Carleton University’s student improv club is taking its talent off the stage and onto virtual platforms.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Carleton Improv Association intends on delivering their weekly practices through Discord instead of in-person.
Club president Jake Nevins said although it will be challenging, the association looks forward to experimenting with new media.
“With shows and practices we are doing a combination of audio and voice overs,” Nevins said. “Of course, some things were a bit too physical, but some things actually adapted pretty well to online or audio only.”
While the association prepares to start practices and introduce new members, Carleton students and the Ottawa community shouldn’t expect to see the association’s yearly ‘Project X’ summit, a competition hosted by the club against other improv associations across Canada.
“There has not been a lot of talk about doing summits online. Honestly, not super sure it’s gonna happen,” Nevins said. “Pretty sure we are just gonna keep supporting each other in other ways instead of through normal competition styles.”
Club member Michael Evans said while improv clubs still plan on delivering content and performance art, members must now deal with the stress of not being able to participate in traditional forms of improvisation.
“It’s a mixed bag of emotions for me,” Evans said. “It is a brand-new challenge, it is a lot to get used to, and at times it’s nerve-racking even for me.”
While Evans said virtual improv is unexpected and new, they are optimistic the upcoming season will still prove to be a success.
In-person shows will not be performed for the foreseeable future, but the improv club intends on helping members adapt to its new setting by delivering online social events, such as movie and game nights.
“We are still doing social events. We are just as much a social club as we are a performance group,” Nevins said.
Featured image by Isabel Harder.
