Denver Little, co-captain of the improvisational group Loud Noises, will tell you he is no expert on improv. It is just something he loves to do.
“It’s getting your mind to go and spit things out without thinking about it,” Little said. “It’s about controlling and developing. It’s pretty easy to go straight to dirty comedy, and we don’t do that.”
The group, which is made up of 10 students and three alternates, practices for its performances by playing different improv games repeatedly.
“The more you play a game, the more you find out what works and what doesn’t work,” Little said. “You find out what kinds of things work and what that individual you play against is good at.”
The group’s first performance of the semester was at the “Up ‘Til Dawn” event Friday in Harter Union cafeteria.
Loud Noises performed in the middle of the event, which included different teams writing letters to benefit St. Jude’s Research Hospital.
Freshman Lee Ann Michel was at “Up ‘Til Dawn” and saw Loud Noises perform.
“I felt they did an awesome job and were just grand, like usual,” Michel said. “(The performance) also helped keep me motivated while doing the letters.”
The group hopes to do some type of performance later this semester that includes improvisational games, video comedy and sketch comedy, possibly toward the end of the semester.
“Just kind of a study break,” Little said. “Just take an hour and a 1/2 off to come and get some laughs.”
Little’s favorite part about Loud Noises is its ability to make others laugh.
“It’s a rush, and the opportunity to do comedy,” Little said. “As actors, it helps you to think on your toes because things are going to go wrong all the time, and you’ve got to be able to step up to the plate.”
Both Little and co-captain junior Bob Linebarger believe when members graduate, they are able to take something away after being involved in Loud Noises.
“Because we came here and started this troupe, they are going to go into the professional world and have a better understanding of comedy,” Linebarger said. “And not because they were taught it, but because they were given that opportunity, they taught themselves. There is a lot of self-teaching. We’re just here to teach the games.”