The Skyline High School Drama Department and Skyline Slylines hosted the last improv cage match of the year between the Four Players and The Cottonwood Chaos. There was also an improvised musical done by the Skyline Slylines and a guest performance from the Last Laugh, a professional improv group. Sandra Tang emceed the entire event, stalling when necessary and giving introductions while hyping up the audience before every section.
The unique twists of the night garnered many laughs and cheers from the audience. The improvised musical was decided by the audience, and the actors—Kenny Matthews, Aiden Perez, Sevilla Devries, Garret Nelson, Ave Judd, and Tang—were given the topic of “Beautiful Fish.”
Devries thought quickly and came up with a topic of the townspeople slowly turning into fish. The crew burst into song about being fearful of turning into fish with twists and turns throughout.
Nelson’s wife was turned into a fish, and Perez forced him to eat it. The audience was roaring in laughter. Meanwhile, the audience also learned that Judd, playing the role of a corrupt sushi restaurant owner, was controlling it all by poisoning the water.
Devries, a loyal employee at said sushi location, refused to help. Matthews and Tang played the role of a lovely couple torn as Tang turned into a fish. They split up, and much to Tang’s dismay, she walked her way to the ocean.
Nelson, fueled by rage, decided to poison all of the group and turn everyone into fish. Judd, realizing her error, decided to turn a new leaf. Judd and Devries also started dating. They then all flopped into the sunset together.
The audience was all dying laughing the entire time, not to mention the entire performance was done in song.
After the musical, the surprise guests, walked on stage, being introduced by Tang. The Last Laugh, a professional group, amazed the audience with their cohesion and performance. They played many games, like revolver and advised the audience.
After the Last Laugh, there was a brief intermission before the cage match started: Cottonwood Chaos versus the Four Players. Each performance lasted 20 minutes. The Cottonwood Chaos, from Cottonwood High School, consisting of Ben Houts, Riley Hastings, McKenna Tuckett, and Eddie Memmett, was up first. They got suggestions from the audience and gave it their all. They did an improv musical as well.
The Four Players were up next, improving one long scene instead of games, and it paid off. It was about a bank robbery that kept reoccuring, with them switching roles throughout the scene. They ended up winning the audience vote, meaning they are invited to the Skyline Improv Festival at the end of the year.
Even though the performance occurs on stage, the performers aren’t the only ones improvising. Adrien Quitasol, a member of stage crew, said that the stage crew has to improvise as well, deciding when to turn on lights and what music to play.
Tang, as the captain of the Improv Club, gave some insight at the end of the show: “At the beginning of the year, we decide when all our cage match dates are, and then throughout the year, we decide what we wanna do. So, the idea of having an improvised musical didn’t come to us until midway through the year when we were playing around with things that we wanted to do on stage.” Tang also mentioned that Rogan helped with getting the Last Laugh and ensuring improv cage matches ran smoothly. “He’s got connections, and it has helped us a lot.”
