Tonight may be dreary, but that’s no reason to spend it in your room pining for Thanksgiving Break. Not when some of Columbia’s funniest comedians will be at tonight’s Improvapalooza! To get a taste of the laughs they have in store for us, we asked some of the groups in the show a series of questions. Their answers appear below, but first: tonight’s full set list!

Set List

  • Torsten Odland
  • Alex Curtis
  • Control Top
  • Jon Edelman
  • Chowdah
  • Charlie Dinkin
  • Fruit Paunch
  • Eli Grober
  • Alfred Musical Improv
  • A Million Shetland Ponies
  • Dog Court
  • IMPROV JAM (see below)

Will Cybriwsky, of Alfred Musical Improv

What makes your group special? Music! Shit, Bwog, do your research.

Why are you excited about Improvapalooza? I’ll no longer have to be planning Improvapalooza! Also: the Improv Jam, when members from all the groups will be performing with volunteers from the audience.

Who’s your favorite comedian? God. He has this hilarious bit where humans still subjugate and kill each other despite millennia of technological progress enabling a post-material existence that you should definitely check out.

What’s the funniest thing about Columbia? The quadruplicate forms used whenever you make a purchase. Get me every time.

Your suggestion is: “turkey.” What’s your next move? I used to be really uncomfortable with America killing so many turkeys every year, but then I learned in freshman bio that turkeys are genetically coded to be EXTREME RACISTS. Problem solved.

Eli Grober, of Fruit Paunch

What makes your group special? We’re very supportive of each other. Also, Noah sucks.

Why are you excited about Improvapalooza? The presents! Oh, sorry. I thought you said “Why are you excited about Christmas?”

Who’s your favorite comedian? Louis C.K.

What’s the funniest thing about Columbia? The name “Pupin.” Also, the Squirrel Man.

Your suggestion is: “turkey.” What’s your next move? Is the turkey alive or dead? I’ll play the turkey if it’s dead. Do we have a script about this? Can I eat on stage? Get back to me.

Lori Goldman, of Chowdah

What makes your group special? We actually write what we perform. It’s just this weird thing that we do.

Why are you excited about Improvapalooza? Peeing in our pants…due to laughter

Who’s your favorite comedian? CHARLIE DINKIN!

What’s the funniest thing about Columbia? That guy that feeds the squirrels. You know that guy? You know that guy.

Your suggestion is: “turkey.” What’s your next move? This.

Charlie Dinkin, of Control Top

What makes your group special? Control Top is an all female long form improvised comedy group, so obviously we all get our periods at the same time.

Why are you excited about Improvapalooza? Control Top just wants to meet boys. Also to subvert traditional gendered stereotypes about the non-existence of funny women and to equalize the general and inexcusable lack of genuine, thoughtful female voices in popular entertainment. And it’s an excuse to wear a pretty dress.

Who’s your favorite comedian? We celebrate all the strong, sassy goddesses of lady comedy that came before us: Lucille Ball, Mae West, Fannie Brice, Elaine May, Joan Rivers, Rosie O’Donnell, Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and so many more…

What’s the funniest thing about Columbia? The funniest thing about Columbia is obviously Barnard.

Your suggestion is: “turkey.” What’s your next move? We don’t take suggestions from the patriarchy…

Come see all these funny people and more starting at 9:00 pm in the Lerner Black Box Theatre. Free tickets are available from the TIC and there will be a standby line.