Acting out a historical retelling of the war between two families of marshmallows, the cast of Improv Jones lunged forward with an imaginary spear at others curled up in a ball. Upper School (US) and Middle School (MS) students took the stage May 23 at Regent Theater in Arlington in the closing show of Improv Jones.
MS Drama Teacher Christa Crewdson started the group 15 years ago when she first came to the school. Improvisation is a form of live theater where most or all that is performed is created spontaneously without a script. Composed of eighth to 12th-grade students from the school, Improv Jones rehearses every Wednesday in the US Community Room, which Ms. Crewdson rents from the school. Performances take place monthly at the Regent Theater on Friday nights.
During the hour-long show, the improvisers ran through a series of games, each containing an element of audience participation. For example, in the game where Matthias Paulson ’26 was giving a history presentation, it was an attendee who suggested the topic of marshmallows.
Previously, Ms. Crewdson led various improv groups for both adults and teenagers, so, when she moved to Boston, she wanted to start one close by. Improv Jones started as the junior version of Ms. Crewdson’s Improv Jones Boston, which has since been incorporated into The Riot Theater Company. She co-directs the teen troupe with her fellow Improv Jones Boston actor, Steve Marrota.
Justin Hildebrandt ’27 said he enjoys doing improv because it allows him to be creative without having to face judgment.
“I really enjoy being able to do silly things without having to think about it and being able to do whatever I want.”
Improv has bettered his public speaking and confidence in making the most out of a situation, he said.
“The quintessential improv thing is ‘Yes, and. …’ It’s about being able to take what someone gives you and being able to make something out of it.”
Justin was surprised by the difficulty when he first started, he said.
“I feel like it was definitely a steep learning curve, especially for how to be able to hold a scene. I came into it thinking, ‘Oh, this is like, easy,’ but being on the stage and actually having to do it felt a lot harder.”
Improvising is a valuable skill to have, Ms. Crewdson said.
“I know that at BB&N, there’s four million projects where you have to stand up and talk in front of people, so I hope that helps them feel more comfortable.”
Improv also gives students a way to blow off steam.
“Everybody spends a lot of time in academics, and there’s a lot of work, so this is something that doesn’t feel like it’s pressure,” Ms. Crewdson said. “It’s just for fun and having a good time.”
The group also enables MS students to see some familiar faces when they come to the US, she said.
“I think it’s neat, too, especially for the younger members, that they get to know some older members, so that when they see them in the hallways at the Upper School, … they feel like they know a couple of people, which I think is important.”
The group gives Ms. Crewdson a way to stay connected with her former students. While the group used to contain students from other schools, since COVID-19, it has only had students from the school.
“It’s been great because kids who I teach here at the Middle School, who I would probably never see again until high school graduation, I get to still hang out with them and get to see them grow up,” she said. “It’s fun to be able to still connect to students that I got to work with.”
At Boston Latin, where Ms. Crewdson used to teach, she led a drama club for students from eighth to 12th grade. Now at a school with a separate MS and US campus, she saw a need to create something similar.
“From eighth grade all the way to 12th grade, I got to keep working with them. When I got to BB&N, I’m like, ‘Oh, I only get to work with these kids for two years. That’s a bummer.’ I was used to working with kids for so much longer, so that’s why I started the teen troupe here.”
