Sketched Out improv hosts first Alumni Show

On Saturday, Feb. 28, the laughter and shouts from Pearson 128 could be heard throughout the building.

That first-floor room holds classes and study sessions, but it is also home to the performances of Sketched Out — “Miami University’s BEST (and only) Improv Comedy,” according to their Instagram account.

Usually, the team consists of 10 comedians. However, their most recent show was different. Sketched Out held their first-ever Alumni Show, inviting back 13 former members of the group. In total, there were 23 performers for the show. Previous members from the class of 2010 to as recent as the class of 2025 returned for this special show.

As part of their campaign, Lily Green, a senior theatre major and the president and artistic director, along with co-president Max Kaufman, a senior theatre and English major, decided they wanted to create the show to foster the group’s alumni connections.

“We both understand the importance of networking and meeting people,” Green said. “I’ve seen so many other organizations, and honestly, Glee Club has been a big inspiration … It made us think we can do that.”

Notably, the co-founder of Sketched Out, Marie Maloney, class of 2010, returned to perform. Maloney co-founded Sketched Out in 2009 and has been performing for 17 years now.

Junior media and communication major Mallory Branek spoke on the preparation for their improv shows and how this changed with the addition of 13 extra alumni members. They had only met the alumni the night before their performance.

“The biggest hurdle we had to tackle was, what do you do with 23 of us?” Branek said. “It’s been exactly 24 hours of knowing each other, so all day [before the show] was spent doing improv. When the alumni came in … when we decided what games we would be playing based on their skill sets.”

The show began at 7:30 p.m. that night. All the performers stood at the sides. An improv game was declared, and a selected few came to the stage to perform. The show is split into two separate acts, with a 1o-minute intermission in between. The games rely on audience participation through shout-out ideas, and performers answer questions to prompt different topics.

These shows all have a special yet key component — marshmallows. Audience members can purchase marshmallows to throw at the improvists while they perform. So, mid-scene, one of them may be pelted in the face by a marshmallow.

The first act was short, with only a couple games being played, including musical improv. After the intermission, they resumed.

The second act was significantly longer and included fan-favorite game “5 Things.” Three members are selected and one leaves the room while the other two ask the audience questions. The audience provides five sets of three things: an action, a place and an object. These two members must act out the action, such as surfing on a toaster with RuPaul, but can only speak in gibberish. The first member must guess what is being acted out.

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Sketched Out shows are serotonin boosters. It’s almost two hours of pure joy, entertainment and laughter. These shows have become a source of community for members old and new.

“[This show] was really inspiring to me,” Green said. “All these alumni who shared with us that Sketched Out was the most important part of their college experience. It meant so much.”

Their next event will be held on Friday, April 10.

Additional reporting was contributed by Assistant Culture Editor Ayla Peden.

norrisl3@miamioh.edu