LAHS’ first improv show of 2025 launched into excitement from the very beginning of the show. (Photo courtesy of LAHS newsletter)

LOS ALAMITOS, Calif. — LAHS’ first improv show of 2025 launched into excitement from the very beginning of the show. The audience erupted into a chorus of “Sweet Caroline” before the show even began. The seats were filled, and with snacks offered at the front, the anticipation was evident from the start of the performances. 

It was a wonderful night of fast-paced games, storytelling and minor jabs at improv member Evan Pagan’s love life. The 7 p.m. show lineup featured many fan favorites: Spencer Bystrom, Mya Bystrom, Timm Junge, Tom Curd, Trent Massey, Mason Kirk, Myles Zintl and Nick Allen. The students then split into two teams: Those with blue shirts was deemed “Sad and Ugly,” while the team with pink shirts was given the name “Trees” (although I was really rooting for “Batman”). This spectacular cast delivered an incredibly chaotic yet phenomenal show that entertained the audience.

Teams “Sad and Ugly” and “Trees” competed in an array of competitions that started strong with “Rock, Paper, Scissors or anything in the universe” — a game of traditional rock paper scissors with any added element of the players’ choosing. In the beginning, it appeared as if Kirk, a member of team “Trees” was going to come out on top, but we were proven wrong when he was bested by his formidable opponent, Junge. Eventually, this game ended — not with Rock, Paper, Scissors, but an unfortunate word that rhymes with “duck” and wasn’t exactly fit for polite company.

Team “Trees” killed it with another game called, “Good, Bad, Worse.” In this game, the audience received questionable advice from the actors who were playing the roles of Abraham Lincoln and a SoundCloud rapper.

Just when we thought things couldn’t get any crazier, the game “Four Square” proved the audience wrong. The actors were given the topics Taco Bell, cousins, home gym and retirement. The actors had to create a skit in pairs while randomly switching places whenever Mr. Barker yelled out a direction.

With that chaos behind the actors, it was time for team “Sad and Ugly” to face their next challenge, “Movie Director.” In this segment, Curd played the movie director (and Kim Kardashian?) who critiqued the performance of Junge, Mya Bystrom and Spencer Bystrom, who were stealing candy from a baby. The entertainers were directed to play bizarre roles that ranged from European accents to little green men. Although the accents may have been questionable, the commitment was undeniable.

After plenty of laughs, we moved on to the next game, “Human Props,” a game where two players had to play objects in a skit. This game had the audience captivated by a tale of a zip-lining adventure and ornithophobia. 

Intermission brought snacks and raffle tickets before the show resumed with an “Experts” segment on football and a “Chain Murder Mystery” that somehow went from Starbucks, lawyer and baguette, to an office, lumberjack, and a hot dog.

The night closed with. two final games to remember. The first game was “Talk Show,” which had the teams work in pairs while discussing Sea World, and “seaing the world” while having to finish each other’s sentences or speak simultaneously. The final game was “Hey, Waiter,” where several puns stole the show.

Overall, the night was incredible, filled with witty remarks, unexpected twists and an enthusiastic crowd that matched the performers’ energy. If this is any indication of what LAHS’ 2025 improv season will look like, we are in for a fantastic year.