scene is an amalgamation of the audiences’ suggestions and the ways improvisers make use of them. These scenes can manifest in the form of various games, each with its own sets of guidelines and rules to create a whole new scenario. Take, for instance, New Choice, where two performers act out a scene, but have to change their lines when the director exclaims the phrase, “New Choice!” Why Are You Late? on the other hand, is a game where one performer has to guess the reason for their tardiness with the help of some of their fellow performers in the scene. These are just some of the many games and exercises that members of the organization do in their sessions (see improv performances). Blue Bird Beginnings The organization was formed in A.Y. 2018-2019 by Raphael Chua and Miguel Dobles out of a shared interest in improv. They, along with a few other friends and interested students, trained under Exie Abola, a current lecturer at the Fine Arts department and a graduate of Manila-based improv school Third World Improv. BBI then held their first show, Blue Birdies: Exposed! in May 2019 and registered as an official organization a few months later. The organization teaches and promotes improv mainly through semestral courses, open and client-applied workshops, and live shows. According to current organization president Luis de la Vega, IV, BBI is “the best student-run improv organization in Ateneo (until someone starts a second one).” Although a young organization, BBI has firmly established itself within the Ateneo community. Its wide portfolio of live shows, open workshops, and org collaborations have fixed BBI as a mainstay when it comes to entertainment and skills building. That said, BBI tends to be misconstrued as the funny org, or a group that strives to achieve comedy.
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