At 23-years-old, Matt Voisine knows what he wants in life. He has already fulfilled his dream to attend the famous Groundlings sketch comedy school in Los Angeles, whose alumni include Will Ferrell, Phil Hartman, and many other successful comedians. Then, returning to Oregon, Voisine felt the desire to bring what he learned to the local community.

"When I came home from California I was talking to David Janoviak (a theater professor at WOU) about doing some sort of improv classes for high schoolers, because that's what I really want to do. We weren't able to bring that about so [Janoviak] suggested doing shows. I went through my list of people that I enjoyed working with, I asked them if they wanted to do this. They were more than happy to. We rehearsed and just kind of went at it."

Voisine and his friends, Sam Benedict, Christopher Keller, Julie Landers, Rani Lightle, and McKenna Twedt came together to form "That's So Geek," an improv comedy troupe. They performed three shows last month at the Cyrus Reed Ballroom. Voisine says that every show was stronger and with a larger audience than the preceding one.

"That's So Geek" (named from the group's personal slang for "cool") donated most of their intake from the performances to the Salem Rep Theatre, as well as a small scholarship Voisine has created.
The group hopes to continue developing the art of improv comedy in Salem, and look forward to the possibility of more performances this summer, if a location can be procured. Of improv, Voisine says, "I love it, and I want more and more people to experience it."

For more information contact Matt Voisine at (503) 871-7026.

Cwerks offers performance and class
Cwerks Interactive Theatre presents Mime Loud and Clear, followed by a 2-hour class, sponsored by Parents for Education Plus. The performance and class are to take place at Pauling Middle School, Corvallis, on June 7. Registration required. Contact Cwerks at 888-236-4292 or info@cwerks.com

ACT to audition actors for `Compleat Works'
Auditions for Albany Civic Theatre "The Compleat Works of Wllm Shksper (Abridged)" run June 2, 3, 4. Auditioners should prepare a short (1-2 minutes max) monologue from a Shakespeare play, and be ready to present it in different styles at the whim of the director. They are looking for three performers of either gender with the ability to be "screamingly" funny. Contact Albany Civic Theatre at albanycivic.org for more information.