Dawg with a Blog

Truman Forensics Host Humor Showcase

On Friday, February 6th the Truman Forensics Union partnered with Upchuckles and TAG Improv to host the first “Big Dogs Gotta Laugh” Humor Showcase. The performance took place in Ophelia Parish’s Black Box Theater, offering a view of the event from all sides. Two Forensics Students, Alex Peterson and Emery McEvoy, MC’d the event. Peterson notes, “The Showcase was a chance to bring together three great groups on campus. We hope this experience leads to more epic crossovers in the future.”

Willow Adamson (left) and Cooper Spacil (right) pose in front of the Big Dogs Gotta Laugh display

From the Truman Forensics Union, novice team member Willow Adamson and varsity team member Cooper Spacil performed their After Dinner Speaking (ADS) speeches. An ADS performance uses humor and comedy to convey a message. An ADS speech can be informative, persuasive, or a mix of the two. Spacil said, “I had such a great time performing for such a large audience, and I still get stopped and complimented weeks after our performance.” Both Spacil and Adamson are gearing up to take these speeches to the National Forensics Association tournament in April.

From Upchuckles, Abbey Knabe, and Tyler Lawson performed stand-up comedy routines for students to enjoy. Upchuckles is the only stand-up comedy group at Truman State. Knabe explained that Upchuckles is all about “good vibes, great jokes, and giving students the chance to turn those ‘shower thoughts’ into real punchlines.” The group meets weekly on Wednesdays in Baldwin Hall 302 at 6:00 pm. For more information regarding Upchuckles, students are encouraged to follow them on Instagram @upchucklestsu

Performers at the Humor Showcase pose together in front of the Big Dogs Gotta Laugh display

TAG Improv is Truman’s improvisational acting troupe. They perform short, medium, and long form games with an emphasis on CORE and comedy. They performed three games during the humor showcase: Objection, Blind Line, and Freeze Your Own Adventure. Each game pulls spontaneous cues from the audience to build an entirely unique scene. The actors get their prompts in real time and create something hilarious from audience input. The group has 10 members in total and frequently performs around campus. 

The Truman Forensics Union looks forward to more collaboration and student-driven outreach. Check back soon for more updates on what the team does next!