv Artistic Director Gil Polk.

Polk began teaching improv classes for all experience levels at the Guernsey Memorial Library last summer. The group has met weekly for nearly a year, and have grown into CROW Improv, an acronym that stands for "character, relationship, objective, and where" – key features of an improvised performance.

"In every scene we’re trying to create characters that are interesting to watch, and there’s a relationship between the characters. Like brother and sister, or doctor and patient, or husband and wife, or tax accountant and person in trouble with the IRS," Polk explained. "Then there’s an objective – everybody wants something in that scene."

"There's a place. Where are they? Are they in the office? Are they at the beach? Are they on the Eiffel Tower? Are they on a cliff? Are they mountain climbing?" he continued. "So all this we’re trying to create out of nothing for the audience."

Now CROW Improv is bringing their skills to the stage at "Theatresports," a concept created by Keith Johnstone to bring the excitement of sporting events to the world of theatre and improv.

"I know he loved the excitement of a sporting event and how the public gets so into sporting events and he wanted to try to create something where that same excitement happened in a theatrical setting," said Polk. "So it’s like a competition between two teams that are making things up on the spot, and the audience is giving suggestions throughout the night."

Attendees to Saturday's performance are encouraged to join in with scene suggestions, although participation is not mandatory. Polk said they should also be prepared to join in on the improv tradition of "booing" at the judges.

"The traditional greeting to the judges is a boo, and to boo everything they do," said Polk.

The show will split CROW members into two teams of four people, with members Brandon Cole, Sharon Soloway, Moshe Shtrauch, and Richard Lasky acting as judges. In the end, one team will be selected as the winner.

Those interested in learning more about improv or learning the art themselves can attend Polk's weekly beginner's class, held every Tuesday at 5:30 p.m. at the Guernsey Memorial Library. No pre-registration is required; just show up and jump in.

Polk said he's also hoping to expand his improv classes out into the corporate world. He said many improv troupes across the country host workshops at various companies and businesses to teach improv to employees as a team-building exercise.

"The games and the tools can really bring a team together. It's a great team-building exercise," Polk said. "I would love to start introducing that to people here in the area, to businesses, and I would love to take these troupe members with me doing something like that. It’s a lot of fun. And it really does stick. There’s lasting effects of this that, if you really practice it, there's some cool stuff that can help individually."

He said learning improv can help individuals strengthen their communication, active listening, interpersonal, and storytelling skills, as well as build confidence, become comfortable with risk taking, and learn to trust themselves and others.

For more information on Norwich Improv, contact Artistic Director Gil Polk at Gil@NorwichImprov.com or visit NorwichImprov.com.