BWW Interviews: OSU's 8th Floor Improv Encourages Audiences to Get Social with THE FACEBOOK SHOW

Social media mingling and improvisational theater combine in "The Facebook Show," an interactive performance presented by 8th Floor Improv, a comedy group made up of students attending The Ohio State University in Columbus, Ohio.

"The Facebook Show," which is scheduled to be presented in the U.S. Bank Conference Theater in the Ohio Union on Friday, August 29 at 6:30 p.m. and 9 p.m., is the first show of 8th Floor Improv's 2014 - 2015 season.

"We are actually celebrating our 11th year as an organization here on Ohio State's campus this year," said Alex Barnes, president of 8th Floor Improv. "We really celebrate the spirit of our group and what we do and how much we've grown over these 11 years of existing."

Barnes, a senior at OSU who has been a member of 8th Floor Improv for four years, said "The Facebook Show" is an annual show performed by the group.

"The reason we keep doing ('The Facebook Show') is because just how prevalent social media has become in basically everyone's life," he said.

"The Facebook Show" begins with audience members volunteering the use of their Facebook profiles to be used as digital inspiration boards for the 18-member 8th Floor Improv cast.

"We have a projector and a screen and we are going to put up (a profile) on display, go through it, look at trends, old Facebook videos and profile pictures, statuses (and) likes," Barnes said. "That is our inspiration for 20 to 25 minutes of improvised sets about what we all saw on (an audience member's) Facebook page."

Barnes said the use of a Facebook page provides the cast with a variety of themes to highlight during the show.

"We are learning about a person, but because they have had this (profile) for years and years, we've got hundreds of posts and hundreds of pictures to go through," he said. "It is fun to just explore that and see just how funny some of those past things can be."

Tickets for "The Facebook Show" are $5 and can be purchased at the door after 5 p.m. Guests may also request tickets in advance from 8thfloortickets@gmail.com.

Like all 8th Floor Improv Shows, proceeds from "The Facebook Show" benefit the Bellwether Improv Festival, a two-night event hosted at OSU featuring performances from national collegiate and professional improvisational theater companies.

The Bellwether Improv Festival is scheduled for Friday, October 3 and Saturday, October 4.

For more information regarding upcoming 8th Floor Improv shows, the Bellwether Improv Festival and upcoming auditions for interested OSU students, visit www.8thfloorimprov.com.

The U.S. Bank Conference Theater is located on the first floor of the Ohio Union, 1739 N. High St.

Photo Credit: Lisa Navarro

Logo Credit: 8th Floor Improv

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