Brighton high school improv group takes to stage

By James B. Meadow, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Published December 11, 2008 at 12:05 a.m.

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Photo by Linda McConnell / The Rocky

Charley Ritchey, right, and Ryan Erwin pretend to wave at a police officer while driving a car too fast during a rehearsal of the improv team at Brighton Collegiate High School on Monday. At left is team member Lilith Jacobs. The group is performing this evening at the school.

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The girl with the atomic-pink hair, stainless steel braces and nimble gyrations is doing her best to work with the tall, clean-cut boy who has just been freed from his imaginary straitjacket as they motor along in an imaginary car. Things are going well for a while, and then . . .

"That was decent, but it wasn't great. When you get up there, you either go hard or you go home. Remember, improv is unforgiving."

But Dave Lange isn't. The 38-year-old teacher at Brighton Collegiate High School is overseeing an evening practice of what might be the state's only prep improv team. And while he's upbeat and positive, tonight tough love also looms as he critiques his six-person ensemble for, among other things, a "lack of focus," "dragging the scene on too long," and having a "deer-in-the-headlights panicked look."

The group is chastened, but only a little bit. It knows the first - and only - performance of the year is upon them. It also knows that, as Lilith Jacobs, the 15-year- old gamin with the mesmerizing hair ("The bottle calls it 'atomic pink") says, "The hardest thing about improv is controlling your emotions on stage. That gets challenging."

Then again, the challenge of thinking fast - and funny - is what drew Jacobs, Ryan Erwin, 17, Michael Russelollo, 16, Mercy Stewart, 17, Charley Ritchey, 17, and Kevin Page, 17, to the team Lange created two years ago.

In part, his motivation was the belief that "improv can be a real team-building experience for these kids," giving them "the confidence to work on ideas off the top of their head." He was also convinced that improv immersion "would be a positive experience."

At the time, a positive anything was crucial for Brighton Collegiate, a school that, by 2007 had become synonymous with teacher-student sex scandals. As in three over 20 months; violations of trust and morality that led to criminal charges filed against the offending teachers, as well as the resignation of the school's principal and one of its board members.

But on a wintry night in December 2008, the most salacious thing going on in school is a cute skit involving a pop-up book, Humpty Dumpty, and the fact that Humpty has taken up with Ms. Celery Stick, despite being married to an angry Mrs. Dumpty.

After the book skit closes, Lange asks the kids to dissect their performance.

"We need to keep it simpler," offers Russelollo, a point that is seconded by Ritchey, who opines, "It got too long. It dragged on."

Two skits later, however, the group isn't just dragging, it's plodding.

He gathers them on the steps of the stage and asserts, "You guys are letting yourself get completely unfocused - and there's no reason to do that."

Then, as he looks down at the slouching, eyes-down team members, Lange shifts gears.

"Hey, crashing and burning is going to happen. You just can't telegraph it to the audience. Pity is the last thing in the world you want when you're up on stage."

He pauses. Twelve adolescent eyes are fixed upon him.

"You've gotta be resilient. Just because the audience doesn't laugh at everything doesn't mean you failed. You guys have tons of talent. You just have to remember to be positive, upbeat, focused, energized. You've gotta be having time of your life."

"And don't even think bad stuff will happen on Thursday," warns Erwin, a composure-laden senior who was born to ad lib.

"I don't have stage fright," he insists. "To me, it's an adrenaline rush being up there; it's an addiction. This is what I live for."

Unlike the rest of the ream, Erwin wasn't in drama club. But he was instantly hooked when Lange launched the improv concept.

"I said, 'Dude, that sounds awesome,' " he recalls telling Lange.

Less than, uh, awesome is being on the only improv team around.

"It would be great to compete against another school," says Erwin. "Competition always adds a little element of fun."

And, apparently, a pep talk adds a large element of incentive.

After Lange's spiel about focus, the improvisers go out and nail the last skit, one involving a convenience store clerk and five oddball customers. As the clerk, Page is adroit, quick and - best of all - funny. His performance is so spot-on that Jacobs, inspired, gushes, "Kudos to Kevin!"

Whether he and his mates will rock tonight remains to be seen - and heard. But, hey, when you're young and new to the spotlight, there's always room to improve your improv.

Showtime

* Tonight's performance is at 7 at Brighton Collegiate High School , 3551 Southern St., Brighton.

* Tickets are $7.

* For more information, call 303-655-0773.

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