What makes Skidmore so funny? A Q&A with ComFest producers

火博体育学院是一所小型文理学院，但它是喜剧的强大中心.  

把四个火博体育即兴表演和小品小组，加上10个来访的大学喜剧小组， 一些专业人才，一群有抱负的喜剧演员，把他们都放到舞台上 为 31st annual National College Comedy Festival and you may begin to wonder: What makes Skidmore so funny?

我们采访了今年“ComFest”的学生制作人——来自巴黎的萨拉·马林 20岁的卡比里和20岁的麦克斯·格罗斯曼，为了更多地了解是什么让人笑， and this event, an integral part of the Skidmore student experience.

问:你们能告诉我们你们来自哪里，以及你们正在学习什么吗 and involved with at Skidmore?

莎拉·马林: 我来自纽约的萨拉托加斯普林斯，我正在学习历史和戏剧. 我可能 我在这里的大部分时间都是在剧院，北森林，或与Skidomedy，一个小品 group or Awkward Kids Talking (AKT), an improv group. I’ve also been a DJ at WSPN 91.1 since my first semester.

马克斯·格罗斯曼: 我来自阳光明媚的加州洛杉矶，我的专业是美国研究 a minor in media and film 研究. I’m also involved with JKB Theater, Skidmore Outing Club and have been a member of Skidomedy since my sophomore year. 这么多事情要做，没有 足够的时间!

Parisa卡贝里: 我来自加州的圣马特奥，主修心理学，辅修教育学 研究. 我是我们招生办公室的纯种大使和同伴健康 Educator, among other things. I’m also a proud long-time improv artist with AKT.

Q: Was comedy part of your decision to Skidmore? Or did you discover the history and opportunities once you arrived?

马林: 我不知道! 在我被录取的那天，我的导游说:“我是总统 我记得我当时在想"这听起来很酷，也许我会 成为其中的一部分.” 

格罗斯曼: 我在大一的时候就发现了它，并经常拉着我的朋友去看 the student 组 perform. I never thought I could be in one myself until Sarah convinced me to audition for Skidomedy. I had never auditioned for anything before and I was 紧张得难以置信.

卡贝里: I've loved improv comedy for forever. I knew that there 是 some improv 组 on campus before I came, and I also knew a bit about ComFest. 我不知道的事，直到 我在这里看到的是多么大的喜剧场景和多么紧密的团体.

问:跟我们说说ComFest吧. What is it, when it is and how does it work?

卡贝里: ComFest is a major annual entertainment event held at Skidmore. 这将是我们的 31年. 它有四个专业的表演和多达12个来访的大学喜剧 以及火博体育的四个小组一起度过了欢乐和欢笑的两个晚上!

Each night (Friday and Saturday) has a 7 p.m. show that showcases half of the college 组. They typically perform sketch or long-form improv. 晚上10点.m.二、专业 comedians or comedy 组 perform.

周六上午，我们有发展和交流的机会. 最棒的是 我们是否将专业表演与学生团体结合起来，给每个人一个机会 to connect and learn from each other.

格罗斯曼: 火博体育ComFest最重要的一点是，它是一个即时社区. 来访的 students all stay with us on campus, so it’s a collective experience. 而且，它是 second weekend in February every year. 保存日期.

马林: I’ll add that ComFest was started by 大卫·米纳，91年， an executive producer for NBC’s “Parks and Rec” and “30 Rock.直到今天，它还是 真的是大学乐队和一些最大牌乐队的组合 names in standup and improv that make the festival so exciting.

今年的一个专业团体，90年代后期，我爱上了 我当时在哥伦比亚大学第二学院学习喜剧研究课程 城市. It’ll be so surreal to have them here.

Q: Why did you get involved in ComFest?

格罗斯曼: Producing ComFest seemed like a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. 只要看看 name of the festival – it’s national! Post-grad, I want to be an entertainment producer, so this has been such an amazing learning experience.

马林: When I was a freshman in Skidomedy and Comfest 2017 我记得我抬头看着制片人，钦佩他们的投入 是. 我想我只是告诉自己，我必须待在这里，做我该做的 要做到这一点. 

卡贝里: I was excited to be a part of a project rooted in tradition. 我很有野心 去做一件比我以前做过的任何事情都大的事情，我现在知道了 I’ve grown more as a person and professional that I ever expected.

问:你什么时候开始计划，怎样才能把所有的事情都安排好?

卡贝里: 整个夏天，我们建立了一个我们感兴趣的专业团体的名单 代理人的姓名和费率. Then, in the fall we oversaw the auditions of more than 40 从全国各地的大学小组中选出了10个参加我们春季学期的阵容 都是和生产团队一起工作，组织房屋，调度，销售， 合同和会计……参加竞赛是一个野兽，但我们倾注了我们的心 it to put on the best show that we can.

马林: 这是个大工程. 和 a lot that came our way we just had to learn on the fly and roll 无论是预算和财务还是与代理商谈判.

格罗斯曼: Parisa says it best calling ComFest a “beast.” It’s a gargantuan undertaking. 和 拉开窗帘，发现我们只有三个人，真是令人吃惊.

Q: How would you described the relationship with the other schools? 

卡贝里: 同志情谊. 毫无疑问. As fun as it would be to draw swords and fight to the 死亡，它真的是火博体育相互的爱这种类型的表现. 我们都是 on a level playing field ... a bunch of college kids just trying to have a laugh!

马林: 这是一场庆典! It has never felt like a competition but more of a “woah look what they’re doing with sketch at Emerson or improv at Loyola.“很高兴见到你 这些人也同样专注，但带来了很多不同的风格和观点 view and ways of creating comedy.

Q: What do you think makes Skidmore funny?

格罗斯曼: 在《火博体育》中，我们经常写一些火博体育火博体育生活的小品，因为幽默就来了 所以很自然. 不是取笑它，而是展示日常共享的愚蠢 经历. 有些人可能会说，火博体育的松鼠数量也多得离谱 很有趣.

马林: I think Skidmore’s size contributes to its funny. Being around many of the same people 四年的课堂和社团生活给我们带来了许多有趣的共同经历.

卡贝里: 大概是那些只想开个玩笑的人之间的关系吧. 在一生中 日程安排得满满的，这里有很多人 value lighthearted positivity and sharing it with each other.

不管我们有多雄心勃勃，比如今年要走向国际，我们都会来的 back to things that are uniquely Skidmore ... intimate settings, a community feel 还有热情的观众.

问:你们都是高年级学生了. Are we going to be hearing great comedic things from you in 未来?

卡贝里: I think this may be the end of comedy for me. The extent of my comedy is in improv. I can’t be funny when I think about it. 压力太大了! 我希望去追求 clinical psychology and maybe someday become a licensed therapist. 也许我会撒点 a little humor into what can sometimes be a grim or negative setting.

马林: 归根结底，我喜欢这个社区，喜欢大学喜剧带给我的友谊 me. I hope to find the same post-grad. 和 whatever city I move to, I plan to get involved in the improv scene and continue writing.

格罗斯曼: 我希望继续在娱乐圈工作，喜欢喜剧的影响 我的工作. 去年夏天，我在梦工厂动画公司实习，并意识到 that comedy helps no matter where you go.

问:最后一个问题:喜剧演员认为创造性思维很重要是什么意思?

卡贝里: We should remind ourselves to not get trapped in dull cycles. 我们应该督促自己 to pursue what really excites, scares and inspires us. That's what truly matters and is what will keep us living our best lives.

马林: 我认为这是一种献身于自己热爱的事情的意愿 and adapting to different things thrown your way. 

格罗斯曼: 我认为创造性思维很重要，这是一种号召，让我们走上一条阻力最大的道路 挑战现状. Comedy thrives on pushing the boundaries, so it’s no surprise that Creative Thought Matters is at the heart of ComFest.