Two Horned Frogs light up the stage with humor when they perform with Four Day Weekend, an improvisational comedy troupe in downtown Fort Worth.Steve Rupp and Carla Stoltenberg are part of Four Day Weekend’s masters class, which makes them eligible to perform on Thursdays, Stoltenberg said.

“The first thought was, ‘Wow, this is awesome,'” Rupp, a senior psychology major, said regarding his first performance at Four Day Weekend. “To look out and see a crowd full of people just there to watch you is an awe-inspiring experience. Just wow.”

Stoltenberg, a senior English major, had a similar experience and said she was not very nervous during her first performance.

“It was not as intimidating as my first show at TCU, but it was different because it kind of meant more to me,” Stoltenberg said. “This was kind of a semi-professional deal.”

Before being recruited by Four Day Weekend, both Rupp and Stoltenberg were a part of Senseless Acts of Comedy, an improvisation group at TCU. It was while improvising with SAC that they decided to take classes with Four Day Weekend and were soon asked to perform.

Rupp said despite being the class clown in junior high, he was never trained in improvisation until he reached college and learned about SAC.

“When you’re a lonely freshman, I suppose you kind of look for things to fill the time outside of (class), like meeting new people,” Rupp said. “You kind of want to get involved.”

Stoltenberg, on the other hand, said she had always been passionate about improvisation and used to improvise as a kid. She continued this in high school and was also involved in an improv group there.

“I was always coming up with goofy ideas,” she said. “I don’t think I watched enough TV, so I kind of had to make my own fun.”

Stoltenberg said she first heard about SAC during freshman orientation.

“The first semester they put all the new people in the sketch group,” she said with a smile. “Then we had auditions and I got it.”

Michael Flusche, president of SAC, said it was great working with Rupp and Stoltenberg.

“I developed a really good friendship with both of them,” Flusche said. “They are obviously talented at what they do, so that made it exciting to perform on stage with them.”

Rupp said he liked to perform alone in junior high because it was a creative endeavor and no one else would be responsible for the success or failure.

“But now, I look at comedy as a team sport where you cannot just be the wide receiver demanding the ends of dollars,” he said. “You have to be someone who is in it for the love of the sport and who wants the entire team to succeed.”

Rupp said he was nervous during his first SAC show and he barely went out, but soon realized that the more he kept himself behind the stage, the more nervous he became. Going out on the stage, on the other hand, gave him confidence, he said.

“It’s almost like the stage lights for me had a calming effect in a weird way,” he said.

Despite the shaky start, Rupp said, he quickly learned what appeals to an audience.

“As I become more and more experienced, I have been able to focus myself more and more quickly,” he said. “It’s like the longer you’re in the light, the more acclimated you become, like tanning,” Rupp said.

Stoltenberg said she had a similar debut experience.

“Oh, my God! The first I performed at TCU I was so nervous, ’cause I was a freshman,” she said, laughing.

However, after the first few scenes, she said, she became comfortable with the stage.

“I don’t get nervous anymore,” she said.

Rupp said being a psychology major helps him to understand the audience better.

“You learn how different people have different ways of thinking, which gives you insight into what a character might be thinking,” he said.

Stoltenberg said she thinks her English major will help her get a job related to comedy since she can always write a comical script for a show.

“I definitely take improvising seriously,” Stoltenberg said.

Both Rupp and Stoltenberg said they were unable to continue with SAC because of their commitment to Four Day Weekend. Both improvisational groups perform on Thursday nights. However, both members credit SAC for giving them the confidence to face audiences like the ones at Four Day Weekend.

If you’re interested in going:

FOUR DAY WEEKEND
MASTERS CLASS
PERFORMANCE
WHEN: Thursdays 8 p.m.
TICKETS: $5
WHERE: Sundance Square
312 Houston St.

FOUR DAY WEEKEND
WHEN: Fridays and Saturdays
7 p.m. and 10 p.m.
TICKETS: $20
WHERE: Sundance Square
312 Houston St.

SENSELESS ACTS OF COMEDY
WHEN: Thursdays 9 p.m.
TICKETS: Free
WHERE: Palko Hall, Room 130

To contact
Four Day Weekend
Phone: (817) 226-4DAY
E-mail: [email protected]
Web Site: www.fourdayweekend.com