Last Friday night FCC student, Nick Haas, axed a line of small boys to sold out crowd of chortling college students. The audience erupted with laughter ;Haas brought his imaginary blade to the body of the unlucky imaginary boy.
Haas is a founding member of the improvisational comedy troupe named Blimprov, a team of local college students with the determination and bravery to put their ego to the test for the reward of laughter.
“The Blimprov guys are superbly funny. Nick is the funniest human being I have ever encountered,” Fresno City College student and Blimprov fan Meaghan McCready admits adoringly.
The team consists of Haas, who wears many hats as dejure leader of his troupe/resident player/cofounder/business director, Jarod Caitln, the rubbery self-proclaimed “artistic genius” (spelling error intentional), Magnus Chhan, whose name (according to Chhan) *directly* translates to “The Great One”, Marcos Hammer who jokingly hosts his own life with the title “The Marcos Hammer Experience”, newcomer Sydney Mason, and the tiniest of the comediennes. Jessie Martinez.
Blimprov is theater of the mind; in the vain of commedia dell arte, there is one undecorated stage, minimal (if any) props, and no costumes apart from the actor’s own clothes, Blimprov’s skits range from lightly comical (such as “change it”) to the absurdly dark (the aforementioned Death Skit).
The comedy is akin to the popular television show Whose Line is it Anyway? It is a rapid fire show filled with puns, physical gags, and heavy doses of irreverency.
“We all did improv at our high school, ” Chhan explains.
“We graduated high school and we didn’t really know any groups that were doing what we wanted to do so we formed our own troupe.”
“Some of us almost didn’t graduate from high school,” Caitlin jokes.
For these performers, comedy is certainly not to be taken lightly. They practice their craft continuously and faithfully.
“There were a few other guys who aren’t with us anymore…” Haas says in a weary tone. “This isn’t something you can just write off.
“We got to do classes with David Razowsky, former artistic director of Second City. The classes we took were usually for a more advance level, but he kind of knew our work so he let us in,” recalls Haas.
While the show may be strictly humorous, they admit to having broader aspirations. Martinez cites Meryl Streep as the pinnacle stage and film actress while Mason, an African-American actress herself, cites Viola Davis and Kerry Washington, and Sanaa Lathan as her biggest influences.
“Sanaa Lathan, she was in Love and Basketball. She was like thirteen,” Mason clarifies.
“I love that movie. She’s hot!” jokes Chhan in his unique, over the top cartoonish enthusiasm.
“As for being inspired by anyone, I’d say just average people on the street. There are some pretty great people in this world and if you are overlooking them you are missing out on a lot in this world,” Martinez informs.
While the girls admire the more serious performers, the boys say they find their inspiration in the silly.
“Feel free to say Magnus, guys,” Chhan causally says while leaning back in his chair.
“When I was first getting into acting or comedy, Chris Farely. To be honest, I was a fat kid and he was a fat guy, and people respected him and really helped me cause when you’re young you think nobody’s gonna wanna see a fat guy on stage,” admits Haas.
“One of my biggest influences was, uh, Blockbuster Video. My mom used to work there so everyday she’d bring home new movies so that’s the whole way I though I want to do acting in any way, shape, or form. As for greatest influences, Jim Carey.”
Caitlin, a scholar on Jim Carey explains his greatest influence was Carey as well, “James Eugene Carey. I bet you didn’t even know that,” Caitlin says as he glares at Hammer.
“I really like his ability to just be outrageous and take huge risks. Also transitioning into dramatic films later on. That actually almost killed his career but then Liar Liar saved him,” Caitlin adds.
According to Haas, their report is just as strong off stage as on.
“We all spend a lot of time together and have really gotten to know each other pretty well. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses, and it really helps us during our games,” Haas says.
“We’re actually all going to dinner after this,” adds Martinez. “We have these kind of routines and traditions.”