www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver, Friday March 23, 2007 - 39 Improv competitions are full of surprises Continued from page 35 group will huddle for 15 seconds and then work together to bring that suggestion to life. Sometimes there's a narrator, the use of blocks as props, talking, sound effects and there's always a lot of action, or as McDermott puts it, "We explode on stage." The events aren't about being funny, Muzzatti says. In the life event, teams have to portray a sincere moment. "It's about being in the moment and trusting and playing off your teammates. If funny comes out of it, great," said the coach. "I'm trying to teach them to be in the moment. Out of the moment, funny stuff happens." Said Collins, who "loved every second of "Everyone is such a unique personality on this team; we all know how to play off each other; we all know each other's strengths and weaknesses" Grade 12 improv team member Caleb Gilgan improv" since joining the team last year, "I have the worst time not bursting out laughing on stage." That's because you never know what could happen at an improv competition or practice. "As soon as you walk into the theatre, any- thing could happen that day," said Grade 12 student Caleb Gilgan, a second-year team member. "As soon as you're doing improv, you're living in that very second. It's such a spontaneous thing." What makes OT so good, Gilgan added, is the bond and trust within the team. "Everyone is such a unique personality on this team; we all know how to play off each other; we all know each other's strengths and weaknesses." As third year team member Connor Low puts it, "Improv has sort of changed and morphed into not a team, but a group of friends, who also happen to be a team." They credit their coach for making that happen. "Muzzatti, I think has made us so comfortable that we listen to each other without saying anything," said McDermott. "There's definitely a bond there." And a trust that allows team members to bring their own personal experiences to the stage, too. "There's so much trust in the team, and there has to be. Everything's so spontaneous, you're just running with this idea and you could fall flat on your ass," said Gilgan. "It's not pre-planned, so you've got nothing to back you up except everyone behind you on your team." OT competes tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. in the Toronto Wildcard at the Ontario Science Centre in the Imperial Oil Theatre. INNER RDS OLD WOICE AWA G t S CH ADER Touris OF RE Local ion Best ttract A 10th-ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION Partners in Paradise Celebrate the 10th anniversary of the Cootes Paradise Fishway! It's been 10 years since the dominating force of carp was removed from Cootes Paradise Marsh. How have things changed? What's in store for the future? How can you make a difference? Come out to Partners in Paradise and find out! Full details at www.rbg.ca. · PRESENTATIONS: 11 a.m. and 3 p.m.; Migratory Birds, raptors from Mountsberg Wildlife Centre, 1 p.m.; Cootes Paradise Marsh, How far have we come? 2 p.m.; Dr. Dave and the Turtles · HIKES and CHILDREN'S ACTIVITIES, and EXHIBITS such as The Cootes Paradise Fishway, Biodiversity Corner, and more. Meet & Greet with Dora the ExplorerTM Saturday, March 24 1 to 4 p.m.; RBG Centre Bring your camera and take a picture of Dora with your kids! Due to the anticipated overwhelming response, only the first 400 people will be guaranteed a photo opportunity. Saturday and Sunday, March 24 and 25; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. RBG Centre 680 Plains Road West, Hamilton/Burlington Admission: $6 adult, $4 students and seniors $2 children under 12, RBG members FREE 905.527.1158, events@rbg.ca FREE G IN PARK © 2007 Viacom International Inc. All Rights Reserved. Nickelodeon, Nick Jr., Dora the Explorer and all related titles, logos and characters are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.