With Ohio’s weather conditions drastically constantly moving from extreme to extreme, there was no guessing how safe it would be to go out the evening of Saturday, February 15th. For fans of the Falls-based Point of No Return (PNR) improv troupe, however, cold air and snow was far beyond their concerns. Greeting a packed house Newell Theatre at the Quirk Cultural Center, the troupe hosted their 18th anniversary show with school-themed sketches, complete with cast members past and present, as well as some debut performers.
Improv comedy performances generally begin with actors requesting suggestions from the audience, then incorporating those shouted words or topics into a preplanned scene idea or improv game. PNR relied on plenty of these, including in a Jeopardy!-like academic challenge, a crime scene study, and an opening musical game sang to the tune of “Da Doo Ron Ron.”
“My favorite thing about being in PNR is that we rarely turn people away from the group who have a good personality and positive approach to learning,” explains Rob Walter, one of the founding members on stage Saturday evening. “Some members take forever to reach the point where they’re ready to jump onstage during a performance, but we’re all learning together…It’s the most supportive family of quirky artists you could hope to be a part of.”
For each performance, the group pulls from a master list of about 50 types of scenes and games they have either created or adopted from outside groups. These scenes—which provide various ways to engage with the audience—are part theater, part comedy, and all fun, and they consistently produce responses while never letting the show drag.
“Our shows provide entertainment for members of the Cuyahoga Falls community and surrounding areas,” explains Assistant Director Tracy Cubbal. “We try to keep our content to a ‘PG-13’ level so that people of all ages and backgrounds can enjoy them together without the risk of feeling embarrassed or uncomfortable.”
As is the case each year, the anniversary show brought out plenty of acting styles and scenes to show the audience what they might expect from the new recruits. “My favorite part of this year’s anniversary show would be hard to nail down,” Walter recalls. “If I had to pick a favorite…it would’ve been backstage—every anniversary show we gather together in a circle, and between warm ups, talk about how grateful each of us is to be a part of the group. It’s just a wonderful moment of nostalgic appreciation, and hopeful projection of the future.”
PNR regularly performs two Saturdays a month, on the third-floor theater of Quirk Cultural Center, 1201 Grant Avenue, with occasional changes to their schedule. Performances start at 7:30 p.m. and admission is $5. Upcoming shows are scheduled for March 7, March 28, and April 11. More information about the troupe can be found at pnrimprov.org.
