Mississippi State University’s Lab Rats Comedy troupe will perform a long-form show at 7 and 9 p.m. Nov. 9 on the 4th floor of Mosley Hall. 
Lab Rats Comedy is MSU’s only improvisational comedy troupe, and performs multiple shows each semester. Beginning in 2003 with the name Ironman, the troupe was formed with the goal of bringing laughter to MSU. 
After a brief stint with the name Running with Scissors, an audience vote decided on the name Lab Rats Comedy, based off the group’s location near a computer lab in McComas Hall. The group has been going strong for over a decade, with no intention of ever slowing down.
This long-form show is unlike the usual sketches the group regularly preforms. It features a series of roughly 10-minute scenes, all performed by groups of four troupe-mates.
Centered around “Disaster Movies,” the show will focus on impending catastrophes throughout the sketches. The group will react quickly toward the calamity to meet the needs of each bit. 
Mia Scheider, MSU electrical engineering senior and Lab Rats member, said she anticipated this final show of the semester the most.
“The freedom and creativity provided by the longer format is fantastic,” Scheider said. “I’m looking forward to this semester’s performance. We have a ton of great groups, and it’s the show that I’m most excited about.”
Blaine Wohlgemuth, a graduate student and the Lab Rats Comedy long-form director, is running the show this Friday evening. This performance’s practices have consistently trained the members to go farther with their callbacks and timing.
While their usual skits are shorter, the approach is altered to meet the story-telling needs of longer sketches.
Noah Hunt, an MSU English sophomore and Lab Rats member, said this will be his first long-form show, but he is looking forward to the challenge.
“This format offers more engaging story-telling opportunities than short-form games,” Hunt said. “As my first long-form show, I’m not really sure what to expect. Hopefully the audience is as engaged with the story as they are with the comedy.”
There is a level of unpredictability with improvised comedy. Audience members provide a symbiotic relationship with the cast.
Every additional chuckle and outlandish suggestion often propels the sketch into uproarious hilarity. They push the comedians further with their reactions and incite the tone of the scene.
Chris Hillhouse, an MSU sophomore majoring in communication and Lab Rats member, said the organization has dedicated a lot of time and energy into making this performance a unique, fun experience for everyone attending.
“The long-form show is special because we only have one each semester,” Hillhouse said. “A ton of work has gone into prepping for this, and the energy feels right. The audience can show up, get relaxed and be just as surprised as we are once the show starts.”
Tickets are $5 and can be purchased at the door. Be sure to get there early if you plan on finding the best seats, as they tend to go quickly. However, regardless of where you find yourself in the audience, you can expect a cavalcade of giggling and side-splitting antics.