BUCYRUS, OH (CRAWFORD COUNTY NOW)—Dalton Edwards, coach and director of Bucyrus Little Theatre’s Teen Improv Troupe, has been hard at work preparing his young improvisors for their first public performance.

“I went to a show as a middle schooler and it was amazing,” Edwards said of his own discovery of improv, “I can’t even describe how great it was. So, all throughout high school, I put everything aside and focused on it.”

Focus is the key for this type of performance. “Improv teaches a lot more than just being on stage,” Edwards explains, “improv teaches you to fill silence, especially if you’re on stage and somebody forgets a line, you are trained to immediately jump in and say something that fits whatever scene you’re doing.”

This type of training has benefits beyond the stage. “Public speaking becomes easier,” said Edwards, “because you’re used to just going with the flow.”

Since autumn of 2024, the new Teen Improv Troupe has been learning techniques and honing their skills through improv games, which audiences will see at their first performance. “One game is called ‘good / bad / worst advice,’” Edwards explained. “We have our improv troop stand in three lines, one [line] will give good advice, one will give bad advice, and one will give the worst advice ever.”

“I just ask random questions that I would need advice on,” Edwards continued, “It could be something as simple as I’m failing in math, how do I get my grade up? It’s not only a good warm-up for the kids, but it’s also a really funny game for the crowd, because they can ask for advice too.”

The 17 young improvisors in Edwards’ troupe are preparing two shows, both to be presented back-to-back in a single performance. “They are different shows,” he explained. “The kids were able to learn enough to make 12 different games for each show.

The first is just a normal improv show, and the second is ‘extreme’ improv, a bunch of improv games with some extreme twists to them … a little bit more of an edginess … maybe stipulations added or maybe doing something crazy at the end.”

“There are multiple challenges no matter what age group you work with,” Edwards continued. “The easiest way to learn improv is to start with scene work. First, teach them ‘How do you make up a scene?’ then ‘What are the rules of improv?’ then ‘How can I get a scene to work and be entertaining to an audience?’

With improv, the kids on stage are the directors, they can decide what route they want the scene to go, and they can decide what characters to be.”

The entertainment value of improv, with its audience participation and anything-can- happen atmosphere, is just part of what Edwards wants to bring to the community.

“This is obviously something brand new to the area,” he explained, “and what I’m excited about is that we have four different schools represented in three different counties.

So, it’s not only Crawford County but it’s also Morrow and Marion County kids involved as well, and if this can bring a bunch of people from different areas together, there will be more shows and more entertainment.”

“My goal,” said Edwards, “is for the audience to not only leave entertained and happy, but to be wanting more.”

The Teen Improv Troupe’s upcoming performances are scheduled for March 29 and 30. For more information, follow Bucyrus Little Theatre on social media or visit bucyruslittletheatre.com.