By Bruce Ashburn
Similar to “Whose Line Is It Anyway,” the performance “Whose Bongo Is It Anyway” filled the W.D. Powell Theater with laughter and applause as Alpha Psi Omega, the theater honor fraternity, held its third annual improvisation event, April 19.
The host, Emily Anderson, vice president of the fraternity and second-year host of the show, opened the festivities explaining how she is not Drew Carey and would not give points because they do not make sense.
Anderson lead the evening’s entertainment with her co-host, Ryan Oetting, senior digital media studies major, as eight students — four men and four women — took the stage to play humorous games. The cast included A.J. Shelby, senior art major, Colt Dixon, senior digital media studies major, Cameron Puckett, junior media communications major, Chad Hoy, junior theater and speech major, Glenae Nora, sophomore history major, Jillian Barron, sophomore theater and french major, Kara Dukes, junior broadcast major, and Heather Nicholas, junior theater and speech major.
One game was called “Expert.” In this game all performers went against one another to see who could be the last one making an argument for a given topic. Games then ranged from “Try that on for Size,” “Bachelor,” “Freeze Tag,” “Superheroes” and many more taken from “Who’s Line Is It Anyway” and other improv-performance games. Each game filled the air with wit and chuckles, ending with cheers. The $3 admission gave an escape from the pressures of life with a slice of cheesecake, a drink and an hour of entertainment.
“It is a good way to get out of the school mentality and be taken into a world of funny that is enjoyable,” said Robert Fryman, sophomore business major, who has attended every “Whose Bongo” performance.
The audience had the choice of plain cheesecake with strawberries, chocolate or raspberry cheesecake to savor with a glass of sweet tea or water as they burst out laughing at the show.
“The evening was a success,” Anderson said. “Even in this busy time of year, we had a full house.”
Oetting said he and Anderson held auditions and practices for the performances in order to create community among the performers.
