FSU’s student comedy troupes have personal impacts on their participants—and a positive influence on their English studies

By Emily Wilmot

Florida State University’s student comedy organizations 30in60, Friday Night Live, NoBearsAllowed, and Eggplant FSU have created a wonderful and hilarious community within the campus that has influenced both its members and the people they reach.

Whether through a laugh, bringing others into their organizations, or through outreach, they are a cove whose beach you would want to reach every time. As for how your boat can find their shores, there are quite a few different and funny stories of how members got involved.

“When I was leaving a class in the Williams Building one night, one of the 30in60 board members pitched the club to me,” says Caroline Higdon, a senior double majoring in English-Creative writing and film, who is a member of both 30in60 and Friday Night Live (FNL). “I decided to audition on a whim, and it led me to the greatest decision I made in my college career.”

For Chris Robertson, a senior double majoring in English-Editing, Writing, and Media and digital media production, Halloween became the origin story for his joining Eggplant FSU.

“I was looking for organizations to get involved in, and I found the Eggplant FSU via social media,” Robertson says. “I had always loved writing, and I wanted to try and write comedy pieces, so I interviewed for a spot on Halloween day in my Cowboy Ken costume and they accepted me.”

Higdon and Robertson found their way to a vibrant community alongside other English majors. Not only have FSU’s comedy troupes helped to develop story building and writing skills, but these groups also provide an opportunity to strengthen creativity, forge lasting friendships, and explore yourself—all while having fun.

Once involved, a common notion is found among the participants. These are places where you are pushed out of your comfort zone to meet people, have unique interactions, and find within yourself a new level of creativity you may not have been able to find before.

“Comedy writing has become an opportunity to lose yourself to a form that I hadn’t found anywhere else,” says Sudarshan Sindhuvalli, a senior double majoring in English-Editing, Writing, and Media and political science, who is a member of Eggplant FSU.

Jared A. Smith, a junior double majoring in English-Editing, Writing, and Media and digital media production, echoes this sense of freedom and creativity.

“There have been countless times where [30in60 members and I] are going up to people on the street and promoting our show with a ton of energy,” says Smith, who also is president of White Mouse Productions. “So, I’m not really afraid to break the ice in class.”

The organizations are a supportive environment for many new ideas.

“You pitch so many sketches over the course of our rehearsal process, and you know they’re not all going to get in. But it doesn’t really matter,” Smith explains. “I have so much fun doing sketches, even ones I know are only going to be funny that day. We work in a medium where we just play and shape it into more fun versions of itself for an audience.

Mason Cruse, a sophomore English-Creative Writing major is a member of both FNL and 30in60, and he expresses a similar sentiment.

“It helps with the creative process. I go to improv jams as well and coming up with rapid, funny ideas is so much easier because of them,” Cruse says. “There’s also a lack of judgment, or encouragement of silly things.”

Improvisation is a key factor for how NoBearsAllowed has influenced its members.

“No Bears has given me a space to get out of my head and trust my intuition,” says Dylan Fishman, a senior who is majoring in English-Creative Writing. “The environment is so goofy and but there’s also a lot of craft behind it. We’re trying to make each other laugh, but more importantly, we’re trying to tell a story, which is my favorite aspect.”

The creative expression found in the organizations aids writing for class assignments as well, through the practices of storytelling techniques, reviewing each other’s work, and breaking from the norm.

“I’ve learned a lot from watching the subtlest character choice or relationship spark an entire chain of events that left everyone waiting to see what happened next,” Fishman says. “Now when writing, I try to use a similar method of letting my characters drive the story rather than the plot.”

Structure is an important part of weaving a tale, says 30in60 president Espen Brante, a senior who is double majoring in English-Creative Writing and music, and writing sketches has helped him learn new ways to build them. He also is a member of the musical trio Extra Legroom.

“The basic idea of a joke is a set-up and a punchline,” he adds, “and I think being able to explore the world of sketch making has helped me with creative writing tenfold.”

Getting feedback and constructive criticism is crucial for refining the final product, and there's no better source than other authors.

“A lot of my fellow cast members are writers, so we tend to peer review each other’s class work or freelance work,” Higdon says.

Beyond the practical benefits of being in one of these student organizations, members talk about the sentimental reasons for why these troupes are so beloved.

“I have built the best, most priceless friendships in these troupes, and I am so grateful for each and every one of these different personalities that are brought together under comedy,” Higdon says.

The people who make up these organizations and the friendships that are created through them have become what members cherish the most.

“I love getting to work with a team of good, funny people,” Sindhuvalli says. “Getting to picnic on Landis every week—if Tallahassee weather permits—while pitching fun ideas for the following week builds a good sense of community. It’s that community which makes it even more rewarding when our posts do well, as it’s something we built together.”

Through spending time within these groups, many have found their cup of tea or a way to relax and have fun.

“My favorite part of it is just the thought that no matter how my day has been, I get to end Mondays and Wednesdays with some of the funniest folks this side of the Mississippi,” Brante says. “It’s been a supportive environment for creativity but also just in general.”

Brante’s enthusiasm for 30in60 is reflected among other comedy group participants, emphasizing a welcoming atmosphere that encourages others to express themselves at all levels. Many people Espen encounters when discussing 30in60 often express sentiments like, “I could never do that,” but he assures them that they can.

“30in60 gets plenty of people without stage experience but every single person has their own style of humor that just shines when we all get together,” Brante says. “30in60 has been with me all 4 years of my college life, no matter when you get involved, you can consider yourself lucky to be a part of such a silly and goofy time.”

Numerous ways are available to get involved with an organization, and members stress that even if a person is not feeling confident enough to participate and perform, attending a show is a fantastic way to have fun.

“I want others to know about 30in60’s shows and that we hold auditions every semester,” Cruse says. “When we have booths at Market Wednesday or anything like that, people move away from us, scared we will make them laugh. As for FNL, I would say we have roles for everyone. Writers and performers, yes, but also costuming, film, and sound.”

If you would like more information, please check out the following Instagram accounts: Friday Night Live, No Bears Allowed, 30in60, and Eggplant FSU.

Emily Wilmot is an English-Editing, Writing, and Media major, with a minor in economics.

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