Unlike other groups, Clean Slate uses improv to explore spiritual themes.
"We're unique from other groups in that we explore spiritual themes that are common to all humanity," said Bryan Cafferky, a founding member of Clean Slate, an improvisational theater troupe in Green Lake. "We try to aim for art and settle for comedy."
The Clean Slate founders - Cafferky, Will Frei, Tina Guldham-mer Frei and Ryan Lunsford - performed together at The Improv Church at Walla Walla College, also known as the Church of Acts, that has an improvisational approach to its services.
A young member of the Green Lake Church of Seventh-Day Adventists discovered the performers at a religious function and subsequently invited the group to start an improv group in Green Lake.
Frei, his wife Guldhammer Frei and Cafferky are also intern pastors at the church.
"We actually dreamed of doing something like this but didn't think it would happen," Frei said.
More than a year later, Clean Slate is twice the size as when it started, with four new members and prospects of traveling to England, Spain and Australia.
Starting with a Clean Slate
The group's name represents the players coming up with new stories each time they are on stage. It also represents the spiritual theme of forgiveness and acceptance.
The Clean Slate players themselves explore spiritual themes such as peace, passion, fools and death through improvised scenes with characters, music and stories based on audience suggestions.
Laura Milleson plays the piano to set the mood and add depth to the scenes.
"This group has more potential than the local community realizes," said Jesse Ferguson, one of Clean Slate's newest members, who joined the group with his wife, Brenda. "It's entertaining for your brain, and it's not just laughing all the time."
Clean Slate performs both short-form and long-form improv. Short-form improv is a series of brief improv games, generally two to eight minutes long, that are driven by audience suggestion or participation. There are pauses between each game as the rules are explained and suggestions are given.
Long-form improv, which can last around 45 minutes, explores a topic or idea to drive the entire show. "Roethke," inspired by American poet Theodore Roethke, is one of Clean Slate's long-form improv games. In the game, players explore a poem using improv.
"It's like I'm a kid again because I play all of the kid games, but I play by the rules instead of cheating," Cafferky said. "It's fun finding out where the story is going to go."
Frei added, "I get to use my full person in collaboration with others to create something. It is exhilarating."
In September 2007, Frei, Guldhammer Frei and Cafferky, will move on to a seminary in Michigan, but they plan to keep in contact with the Seattle group.
"We hope to continue doing improv because we love it. It's almost like a way of life," Cafferky said.
"It's just a great art, and it's so liberating in a way," Guldhammer Frei agreed. "It helps me to pay attention to other people and their ideas."
A show for the entire family
Clean Slate Improv performs every other Saturday at 9 p.m. in the basement of the Green Lake Church of Seventh-Day Adventists, 6350 E. Green Lake Way N. The group's next performance is on Saturday, April 8.
Admission is free, with a suggested donation of $3. Twenty-five percent of the donations go to a local charity. Currently, a portion of the donations will go to earthquake victims in Pakistan.
The show is appropriate for all ages as the group aims to avoid vulgar humor. "You can go there with your family and kids, and everyone will enjoy themselves equally," Ferguson said.
Although Clean Slate is a Christian group, the players try to explore universal spiritual themes that are relevant to everyone: "It's a different show every time," Guldhammer Frei said.
Every show includes refreshments and a featured band. Clean Slate also hosts a dart tournament following the show, in which audience members have the opportunity to win prizes, such as a $10 gift card for coffee.
The group also hosts free weekly workshops that explore the basics of improv, at the same location, from 7 to 9 p.m. on Mondays. Attending a series of workshops is encouraged. For more information, call 522-1330; e-mail cleanslateimprov@yahoo.com; or visit www.cleanslateimprov.com.
Jessica Davis writes about arts and entertainment for the Herald-Outlook. She can be reached via e-mail at needitor@nwlink.com.
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