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Suburban all-female improv troupe makes Chicago Improv Fest debut

Everyone has their share of awkward childhood moments.

And for one all-female suburban comedy group, Buzz's Girlfriend, those stories are a gold mine for laughs.

“We all realized we were super-awkward as children, as most improvisers are,” says member Sarah Kueker from Winfield. So it wasn't hard for the five-member group - Sophia Clinton of Wheaton, Kat Rybarski of Batavia, Vikki Rood of Hoffman Estates, Candace Snapp of Woodridge and Kueker - to find a show theme.

The troupe, who perform regularly at Westside Improv Studio in Wheaton, are getting the chance to show off their talents to a larger audience as one of the featured acts at the 19th annual Chicago Improv Festival, held Monday through Sunday, May 2-8. Buzz's Girlfriend performs at 10 p.m. Thursday, May 5, at Bughouse, 1910 W. Irving Park Road, Chicago.

CORY!, a comedy duo made up of Lauren Ash and Leslie Seiler, will perform Wednesday, May 4, at Chicago's The Second City e.t.c. Courtesy of the Chicago Improv Festival

The fest features 170 groups performing in more than 105 shows at 21 venues throughout the Chicago area. Founded in 1998, it's the only festival created solely to promote and teach improv as an art form. It's seen as the largest and most prestigious improv festival in the world and serves as a model for other such fests, organizers say.

This year's event focuses on providing a more intimate experience for fans, featuring smaller venues where guests can be closer to performers. Organizers received more than 250 submissions for acts.

“We were flooded with submissions this year, and we really made an effort to select the very best groups and showcase them in more intimate venues,” said Jonathan Pitts, executive director of the festival. “We took the same approach as a small-batch brewery or an independent, artisanal bakery - handpicking the best quality ingredients and putting each show together one at a time to make the best comedy possible.”

The Improvised Sondheim Project performs Saturday, May 7, at MCL Chicago. Courtesy of Heather Marie Scholl

Featured this year are groups from across Chicago and around the United States, as well as from Spain, Argentina, Venezuela and other countries. The styles also vary, with groups performing long form, short form, musical, dramatic, genre-based improv and other more experimental styles.

Kueker's group, which is performing long form, was named after the girlfriend of film character Buzz in “Home Alone” - the ultimate depiction of awkward, she says.

In their act, the women show awkward photos of themselves and tell childhood stories. For example, one member shares how she randomly decided to dress up as Benjamin Franklin one day.

“There was no reason why, she just did it,” Kueker says. “Her parents loved it and took a picture.”

The group has no shortage of ideas for material, especially when they're hanging out.

“It's usually each other,” she says of how they're inspired. “If someone does something strange, we pick up on it. We have started to be able to read each other's minds.”

Though all the women juggle other jobs, they practice together once a week. The most challenging part is coordinating schedules and finding ways to all “gel” together, Kueker says.

“A lot of people think improv is just 'making it up,' but you have to get to know the people and find out how they work, and what their strengths are,” she says.

For example, one woman is good at initiating scenes, while another helps ground scenes. One excels at playing wacky characters. The group has practiced together for about six months and are excited to share their act at the Chicago fest, where they're participating for the first time.

“We want people to laugh, number one,” Kueker says, “and to also follow a character and see where they are from the beginning of the show to where they end up.”

Chicago Improv Festival

When: Various times Monday through Sunday, May 2-8

Where: Various venues in Chicago and the Laugh Out Loud Theater, 601 N. Martingale Road, Schaumburg

Tickets: $5-$25

Info:

chicago improvfestival.org/

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