Otters Make Nonsense of First Year Tradition Improv Humor Group Kicks Off Year with Laughs

Author: Andrea LaRocca

What do you get when you put a second-string quarterback, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, a st-st-stutterer, the stereotypical South Boston girl, a mime and Batman on stage together? That's right - you don't just get utter nonsense, you get Otter Nonsense, Middlebury College's improvisational comedy group. Better yet, you get the Otter Nonsense opening show that begins with a parody of the first-year orientation tradition, "Voices of the Class," in which upperclassmen present snapshots from the incoming class' application essays.

Through a dramatization of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air" theme song and an essay-like account of Batman's life, Otter Nonsense turned the motivational "Voices of the Class" into a satire that made McCullough Social Space ring with laughter. The audience barely had time to catch its breath, however, before McCullough rang with a different sound: an Otter Nonsense musical number about rejection from Middlebury College called "F-k Middlebury, We Don't Care," complete with choreography and choice hand gestures.

This scripted but hilarious introduction was just the beginning of the Otters' opening show. After a final chorus of "F- k Middlebury," the Otters launched into their signature improvisation acts. The sketches featured the scenarios "When a Crime Becomes a Date," "Pardon?," "Schizophrenia" and "Split Room," basic scene structures propelled by suggestions from the audience and then improvised by the Otters.

"It's terrifying not knowing what you're going to do sometimes, but when it works, it's sublime," says Otter Dave Heyman '03.5.

The Otters also say that the closeness of their group minimizes the improv fear factor because they trust one another's talents on stage. Being so tight does have its downfalls.

The Otters miss Ben LaBolt '03 and Adam Sewall '03 - the two members who graduated last year - so much that Toby Lawless '03.5 describes it as "constantly feeling a hole." And he means this literally - when the Otters eat together now, they leave two empty plates for where LaBolt and Sewall would have sat.

Still, Otter Nonsense recently held auditions to fill the void. In an effort to further expand their group this year, they are now holding open rehearsals the first Tuesday of the month from 5 to 7 p.m. in Hepburn Lounge. All are welcome to play, learn and practice with the Otters.

More importantly, however, the Otters plan to do what they've always wanted this year: take over the world. Or at least the world of Middlebury. In the works for the upcoming year is a Middlebury World Tour, meaning that the Otters will schedule performances in different buildings and different lounges all over campus this year, bringing laughter to even the quietest dorms. They also intend to make and sell Otter Nonsense merchandise, so be on the lookout for Otter T-shirts and Nalgenes (maybe even a "F-k Middlebury, We Don't Care" soundtrack?) coming to a lounge near you.

As for the Otters, they hope that you keep coming to see them. Heyman said in his introduction to the Sunday show, "Thanks to everyone for being here tonight. You have no idea how great it is for us when it's packed out there."

Claire Wyckoff '03.5 might have said it best of all, though, when describing what it's like to be in the Otters and to perform for so many people: "It's wicked pissah." Now unless you're from just outside of Boston, that sentence might be real utter nonsense.