Charles Wright Students Take Top Prize at Improv Tournament

UPPER SCHOOLERS CROWNED IMPROV COMEDY CHAMPIONS AT SEATTLE TOURNAMENT

Tacoma, Wash. – Charles Wright’s Challengers of the Improv-ssible—a comedy troupe of Upper Schoolers mentored by alumni and performing arts teacher John Forier—won first place at the 2014 Jet City Improv High School Seattle Open on Sunday, March 16.

Besting improv groups from 11 other schools over the course of three rounds spanning two weekends, the Challengers are now the best high school improv team in western Washington as per Seattle’s Jet City Improv, a comedy organization celebrating its 21st year and located north of the University District. The Seattle Open is the largest high school improv tournament in the Pacific Northwest. Along with the championship trophy, the team was invited to perform with the with the Jet City comedians at the organization’s annual benefit in June.

Nathan Young ’14, Andrew Williams ’14, Blake Meadowcroft ’14, Ken Yang ’16, Teddy Grenley ’15, Ricci Valice ’15, Sean Gorman ’15, Johnny Hammer ’16, and Amanda McLean ’16 comprise the winning group (as does Kerr Forier ’26, who may or may not have made a cameo as a prop in the group’s final scene during the final round). Alumni Dylan Twiner '06 (who now teaches in the CWA performing arts department), Sam Duchin ’06, and Ryan Beard ’06 helped as coaches and mentors. “They just knocked it out of the park,” John Forier said of the Challengers. “Every kid there had a shining moment, and they were the consummate ensemble as well.”