Schrodinger's Cat, Chat Noir, Renee Williams
Although Nobel prize-winning physicist Erwin Schrodinger is rumored to have said that he wished he had never met that cat, his famous paradoxical thought experiment remains a defining touchstone for quantum mechanics and a defining touchstone for Augusta’a improvisational comedy act known as Schrodinger's Cat.
Krys Bailey, Executive Director of Le Chat Noir, explains, "The name worked on so many levels for us. First, we love the thought experiment because it is a ridiculous paradigm for expressing an idea. Secondly, being alive and dead at the same time is pretty much comedy in general. From one bit to the next, you can have the audience turn against you and then immediately have them eating out of your palm. Our name is a constant reminder for us to strive for cleverness."
Ten years and running, Le Chat Noir has produced fifty-three shows, forty-eight of which were Augusta premieres. Bailey says, “We started out with the mission to bring a style of theatre that was not being produced here in Augusta. We have extended that mission to include improv, comedy, burlesque, puppet theater, and pre-professional training for young adults.”
Schrodinger's Cat was formed in 2009 and is a medium form improv act similar to Whose Line Is It Anyway and Saturday Night Live.
The troupe performs on the first and fourth Friday of each month at Le Chat Noir. The main show, eXtreme Theatre Games, happens every First Friday at 8 p.m. with Sloppy Seconds at 10. Tickets are $10 in advance and $12 at the door.
eXtreme theatre games includes a panel of performers who work collaboratively to create characters, scenes, and songs on the spot. The improvisation unfolds in present time without the use of a prepared or written script. These games are designed to test the performer's improvisational skills, leaving the audience open to many twists and turns.
Although a major element of improv is spontaneity, there is a high level of trust and cooperation among the players. Cast member Ryan Abel explains, "Great improv players have a balance. You must be smart, but you also have to read the audience. I look at improv as an unwritten sketch. As with SNL, you have to develop different characters with no fear of going anywhere in the scene. Great comedic timing must be developed and every joke has a different timing. Telling jokes and doing improv is definitely an inexact science."
Working alongside Abel is actor and comedian, Amanda Lynn Joyce who says, "Improv has this unique fluidity. There are rules to be followed and broken all the time. It is the closest thing to reality than one may care to admit. There is a lot of practice and a whole lot of failure. For every minute that I am funny, there is at least five when I am not. I practice with my friends all the time, they just never know it. They think I am just being funny when in reality I am testing to see if certain nuances are entertaining."
When asked what prompts one to choose comedy, Joyce says, "I chose comedy for the pure enjoyment of it. I knew I wanted to act since I was a little kid. I drew a lot of inspiration from strong female characters in film and video games. Every time I saw an action-packed trailer in the theaters, I pictured myself being the hero saving the day."
As for the adage, "You can tell a lot about a person's character by what they laugh at,” Joyce agrees. "I definitely think that is true. Laughter much like crying is one of those human responses that can be generated by a multitude of varying stimuli. People not only laugh when they find something clever, they also laugh in retrospect, when they are nervous, and even when they are going crazy."
Abel reflects, "I think that adage is true to some extent, but sometimes it is good to cut loose and not care what you laugh at. Laughter is very therapeutic, both for those who perform and for those who watch."
Schrodinger’s Cat is:
David Bartlett, Ed Janostak, Taylor Strickland, Amanda Lynn Joyce, Brandon Dawson, Josh Arminio, Ryan Abel, Eli Cranson, Rachel Hodgkins, Walker Rhea
Dixie Wells, Raheema Johnson, Michael Fortino, and Dustin Scott.
