GWU Recess

receSs is the only student sketch and improv comedy group at The George Washington University and is considered one of the oldest comedy groups in Washington, DC.^[1] They hold monthly shows in which they perform longform improv, sketch and screen one original video. They also host their own comedy festival in March, titled SLATE: The World College Comedy Festival.^[2] Notable recent performers at SLATE have included Derrick Comedy, Upright Citizens Brigade Tour Co., Jordan Klepper, and receSs alumnus T.J. Miller.^[3][4][5] receSs practices four nights a week, 10 pm-12 am, and focuses on workshopping sketch and developing game-based longform skills. receSs holds auditions once a year in September. Its current cast is Sam Cook ('16), Jessy Morner-Ritt ('16), Kevin Palermo ('16), Brooke Walker ('17), Connor Driscoll ('17), Sandy Masselli ('18), Ariella Leiter ('19), and Quinn Warner ('19).

History

Founded in 1990 by Chas Mastin, Billy Portman, Rob Cohen, and Andrea Shreeman, the group was originally called the No-Time Players. receSs held shows weekly on Friday nights. When its original cast graduated in 1993, its second generation renamed the group receSs. In addition to performing at Skidmore's comedy festsival, this new group also appeared at the Big Stinkin’ International Improv Festival in Austin, Texas. They began the annual AIDS Week Improv-a-thon to raise money for the Whitman-Walker AIDS clinic. In 1996, Recess won the "The Kids in the Hall" College Improv Competition.

In 1998-99, the SLATE Comedy Festival was started by Ptolemy Slocum. Performers at the first SLATE included Amy Poehler as well as a screening of the pilot Christmas special of South Park before it aired.^[6][7] SLATE was put on hiatus for eleven years before alumnus Darren Miller brought it back in the 2008-09 year.^[8]

By the middle of the 2000s, receSs began performing monthly in the Dorothy Betts Theater and the Continental Ballroom in the Marvin Center on campus. They also participate in comedy festivals such as Skidmore's National College Comedy Festival^[9] and ImprovBoston's Beanpot College Comedy Festival. No one is sure why the first "S" is capitalized in "receSs."

Notable alumni

T.J. Miller is an American actor and stand-up comedian, known for his roles in the movies Silicon Valley (TV series), Cloverfield and She's Out of Your League.

Hilary Winston is currently a writer on the hit TV show Community and was a writer/producer on 30 Rock.

David Angelo is currently a monologue writer on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.

Karin Hammerberg was a member of several professional troupes at Washington Improv Theater.

Matthew Flanagan was a writer for The Late Show With David Letterman and the situation comedy Bad Teacher.

Senior Moments

One unique aspect of receSs is its senior moments. During the last show of a school year, all of the senior members of receSs each have a turn performing their senior moments. They can do whatever they want for as long as they want. More importantly, the rest of the group does not know what they are going to perform. Past senior moments have included PowerPoint presentations, videos, getting a tattoo on stage and even performing live with the band Jukebox the Ghost.

References