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Performers “snuck” into Hayden 100 as part of their secret entrance.

ZENDRAH BONNICK / THE QUADRANGLE

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Zendrah Bonnick, Asst. News Editor

On Friday, Oct. 2, Scatterbomb, returned with their first show of the year, following a theme of spies and secret agents. The Quadrangle newspaper conducted interviews on the night of the performance with the troupe’s members and audience. 

Declan Boyle, club secretary and a senior political science major, shared his perspective on how the group and club setting helps to offset some of the concerns people have about performing.   

“Honestly, there is always that itch at the back of the brain of worrying that maybe you’re not the funniest, or maybe you won’t shine the brightest,” Boyle said. “But honestly, for this group, because of how much of a team game it is, I honestly really admire everybody else in the group.” 

Nicholas Tomczyk, a junior civil engineering major, who is responsible for managing the group’s public relations and social media, expressed a similar sentiment.   

“At first I was definitely a little nervous for the show,” Tomczyk said. “I’ve never really performed for a crowd before, other than being one of hundreds in middle and elementary school shows. This is a smaller group, with more space for me. But my nerves have gotten less and less as time goes on, and playing these games [lets us be more] comfortable with the group and with the community.” 

The games mentioned by Tomczyk help the improv group during rehearsals to improvise jokes on the spot.   

“Practice twice a week is an hour and a half,” Tomczyk said. “First, we do a little circle warm-up, some quick games… Once we get that warmed up, we have fun… we run 20 to 30-minute practice scenes, and we run a half of a show or a full show during our practices.”   

Sophia Whitmore, a sophomore adolescent education major, shared her perspective as an audience member and fan of Scatterbomb with The Quadrangle.   

“I think improv is a really important form of comedy because it’s a way to take your mind off of [things and] just be funny,” Whitmore said. “To have fun with your friends and be in a space where you can just make believe and have fun [is important].”  

Whitmore shared her insights, as a member of MU’s other performing arts programs, on the significance they hold to the broader MU community.   

“I’m in a lot of performing arts,” Whitmore said. “I’m in Players [and] I’m in Singers. And I think Scatterbomb is kind of on the outside of performing arts, [but] they should be [seen] as more in it, because I think they’re really funny and they’re really an integral part of the community… I just love everyone in [the troupe].” 

Later, Boyle stated during his interview that the talents of the group make the process of performing more enjoyable, expressing admiration for his fellow troupe members and how their skill makes him feel fortunate. 

“I think that they are the funniest people alive,” Boyle said. “No joke, some of them are generationally talented. And [it’s] very uplifting just being part of that team.”