Play every Thursday night.

The Mixer

$5

Every Thursday at 10pm.

The Playground Theater at 3209 N. Halsted

BY BLAKE GOBLE

Written September 22, 2011

In the middle of an exercise, Amanda Rountree stops the scene. Around three dozen twentysomethings have emerged from work or school (sleep) with an interest in experimenting in improvisation, both through practice and witnessing the art. The scene involves two people, who don’t know each other, front and center. One must say something mundane. The partner must reply with huge emotions, and show an ability to get up and be loud and proud on the stage. Two young improv hopefuls respond to each other over a large box being supposedly delivered to the stage. Rountree, though, freezes everything with some crucial wisdom, often forgotten in improv.

“Never try to be funny! It’s the saddest thing in the world! Let real happen.”

Half class. Half show. All improv theatre. This is The Mixer at the Playground theater, hosted every Thursday night by the Playground and alternating improv troupes, The Mixer is an open crash course in improvisation. Improv in Chicago has a legendary reputation, supported by The Second City, The iO Theater Chicago, ComedySportz, Jokes & Notes, The Annoyance Theater and many others. These shows always gift their audiences with free-wheeling sets, put together on the spot, and often they are the funniest things you can see in the city.

But improvisational theatre isn’t necessarily about being funny.

Improv is about being able to work with other actors, getting outside of comfort zones and creating pure, inventive performance pieces. Improv is specific, entertaining, and ultimately about the real world.

Rountree, a near twenty-year veteran of improv is overseeing The Mixer this Thursday evening. Originally from Louisville, Kentucky, this is only Rountree’s second round of mastering The Mixer. Chicago improv troupe Demascus Steel, is overseeing the festivities. Rountree is hosting alongside Jay Gish and David Flora, members of Steel.

“I came to Chicago four years ago. I’ve been in Louisville and Seattle” said Rountree. Rountree, like the improv she moderates, kinda fell into the gig.

“This is only my second time! Normally I teach at The Second City.”

Rountree was convinced by friends to do the event, because of the spontaneity that comes with The Mixer, and improv in general. “It’s unexpected theatre” said Rountree.

So what’s thrown in to The Mixer? You can see people train their emotions and stage ability with mixed moments. One minute, a female and male performing duo swap genders, and bemoan their relationships and families… all off the top of their heads…spontaneously. You’ll see a young man cleaning floors at a surface level, and then three performers will turn it into deep concern for their job-addicted friend’s inability to let go of the work. At The Mixer, you can see an Amish man walk into his first Foot Locker. You can even see the inexplicably amusing after-effects of the death of a dog.

The format is simple. People come every Thursday night. They participate in quick lessons, work in small groups, gain a better understanding for improv’s non-comedic qualities, and soon after, they create pure art. Sometimes, just watching a person mime the making of coffee, is much, much deeper and truer than one would think.

The Mixer is very real, and very playful.