One minute they are two hungry alligators, writhing in a swamp as they search for their next raccoon meal. The next they are a squabbling family lost on a road trip, pulled over by a feisty policeman pedaling a unicycle. And the next they are a human resources office, investigating claims of discrimination in the throes of Irish Independence Day.
In a rotating blur of scenes, laughs, and one-liners, the Missed Opportunity improv comedy troupe keeps the audience in stitches and wondering what scenario might come next. Formed in January, the group of seven women is composed entirely of Trinity alumnae or current students. The troupe performs in montage, a longform improv format, delivering continuous comedy in 30-minute segments.
Shelby Seier ’15, a theater major from Omaha, Neb., brought the group together after realizing a desire to “play and create more” in her life. Seier, who has taken classes at The Backline Comedy Club in Omaha, says that while it was not a conscious decision to form an all-female group, she is inspired by the unique perspective and dynamic of the troupe.
“I laugh so much when I am with this group of people,” Seier says. “We are all excited about the growing San Antonio comedy initiatives and I am passionate about making San Antonio a place where people want to stick around, where a thriving comedy scene can exist.”
As Missed Opportunity breaks onto the scene, the group has shied away from blue humor, or jokes that could be interpreted as offensive or crass. Seier says the troupe does its best to “play to the top of our intelligence” and incorporates knowledge from their Trinity education or everyday lives into their performances. The group opens shows by asking audience members about missed opportunities in their lives and interviews volunteers for details. The information is then utilized for scenes, making the audience feel even more involved.
Communication and Spanish double major Maddie Smith ’16, of Evergreen, Colo., says her favorite part of Missed Opportunity is learning together as a group. She admires the commitment of her fellow members, all of whom have either full-time jobs or heavy course loads at Trinity.
“I love how seriously everyone takes it, and how, in a very male dominated field, we’re not any different because we are women,” Smith says. “We’re all just trying to become better as a troupe and improve our techniques.”
Smith began performing improv as a sophomore when she joined First Time Offenders, a Trinity short form group. She would later co-found the Carefree Radicals, a longform group where the club taught itself Harold structure and montage, both types of improv. After taking classes at The Peoples Improv Theater in New York City, Smith knows that improv is in her future, calling the stage a place “where I can be myself” and where “creativity is encouraged.”
Like Seier, troupe member Andrea Medina ’15 attended the Del Close Marathon, a three-day improvisation festival founded by the Upright Citizens Brigade. A human communication major from San Antonio, Medina says improv has been a springboard for some of the greatest names in comedy, such as Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. Medina enjoys feeding off of the energy of the troupe and making the audience feel engaged.
“My attraction to improv has to do with the magic that is created from what seems to be nothing,” Medina says. “My favorite thing is when we all find that we’re in sync. It’s a great feeling.”
Missed Opportunity is no stranger to hard work, with weekly two-and-a-half-hour practices. Practice can include object work, two person scenes, and creating longform improv. Samantha Grubbs ’13, a communication major from New Iberia, La., says that unlike traditional plays where the actor memorizes lines, improv is “all about the moment and reacting off your partner.”
“The energy of our group is great, and it’s interesting to see how people bring their real-life character into their improv,” Grubbs says. “Learning about other people’s styles and gaining feedback on my own is really what I enjoy about improv.”
Fresh off a performance at The Cellar, the back theater of The Playhouse, the misses of Missed Opportunity look to build off their recent success. Margaret Browne ’13, Elizabeth Metzger ’19, and Eliza Grady ’16 round out the troupe as it takes on San Antonio, one alligator, policeman, and crazy Irish family (complete with wee babes) at a time.
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