Teamwork, openness and originality: These three skills are embedded in the fabric of the Rams Improv Comedy Troupe at Colorado State University. If you’ve ever wanted to witness a Saturday Night Live-level comedy performance, look no further than the 10 Rams who constitute CSU’s most riotous student organization.  

The Troupe performed Nov. 10 at The Comedy Fort under the glow of incandescent lights, rousing laughs and gasps from every person in attendance.

Molly Peek, the president of the Troupe, joined the club her first semester at CSU. Seeking a community of the same spontaneity and creativity she found in her high school theater program, the club enabled Peek to nurture her passions for acting and comedy.

“I did theater in high school, and I did improv in middle school for funsies,” Peek said. “I never really liked memorizing scripts. … And then when I got here, I missed doing the theater stuff, so I got back into improv. One of my friends was like, ‘Hey, Molly, you should audition for this,’ and I did — I loved it.”

Shows are typically held once every month and bounce between locations at The Comedy Fort or in lecture halls right on CSU’s campus. Regardless of where the troupe convenes, there is rarely an empty seat in the house. 

“During the club fair, I saw their table, got a note card and auditioned. It seemed fun, and I was right — it is fun. There’s great people; it’s cool how it’s a little friend group.” -Teddy Herms, Rams Improv Comedy Troupe member

Preshow rehearsals closely mirror the energy on stage and in the audience; it only takes an utterance of one word to send the entire room — and the Troupe — into a fit of laughter. Members walk in unknowing of what might be said or joked about.

While some of these Rams have prior experience in theatre, acting and improv, a few joined the club without any background in performing. Teddy Herms, a sophomore in the group, hadn’t taken part in a comedy-based entertainment group before discovering RIC.

“My friends all said I was pretty funny, and I was looking for a comedy thing on campus,” Herms said. “During the club fair, I saw their table, got a note card and auditioned. It seemed fun, and I was right — it is fun. There’s great people; it’s cool how it’s a little friend group.”

Drawing inspiration from every moment, the group uses ideas from each other and audience members to set the scene. Each member of the Troupe has the opportunity to create and organize an activity of their own, which usually shows up on the official performance setlist.

In one such activity, an audience member was interviewed about their day, followed by a performance in which the Troupe improvised and brought the day’s events to life — only with a nightmare twist. Each member chimed in throughout, creating an amusing rendition of hilarity.

The following scene commenced as fast as one can say, “Freeze!” This pattern repeated itself throughout the night, introducing new games, voices, activities and storylines.

Each member of the Troupe shares the crucial skill of adapting, whether it be to a newly introduced story or spontaneous mishaps. Knowing when to end a scene is another vital part of the performance that can either enhance or detract from the comedy.

Aside from strengthening the bond between all its members, RIC has taught many of them how to better communicate with confidence in — what could be — intimidating social settings.

Troupe member Zach Luiz said he identifies with this perspective. He attended multiple RIC shows prior to auditioning himself, sparking an initial interest in the club before ever being a part of it.

“I had been to the shows for a few years, and I was like, ‘I don’t want to graduate college without at least trying it out,'” Luiz said. “I was very much coming out of my comfort zone doing this because it’s scary. But coming into it, it’s been really fun. It’s definitely increasing my public speaking skills.”

The Rams Improv Comedy Troupe has two more shows to close out the semester. They will be performing at the first-ever Fort Collins Improv Fest at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 22, at The Lyric. Their December show will commence at 7 p.m. Friday, Dec. 6, in Willard O. Eddy Hall room 212.