Bare Bones Improv eagerly anticipates second run at Riverwalk

Since the group’s debut in April at Riverwalk Theatre, the members of Bare Bones Improv have continued to hone their skills at private events and were even invited to open for Detroit comedy troupe Ants in the Hall at the Robin Theatre. This weekend, they’ll show off that growth as they make their return to the Riverwalk stage.

“Audiences can expect a comedy show where they really get to feel involved. We like to continuously ask for prompts or input from the audience and use it in our scenes. We’re very big on that,” Bare Bones co-founder JT Tosolt said. “It’s a very fast-paced show with a lot of laughs to it.”

Friday and Saturday’s performances will be tailored to the 18-and-older crowd, while Sunday’s matinee will be family friendly.

“Our Friday and Saturday shows are 18-plus, just to have a little bit of crude language and humor involved,” Tosolt said, laughing. “The Sunday show will be a clean version that’s more appropriate for younger audiences.”

Bare Bones was founded about a year and a half ago by Tosolt, Katrina Robinson and Naomi Collazo. Tosolt was acting in a show at Riverwalk that had improv elements to it, and one of their castmates suggested that they would be a good fit to lead a troupe. Collazo, who had done improv as a student at MSU, and Robinson, who had stage-managed the Riverwalk show that inspired the idea, signed on to help Tosolt get the group off the ground.

At first, Tosolt found the experience of coming up with material on the spot somewhat daunting. Like Collazo, they had only done improv at MSU. However, they eventually came to love it.

“When I started out, I was really nervous about not being funny enough, but as I’ve grown with time, I’ve realized just how much fun it can be — the zaniness of it and how it just naturally devolves into funniness,” Tosolt said. “A big thing I teach is that improv is about storytelling, not about comedy, and once you get those core principles, the funny bits come naturally. I love being able to just jump in and build these characters and really funny moments organically.”

At Bare Bones’ first meeting in April 2024, five people showed up. Since then, the group, which meets from 7 to 9 p.m. Tuesdays at Riverwalk, has grown significantly.

“Last week, we had 25 people there,” Robinson said.

Many of the attendees are repeat participants, she said, members of a core team that comes every week. Others pop in and out based on conflicts with other rehearsals or shows. New faces are always welcome.

“It’s been a good mix of folks who are there just for improv, folks who are regulars in the Lansing theater scene and new folks coming in almost every week,” Tosolt said. “It’s a very, very nice community.”

The group works to be as accessible as possible and meet people where they’re at, experience-wise.

“Theater is a really awesome art form, but it’s not exactly the most open one all the time. If you want to be in a show and you want to perform, you have to make it through an audition. That’s not a guarantee for anybody,” Tosolt said. “It’s really nice to have a constant open door to practice acting, performing and storytelling without an audition. You can just show up.”

Those who are new to improv are typically paired up with another group member who can serve as a mentor.

“They can learn directly from somebody who has theater or improv experience, and it helps acclimate them to performance. A lot of our members aren’t theater people, so it’s kind of brand new to them,” Robinson said.

Not all members participate in live shows. Those who would like to perform at an event must first audition during regular rehearsal time. Non-members are also welcome to audition. Those who are cast stay for an extra hour of rehearsal on Tuesday evenings for about a month. That process repeats for every show, with a new cast every time.

Even those who aren’t interested in acting can join Bare Bones.

“I don’t play. I get really nervous, so that’s not the thing that I contribute to the group,” Robinson said. “I’m the producer. I take a lot of pride in being the person who’s making sure programs are made and we have a space to rehearse. There’s space for anyone, whether they want to play or they want to be creative in another way.”

Both Robinson and Tosolt praised the community the group has built.

“We’re very tight knit,” Robinson said. “We’re probably the friendliest community you can find as far as a theater group goes. Everyone’s interested in each other’s growth.”

“It’s a nice way to make friends as an adult in a setting that doesn’t require a huge price tag for entry,” Tosolt said. “It doesn’t require drinking or any other social pressures that are usually common around adults. It’s just a nice, fun community setting for adults to hang out and make friends.”

Robinson hopes that as the group continues to grow, more venues will take notice.

“I want to see us grow to a point where more theaters are aware of us and want to host us or have us open for something,” she said. “The more opportunities we have for performance and play time the better, because we have a lot of people who want to play, a lot of great improvisers who need some stage time to get used to it and enjoy it.”

August theater productions:

“Annie Jr.”

Transcendence Performing Arts Center

7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8

3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9

Everett High School

3900 Stabler St., Lansing

www.tpacworldwide.org   

 

Bare Bones Improv
8 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8-Sat., Aug. 9

2 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 10

Riverwalk Theatre

228 Museum Drive, Lansing

www.riverwalktheatre.com   

 

“The Little Mermaid Jr.”

All-of-Us Express Children’s Theatre

7 p.m. Friday, Aug. 8 

3 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 9-Sunday, Aug. 10

Hannah Community Center

819 Abbot Road, East Lansing

www.allofusexpress.org