HARRISONBURG, Va. (ROCKTOWN NOW) – For many, the idea of being on stage, reciting lines, can send a shiver down the spine. For experienced actors, it’s being on stage with no lines and no idea what happens next that chills them to the core.

However, some seek out the experience of being on stage with no script or plan. They rely on audience prompts, communication, imagination and wordplay to create a hilarious evening of entertainment.

The Rocktown Improv Collective, Harrisonburg’s improv troupe, keeps playing, training and putting on shows because of the ‘in the moment’ connection to each other and the audience.

Founded just before the COVID-19 pandemic by friends and long-time improvisers Bethany Popelish and Steve McClay, the Rocktown Improv Collective offers a unique experience to the community, as both audience members and participants.

After 10 years in a local comedy group, Popelish and McClay wanted more performance opportunities. The Rocktown Improv Collective was born with help from former troupe-mates Jonathan Stewart and John Huffman.

The Covid-19 pandemic paused their creative endeavors. When restrictions were lifted, they dusted off their improv games and skills and attracted the attention of Court Square Theatre and new members Jake Gerl, Stephanie Sorge, Britney Mongold, and Ashton Pease.

The eight members of the Rocktown Improv Collective have presented their unique art form at Court Square Theatre, Restless Moons Brewery and private parties. They have delighted hundreds during downtown Harrisonburg’s ‘First Fridays,’ with games and skits made up in real-time as the audience laughs their way through the unexpected.

This intense performance style is not just for a bold few with years of training and experience, according to Popelish.

“A lot of people are walking around playing pretend,” Popelish said. “I walk up to a person, and I interact with them in this way, like I’m stepping into this character role. That kind of comes naturally to people, we use improv everywhere.”

The Rocktown Improv Collective believes that improv has major social benefits for participants, apart from the fun. Popelish, who met her now husband through a Staunton-based improv group, recalls how he used the technique to combat social anxiety.

“It can be a really healthy thing, especially for people that are maybe afraid of having to jump into a social interaction,” she said. “If someone walks up to you on the street and that gives you a feeling of panic, I highly recommend improv because you are going to learn how to walk through the process and carry it through into other interactions.”

The mission of Rocktown Improv Collective has always been to make the company accessible, considering the potential benefits and frequent barriers to participation for people interested in trying something new in the arts.

“We wanted something a little loosely defined so that people can step in or step out. One of the things that was important for Rocktown improv was that you didn’t have to be all-in,” Popelish said. “For a lot of theatre groups, if you want to participate, you have to be all-in at every rehearsal, every practice. The important thing for me was that anyone can have access to it, anyone could participate, they don’t have to pay money to be able to participate, they can just come try it and have some fun.”

“We wanted something that was a little more geared toward people with busy lives, who perhaps couldn’t participate all the time – so that anyone can try it, and you don’t have to give everything to try it,“ she added.

One member of the troupe who demonstrates the real-world application of accessibility is Stephanie Sorge. In addition to being an avid improviser, she is also a pastor, wife and mother of two.

In 2022, during a sabbatical, Sorge challenged herself to explore new creative hobbies. She decided to try Improv after enjoying it as a spectator.

“I don’t have a theatre background, I don’t have an improv background, I’ve never done anything like this,” Sorge said. “The group is just so good in all the different ways. They were incredibly welcoming, and the practices were very accessible. From the beginning, it’s been a very inclusive and socially aware atmosphere.”

For Popelish and Sorge, having space to explore and celebrate their authentic selves outside of their ‘scripted’ roles has been essential to a balanced life.

“I’m entirely scripted on Sunday mornings,” Sorge said. “When I work on my sermons, I’m really intentional about crafting language and the way that I say things. I think it does reveal a part of me that doesn’t often come out in Pastoral Ministry, that I have a sense of humor, that somehow surprises people. I think that it has enabled people to see a more complete image of me.”

Popelish agreed.

“For me, motherhood is the most amazing thing, but it can also strip you of your identity, and improv, for me, has been a very important way of holding on to my sense of self,“ she said.

If you have never been to an improv show, now is the time to give it a try. You can expect lots of laughs, never-before–seen skits, and even the chance to challenge the performers.

“People will often have an opportunity to shout out suggestions; we also try to incorporate some audience games, so there can be opportunities for participating,” Sorge said. “When I’m not in a skit and laugh my head off because they are all so funny. Laughter is such a wonderful natural stress relief.”

“The world around us is so serious, and can be so overwhelming, so come, it’s a perfect opportunity to sit and let it all go.,” Popelish added. “As the stories unfold onstage based on your suggestions, you have an opportunity to be in the moment with us. Whatever happens, it happens together.”