Zombie Christmas? Batman on fire? Squirrel farming? What sounds like a fever induced dream to most people is actually all in a day’s work for the Mississippi State comedy sketch/improv group Runnin’ with Scissors.
Started in Fall of 2004 after the original improv group Iron Man Theatre Repertoire Company dissipated, Runnin’ with Scissors mixes “Saturday Night Live”-style sketch comedy with “Whose Line Is It Anyway?”-style improv.
Ever since then the group has been entertaining people of all ages with their risqu? style (which is recommended for mature audiences only).
“A lot of our comedy actually comes from social commentary,” writer and performer Dustin LeFors said. “It’s edgy. We try to talk about things a lot of people wouldn’t talk about.”
Like most comedy troupes, each member is essential to writing as well as performing.
“The writing process takes months,” tech director Ian Soutenburgh said. “Some of us will come up with an idea and then present it to the group. Then they’ll give us their suggestions, and we try to incorporate them.”
After several revision cycles the script is finally ready to go.
Even though the group does both improv and pre-scripted humor, they’re careful not to mix the two.
“There’s not much ad-libbing in the sketches because it’s an actual ‘Saturday Night Live’ style sketch,” Soutenburgh said.
“We try to stick to the script,” LeFors said. “When you’re up on stage and the audience responds to a certain part you end up ad-libbing a little bit.”
All bets are off, however, when it comes to the Improv Games, which rely heavily on crowd interaction.
“The audience just loves to participate,” Soutenburgh said. “They really get into the spirit of the bizarre humor and give you strange ideas.”
“The audience gives us suggestions,” Kathleen Maher, performer and newcomer to the group, said. “We don’t come up with it so we don’t have any idea what we’re going to do.”
“When the audience is hearing it that’s the first time we’re hearing it as well,” Soutenburgh added.
“Friday night we’ll have a party after the show and then Saturday morning most of these guys will be up at 10 a.m. working on the next production,” Soutenburgh said. “Everyone’s really dedicated.”
Most members are also intertwined with other aspects of the MSU theatre program such as The Blackfriars and children’s play productions.
To balance the difficulties of being full-time students as well, the cast must find time between classes and on weekends to rehearse.
“After Runnin’ With Scissors practice we have main-stage show practices and then children’s show practices, so it kind of turns into a long day,” Maher said. “You put a lot in, but it gives a lot back.”
“Like groupies,” Soutenburgh added.
Runnin’ With Scissors will be performing at 7 tonight in the lab theater on the bottom floor of McComas Hall. Tickets are $5 and those interested might want to show up at least half an hour early since shows have been selling out.
For those who can’t catch them Friday, patrons will have plenty of other chances. Along with several shows spanning the next two semesters, including an even edgier midnight show, there is also an Improv Festival planned for next semester involving eight improv groups from around the region.