An Valentine’sImprovised Date with MC’s Scaterbomb

As the season of love approaches, Scatterbomb took the holiday as an opportunity to craft their first show of the semester’s theme,”Scatterbomb is unlovable.” However, they were proven wrong as the audience filled the rows with continuous laughter and anticipation.

Chayse Martino, a sophomore psychology major, informed the Quadrangle about what it takes to develop the characters performed on stage.

“I do it based on whatever I feel most comfortable with at the moment and what pops into my head first,” Martino said. “Most of the time and depending on the scene, either I’ll add a shock factor with the character or I like to make it so that it’s a relatable character.”

From special accents to wardrobe changes mid-scene, the Scatterbomb team always keeps the audience on their toes.

President Isabel Cameron, a senior psychology major with minors in french and religious studies, stressed the importance of expanding their comedy troupe to MC’s student body.

“Four out of the five people in this group are graduating.” Cameron said, “So it’s very important to get new blood and we just want to see what this college has to offer because we know there are plenty of talented people here.”

Regardless of whether or not students believe they have the comedy and theatrical skills necessary to be a member of their team, Martino stressed the importance of auditioning even if you are slightly interested in improv and comedy.

“I say do it.” Martino said, “It’s literally just an hour of the week to just be silly and do whatever you want to do and just have fun. And even if you think you’re not funny enough for it, still do it because it’s not even about being funny,” Martino explains, “It’s about being able to be creative and just follow your own instincts with your words and feel more connected to the moment. It’s mainly about conversation, like if you can hold a conversation, then you will be good at improv.”

Senior psychology major Regina Ricardo is also in MC Players, another theatrical group on campus, compares her experiences within both groups expressing positive feelings towards both organi- zations.

“It has completely opposite ends,” Ricardo said.

“The play is very structured, where you have your script, your scenes and lines that you have to memorize. You have your set characters to play. And then, for [Scatterbomb], it is just all up in the air, like you are making up something new every week. The practices are only once a week for scatter bombs. So it is a lot more relaxed, where the plays are a lot more rigid, where there are two or three practices a week for several hours, and it is a bigger commitment. They are both fun. You are both with people that are really into what they’re doing.”

Wade Wiedemann, a senior environmental studies major with a double minor in business biology and digital media arts, recalls their freshman experience of Scatterbomb and how different it became after COVID hit back in 2020 with their objective being to bring the organization back on campus as a prominent show.

“Because of COVID everything went wild,” Wiedemann said. “My freshman year back when we used to have multiple days of practice there were al- ways 100 people per day. It’d be crazy. But because of COVID, it changed. We want Scatter Bomb to return to how it was and be more of a presence to students. We’re definitely trying to get back to that point. And I don’t know when that will be but I hope it’s in the near future, ideally.”

Scatterbomb’s goal as an organization is to teach those interested in joining more than just stage presence but life experiences.

“I think this club has helped me build a form of competence in knowing how to go about everyday situations where you are put on the spot,” Wiedemann said. “Where it’s like, you want to know what to do if something happens that you’re not familiar with. It helps you be aware of your surroundings and read into people’s different dialogue and emotions. While it is a fun club to be a part of, it also teaches you a lot of things that you didn’t even think you wanted to learn to do.”

Ricardo shares her experience as someone who engages and appreciates the collaborative improv she has received.

“Being part of Scatter Bomb has been a very grounding experience.” Ricardo explains, “On stage, it’s not just all about you. It’s about working as a team.”

Scatterbomb’s next show is February 24th and auditions will be hosted the following week. Follow their Instagram @scatterbombmc for frequent updates regarding auditions and upcoming shows and themes.

Editor’s Note: Interviews also conducted by Alexandrea Velez, Staff Writer