8th Floor Improv holding spring auditions

Rishikesh Rajagopalan
Fri, 17 Jan 2020 02:36:34 +0000
Arts & Life, Comedy, Events, News, 8th floor improv, auditions, comedian, comedy, comedy club, Enarson Classroom Building, improv, improv comedy, improv comedy club, improvisation, ohio state, ohio state university, osu

8th Floor Improv performs its free comedy show, The Secret Free Show. Credit: Courtesy of Nicole Repishti

An Ohio State improv comedy club is on the lookout for some fresh and funny faces to add to its team.

8th Floor Improv will hold its first set of auditions Tuesday and Thursday in Enarson Classroom Building, followed by callbacks Jan. 26, Nicole Repishti, a fourth-year in history and president of the club, said.

“When I got in, I had no idea what I was getting myself into, but there are so many opportunities from being in this group,” Repishti said.

She said the first set of auditions will require auditionees to participate in multiple two-person scenes with each other. She said students only have to attend one of the two days.

At the end of both nights, Repishti said the club deliberates on who will be asked to return for callback auditions, which combines two-person scenes with longer-form sets and mixes current members with potential new members.

Repishti said that during auditions, the group looks for people who seem fun to perform with and work well with others.

“It is a team thing, so we’re looking for someone who isn’t trying to be the star of the show every time we step out,” Repishti said.

Formed in 2004, the group aims to give students an outlet to express and develop their comedic skills, most notably through monthly shows in the Ohio Union’s US Bank Conference Theater, according to the group’s website.

Deniz Eryilmaz, a first-year in business and member of the club, said he auditioned during the fall semester.

“It was really nerve-racking. I came on the second day, and there were probably, like, 40 people there,” Eryilmaz said.

Eryilmaz’s discomfort didn’t last long after he made the team.

“Everyone was immediately really welcoming, and I immediately felt like I was part of this thing,” Eryilmaz said.

8th Floor Improv’s auditions will take place at 7 p.m. Tuesday and Thursday in Enarson Classroom Building. Tuesday auditions are in Room 243, and Thursday’s are in Room 226. Callbacks will take place Jan. 26. Repishti said the time and location of the callbacks will be announced after auditions.