On Friday and Saturday, Carleton's newest improv troupe took the stage at Little Nourse for the first time.
They're called Cooler Ranch, after the delicious Doritos flavoring that's one step up from Cool Ranch, and they're composed of the members of an improv class taught by Cujokra and the Harriers last term. They opened for Cujokra at the end of last term, but this time they stood alone, and matched their teachers in humor and spontaneity.
Graham Schneider '12, Glenn Greenberg '11, Alsa Bruno '12, Kristine Mackin '09, Emily Schickli '11, Tyler BoddySpargo '12, and Noah Sapse '12 all played on their particular strengths. Highlights included a sketch about rehab for pet owners who had accidentally killed their pets with lawn equipment, a sketch with volunteers from the audience in which a notoriously cheerful freshman had to act out the word "happy", the requisite cracks at Olaf, and a few references to Graham's Jameson impression from last term's show.
Assorted members of Cujokra and the Harriers watched their former students perform from the back of the theater. At one point, during the sketch involving the unfortunate conjunction of pets and lawn mowers, one Cooler Ranch performer said to another, "When I ran over Fido with my lawnmower I died on the inside." The Cujokra members in the audience looked at each other and mouthed "He died on the outside," which is exactly what the other Cooler Ranch member said next. They've been taught well.
In all, the show was solid, and formed a foundation on which this new group can build as they start off their run at Carleton. And they'll be in town for a while – most of them have three and a half more years to take the group in whatever direction they want to.
