Stand-up comedy group The ’Nell Party and improv group We Brake for Nobody joined forces on April 21 in a comedy show called “We Brake for ’Nell Party.”

Comedy groups have become particularly popular on campus this year. The ’Nell Party went from hosting a show in the intimate setting of Coleman Hall’s International Commons last year to filling Trout Auditorium past its capacity in its most recent shows this semester. The event on April 21 took place in the Harvey M. Powers Theatre, which accommodates more people. Students did not disappoint, as every seat was filled in the theater and on the balcony.

Troy Schwab ’19 attributes the increase in student attendance “to individuals who have a passion for comedy, and who are willing to put time into something that they love.”

Hosted by Will Sisto ’16 and Shiri Levine ’16, the show alternated between the two comedy groups, integrating both individual stand-up acts with group improv “games” that involved audience participation.

The ’Nell Party brought a new face, Tom Bonan ’17,  into the mix, and also featured some familiar faces including the club president Tom Murphy ’17, Bridget Shaffrey ’17, and Schwab.

The upperclassmen in We Brake for Nobody played most of the improv “games” and incorporated the underclassmen in faux audience participation. The whole group participated in the final game, in which players generated sexual innuendos about household objects on the spot.

“The main idea was to create a positive comedy culture on campus by having both groups come together and showcase their different styles,” Levine said.

“I loved working with We Brake and I think that it’s definitely something we are interested in doing again. Blending improv and stand up into a single show turned out to work fairly well, and the audience really seemed to enjoy it,” Schwab said. 

Levine echoed this sentiment.

“I think it went really well! The audience was great and the energy was strong throughout the show. Both groups were hilarious. After last night, it’s looking like it will most likely happen again and become an annual event,” Levine said.  

“I think combining both groups went very well. It was super awesome to have different types of comedy in one place. I think these comedy groups on campus are great because it gives people a chance to go and just laugh for an hour, and nothing is better than that,” Ben Gerber ’18, a member of both the ’Nell Party and We Brake for Nobody, said.

“I’m really pleased with the way our joint show turned out. Both groups brought stellar performances and the combination worked very well. I think both groups would definitely love to put on again in the future,”  Murphy said.