By Ryan Schreiber
With the lockdown last year, Suit Jacket Posse was put on hold – but after a year and a half, they are back in action.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was hard for the members to perform their comedy. But, now they get to shine.
The Suit Jacket Posse is the Hilltop Players’ improv group.
On Sept. 30, SJP had their first improv show. This took place at the Forum in McCarthy Center. The room was packed and ready to laugh.
All members said they were ready to get back to comedy. Even performing on Zoom proved to be difficult, they said. So, for the members to be back on campus and to be performing face-to-face is a big deal.
One of the co-captains, junior Eric Qua, said that it was fulfilling to see everyone, especially the audience, having a good time. It was also great to see fellow members succeeding.
He also shared how diScult it was not being able to do comedy while in isolation and that it took a toll on his mental health.
The second co-captain, junior Will Nee, said how they were happy to be able to come back and put on a show for everyone. It was hard for them to continue their comedy during the pandemic, as it was performed in their own homes through their cameras.
They added they were really excited about the new group of people joining them this year.
Sophomore Olivia Heafy said the SJP members are growing and becoming a close family. She said all members were really excited to share how they are all great friends and a loving group. It’s great for them to see that they all care and worry about each other. They have become so close through all of their preparations before the shows.
SJP rehearses on Sundays. Freshman Emily Monaco said they do a “little bit of performing before the show to get all of their laughs out.”
With all of their rehearsals they are able to have the chance to get acquainted with the games that they are going to play for their next show. But with these rehearsals they don’t have a script to follow, so everything that they say has to come up off the top of their heads – which can be hard, the members said.
Senior Elisabeta Cojocaru stressed how hard it was to think of things on the spot. They said, “It’s harder without a script in a way that you don’t know the right thing to say, because you don’t know what everyone else on stage is thinking.”
Most of the members agreed with Cojocaru. Nee said, “It’s not always fun and it’s hard to be able to come up with jokes and things to say right on the spot.”
Newcomer, sophomore Olivia Heafy, exclaimed that it is very difficult setting up jokes sometimes, but her fellow members jump in and help her with notes.
Some members on the other hand, didn’t really find it that hard to come up with jokes. Monaco said that it’s not hard for her to come up with things right off the top of her head. She has experience as she did theater from middle school to high school and did improv for three years.
As the theater season is beginning, everyone is excited to show what they have to o[er. So come join SJP, which holds their shows every other week in the Forum at the McCarthy Center at 7 p.m.