3 minute read
Improvopens year with high expectations
Antonio Masone Staffwriter
each others head so we can act off each other," McMickel said.
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type of music, she said. When she is not pouring out originals, Chambers covers songs that she enjoys.
"I'm going to play for the rest of my life," Chambers said. "I'm always going to try to get recorded, but no matter what it will always be a hobby."
Chambers is currently looking into audio engineering for a career. From her own experience creating music and from the background knowledge she has gained from working at the college radio station, Chambers is excited for her future. Her music has been heard around campus and as Brain Fry, a junior, said "It's so good. I have it on my computer; I do a little dance."
Maria Chambers, senior, has been playing her guitar since the age of 16. She plays her own songs and cov• ers at The Gryphon Cafe and The Point.
Haven McMickJe, a junior, said hearing Chambers' music is "A beautiful way to start the day."
Chambers is from Mt. Ephraim, N.J. where she has two younger sisters. Growing up. she said, "I always wanted to take guitar lessons but my mom didn't let me. So I waited until I bad enough money and then, ol) my own, started taking guitar lessons."
On Monday nights Chambers plays at The Gryphon in Wayne, and on Tuesday nights she plays open mic night at The Point. While playing at The Point one Tuesday, she won two free recording hours at SiJverton Studios. They award this prize to their favorite person of the night. This Friday she is going to Silvertone Studios in Ardmore to record a demo of two or three of her favorite songs.
Recently, Chambers played played a 45•minute set at the Newton Colony Arts Festival in Collingswood, N.J.
She said it is "a good release for all kinds of emotions. Music is pretty much my passion."
Chambers thanks her :friends for inspiring and encouraging her.
The lmprov troupe "On the Spot" hosted its first show on Monday night, Sept. 30. The group is currently made up of four Cabrini students, with the hope of adding a few more after this week's auditions. The four current members of"On the Spot" are sophomore political science major Devon Spratling, junior English and communications major Brian Fry, junior psychology major Heaven McMickel, and senior English and communications major Kit Dewey.
The show is split into different acts called games. Prior to each game, the group asks the audience for suggestions or words that will be used throughout the game. Therefore a weak audience may lead to a weak performance by the crew. "Tonight's show turned out well. The audience had great suggestions and there were many new faces out there," Fry said.
"We practice once a week. Our practices are mainly just running through the rules of our different games, being that everything we do during the show is improvised on the spot," McMickel said. Being a part of the Improv group requires a person to be spontaneous. Above all lmprov actors need to know the people they are working with inside out. "The exercises we do at practice and prior to the show help us get into
Sophomore Devon Spratling said, "During practice we learn how to think on our feet and, above all, trust each other."
Because the group acts on suggestions from the audience, they all feel that a larger audience will improve the show's quality. Variety is important with any performance, but in lmprov the audience can predict how successful the outcome of the show will be by the suggestions they make. "We have over 300 games. We rotate between games but if we pick on an audience's favorite during a show, we try to do that particular one more often,"McMickel said.
Sophomore secondary education and history major Michaela McGowan attends the shows regularly. "I find the shows hilarious. It's a fun way to spend a Monday night after a tough day of classes."
Junior English and philosophy major Marian Gibfried said, "The group is so spontaneous, they find what the audience laughs at and work with it."
Fourth year performer Kit Dewey feels that overall the show went well but also thinks that there is always room for improvement. Dewey said that if she had one wish, "I would love to have some off-campus performances, maybe at a coffee house or some local high schools."
