ComedySportz LA Comes To Day Creek

Emily R. and Sabrina V.

On February 17, ComedySportz LA, an improv group from Los Angeles, came to Day Creek Intermediate School. The audience seemed to have a fun time laughing at the interactive improvisers.

“It’s fun to go with all your friends and family, so it’s just something to enjoy,” said Lilly L., a sixth grader at DCIS.

ComedySportz started in 1982 and opened in Los Angeles in 1988. Since ComedySportz is a franchise, there are about 30 other locations across the country. Some of the members started in a high school league for comedy improv. Others started only a few years ago.  

There are both positive and negative aspects to being an improv comedian. The red team members explained how improv has its advantages and disadvantages.

“When you’re an actor, sometimes you don’t get the part because you’re not tall enough or you don’t look the part. In improv, it’s just you out there and you get to be any kind of person you want and that can be really scary, but it can also be super fun,” said Joy Mamy, one of the performers from ComedySportz.

“I think the hardest part is that you have to be vulnerable — you have to be yourself and I think that is a scary thing for people and yet it’s also the best part if you can break through that and be yourself.  Everybody wants that and when you do that, a great improv show feels like the greatest party with friends you’ve ever had,” said Scott Pulverson, also of ComedySportz.

The show contained a referee, two blue team members, and two red team members. The teams competed for laughs in a series of different games. If a joke was inappropriate, the referee called a Brown Bag Foul, and if a joke was terrible and the crowd groaned, the referee called a Groan Foul.

DCIS students and families filled the stands and many expressed an interest in ComedySportz returning next year.

“[ComedySportz should come back] because I think that more students should come back next year so they have another chance to see them,” said Samantha S.