Trenton’s newest performance group is officially here, with a fast-paced evening of hilarity planned for their inaugural show.
On Friday, March 31, Trenton Makes Improv will host their first performance. This group of talented Trentonians will kick off the show at 8 pm at the Mill Hill Playhouse at 205 East Front St., Trenton, NJ 08611. Tickets are $10 and can be purchased online here: Tickets – Trenton Makes Improv. Led by Katie Berben, the Trenton Makes Improv team hopes to provide audiences with an evening of shenanigans, quick wit, and a lot of laughs. This talented team is comprised of Kate Russo, Jeff Loftus, Edward Liu, Stefanie Hazen, David Beever, and Kenneth Roberts.
Trenton Daily spoke with Katie Berben regarding the upcoming performance, what inspired this new endeavor, and what lies ahead for Trenton’s latest performance group. When asked what inspired her to start the troupe in Trenton, Katie stated, “I knew I wanted to focus locally. I loved going to local punk shows in high school and want to keep that tradition going. You shouldn’t have to cross a bridge to see something live. In recent years, my friends and I have gone to the Punk Rock Flea Market in Trenton, which got me thinking of what I could contribute to this local spirit.”
She noted, “Now that we’ve come out of the pandemic, everyone is hungry for creative entertainment that’s not streaming, everyone’s a little sick of Zoom, but who wants to drive an hour to pay tolls and parking? The Trenton Makes bridge always makes me smile, so I knew I wanted to incorporate the iconic phrase in the troupe one way or another. Central Jersey is a great place to live, work, and play. Trenton has held a special place in my heart since my dad took me to ‘Take your daughter to work’ days.”
In discussing the need for Trenton’s improv troupe, Berben said, “I have been doing improv for decades and couldn’t find the right troupe to join (and always had to travel far for the ones I did find), so I made my own. We’ve advertised on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, in local libraries, Paneras, the Trenton Farmer’s Market, anywhere I could find a community board to post a flyer. I’m always excited to ask new people how they found out about us when they join. I’m especially proud of the group that will be performing on March 31. A few have improv backgrounds, but most are new to the genre. We all learn from each other.”
In discussing what hijinks the troupe has planned for the upcoming performance, Berben stated, “The show is going to be short-form games, most of which fans of ‘Whose Line is it Anyway?’ will be well-acquainted. We’re open to doing long-form in the future. Maybe Fringe Fest, who knows? We didn’t put an age limit on the show but keep in mind its improv, so we don’t know what we’ll say, and we create scenes based on audience suggestions. I hope we can pack the room at Passage Theatre and have everyone ‘pork-rolling’ on the floor laughing.”
Trenton’s newest group of super troupers has been working hard to put together a performance full of surprises and laughs, so do not miss the opportunity to participate in this exciting evening. If you’d like to learn more about the troupe, please visit their website here: Trenton Makes Improv – Home. So don’t improvise when it comes to your Friday night plans; reserve your tickets today!
