Watch out for Oncoming Traffic
Take a crash course in comedy when Oncoming Traffic performs Thursday at the Warehouse. Photo courtesy of Oncoming Traffic
by Taylor Anne Williams November 17, 2003
In the low lit and intimate setting of the Warehouse, Oncoming Traffic cast members prepare for an arduous event. Entirely student run, the group fixes light and sound problems before collecting its thoughts backstage. The music cues in, and no one can sit still for the next two hours.
In the low lit and intimate setting of the Warehouse, Oncoming Traffic cast members prepare for an arduous event. Entirely student run, the group fixes light and sound problems before collecting its thoughts backstage. The music cues in, and no one can sit still for the next two hours.
"Everyone from around the world was there and laughing, so you feel like part of the show," Oncoming Traffic creator and director Parks said. "If you're watching a movie or a play, it is just something that someone else has already created. In improv, it's your idea, your line and you are part of the creative process."
Oncoming Traffic has regular shows at the Warehouse, which makes for a pleasant and relaxed evening of live entertainment. The group has a rotating cast of 15, but approximately seven act in each show. Experience with theatre and comedy varies, but each group member brings his or her own brand of comedy to the stage.
The group became solid after Parks registered Oncoming Traffic as a student organization and developed a cast through flyer advertisements. Its popularity spread and drew a large crowd to the Warehouse on a slower night. Since then, the troupe regularly performs to Tallahassee residents in need of spicy humor.
"Without them we'd just be a bunch of actors with no scripts, recklessly throwing ourselves on stage for our own personal enjoyment," sophomore cast member Megan Gotz said. "Laughter keeps you sane and lightens the mood, so it's really important to thank them."
Oncoming Traffic's shows are comprised of audience-based games that the troupe has borrowed from its favorite acts. Taking 16 games from various improv acts and shows like "Whose Line is it Anyway?," Oncoming Traffic exudes energy for its two 45 minutes sets. Though this group is nothing but fun, it takes the responsibility of making laughter very seriously.
"There is so much responsibility, fear, anger, hostility and dismay in the world," stage manager Tatiana Arias said. "If we can make 50 people forget about it and simply enjoy being alive, our job is complete."
Setting laughter as its main priority, Oncoming Traffic is a group of students that inadvertently became Tallahassee's comedic monopoly. Dry wit and outrageous scenarios bring the cast together for dynamic performances. Making the most of everything, an evening with Oncoming Traffic puts a little kick in a regular Tallahassee night.
Find more information at www.oncomingtraffic.net.
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