Pocket Lint, Wittenberg’s very own improv comedy troupe, is highly dedicated to making fellow students laugh their you-know-what’s off.
With its inception in the fall of 1997, this small club’s tradition of spreading joy through humor on stage has caught on as one of the best sources of entertainment at the university.
Founder Kevin Lydy named the club with inspiration from a group his brother joined after running away to California called Loose Change. Lydy was intrigued with the catchiness of things one has in their pocket, so Pocket Lint became a reality at Wittenberg.
“The most rewarding part of being in Pocket Lint is the friendships I have with all the other members,” president Sam Stilwell, ’17, said. “Because of the size and nature of the group, it really feels more like a wonderfully dysfunctional family more than just a club.”
Currently, there are six members of Pocket Lint: Emma Arace, ’17; Stilwell, ’17; Kaylie Taylor, ’17; Emily Harrison, ’18; Sarah White, ’18; and Stephen Ogden, ’19.
The group tries to meet at least once a week to practice their improv skills. While the club is small, the members are diverse in their involvement with academics, work, sports, Greek life and more.
“It’s like trying to herd cats. But the cats are hilarious and I love them very much,” Stilwell said.
Auditions to be a part of Pocket Lint are held annually, and began the week of Sept. 5 this year. They start with a workshop the first night, which is meant to get people comfortable with the current members and with doing improv. Following this are try-outs, where people play improv games with each other while being observed. Finally, there are callbacks.
If chosen to be a part of the small group, members of Pocket Lint can take on leadership positions that include president, vice president, director of marketing and advertisement, and treasurer.
Qualities that someone should have if they want to be a part of Pocket Lint include having imagination, a lack of inhibition and confidence. Arace, a Pocket Lint member of three years, had never done improv before she auditioned for the club her sophomore year, and admitted she was terrified when going through auditions.
“You have to be willing to get up in front of your peers and be weird and loud,” Arace said. “In general, I believe anyone can do improv. All you really have to do is let go.”
Be on the lookout for announcements about the next Pocket Lint show on campus. The club will be opening for comedian Erik O’Shea on Wednesday, Sept. 14, so don’t miss out on the opportunity to see the hilarious group in action.
