Dead superheroes, playground bullies, fast-paced jokes and a lot of laughing comprised the improvisational team, DueProv’s Nov. 18 showcase. The team aims to compete in various “games” and scenes based off of suggestions from the audience, meaning the performance is completely unrehearsed.

Beginning three years ago, Ladue Theater director Janine Bumeister developed DueProv after hearing about other high school theater departments who had similar teams. The idea drew lots of interest, and soon enough, Ladue’s team was coached by professionals and began keeping regular schedules.

“[DueProv] is basically improvisational acting,” Burmeister said. “Meaning [the actors] perform spontaneously off of the audience’s endowments. The unpredictability is what the audience find entertaining.”

This year, DueProv consists of two teams with eight members each. The captains for these teams, chosen by Burmeister, are senior Alex Mitchell and junior Leo Di Cera. The group had their first show of the year Nov. 18 in the Black Box, where members played games like “Superhero Eulogy” and “Countdown.”

I think as a group we did pretty well,” Mitchell said. “We assess the performance by the reaction of our audience and we considered it very good. It was nice to see the new [members] perform for the first time and really see their performing technique and style.”

More than 150 people bought tickets for the show, resulting in the set up of at least 50 additional chairs. The show also raised more than $400 for the theater department’s upcoming production, “Little Shop of Horrors.”

“The show was very entertaining,” Burmeister said. “I’d say it was the most successful show, and I hope to say that every time they perform.”

The show consisted of various games, between only team members and a mix of the two teams. Among the antics of the show were presidential impersonations, accents and spontaneous fainting.

“The show was really fun,” senior Stella Hoft said. “We’re all friends so it feels like you can’t do anything wrong. I really enjoyed the scene games, but I was nervous for the joke rounds.”

After the semester break, the group will be preparing for the state competition in January held at Missouri State University, known as the “Improv Olympics.” There, five members of DueProv will perform in front of professional, improv judges.

“We plan on practicing the different games, using different techniques and placing different people in different positions until we find a way that works for us,” Mitchell said.

The team will also attend St. Louis Improv for Charity, hosted at Parkway South High School. The event goes on for at least twelve hours, beginning with workshops lead by professionals and ending with their performances, giving students the opportunity to see professional improvisation in action. March 9, DueProv will hold their spring show.

“We have a little motto to go by,” Burmeister said. “Which is that truth is comedy, and when something is unrehearsed, it can be very funny.” #