The Troupe Club is a student-led organization at Wright State University that allows all students with a love for theater and the arts to perform and grow together, as well as express themselves, regardless of majors.
What is Troupe?
The Troupe club’s main focus is acting, whether it be theater acting, improv or other forms. It is a chance for students to express themselves creatively, without judgement.
In past years, there was only one weekly meeting. However, this year they have expanded to having meetings on Mondays and Thursdays, that way each meeting could have a specific focus.
Mondays are more family friendly and beginner friendly, whereas Thursdays are more for active members to really explore their acting skills. Troupe Vice President Dalys Tice shared what he thinks is so special about Troupe and how it is set apart from other theater clubs.
“I truly believe anyone can act. The club is open to all students, no matter the major. [It is] also open to staff if they want to participate. [We have] had one professor so far,” Tice said.
One of the main foundations of the organization is inclusivity. The club is run by students, for students. There is a lot to do with the arts in Dayton, but most of the time non-theater majors are barred from these experiences.
In addition to all students being able to join, all students are also able to apply for any managing positions within the club. For students who are interested in acting and want to check out the club but are scared, you can attend meetings and just watch others perform. You never have to perform if you are not comfortable with it.
Club events
Although there is some differentiation between Monday meetings and Thursday meetings, students are still welcome to both, and they follow the same sort of schedule.
Meetings mostly consist of improv exercises and acting games, most of which are thought of by Sylvia Horstman, the game maker for Troupe.
“As the game maker, I am in charge of a lot of the day-to-day aspects of the club, like planning our schedules. I love seeing one of the games I create flourish, like ‘I am a Tree,’ which is a more physically involved game,” Horstman said.
In addition to weekly meetings, the Troupe club also puts on their own independent shows. The number of live shows depends on their budget, but they try to do 1-2 major productions each semester and one small show every month.
“If we want to do a show and we have the budget for it, [we are] going to do it. [It is] nice having the freedom to make those decisions, as a student-led organization,” Tice said.
When a live show is coming up, the weekly meetings are used as rehearsal time, rather than playing their typical games.
Purpose of the club
Troupe President Joey Sodergren shared a little bit about what sets Troupe apart from other organizations.
“We [do not] take it too seriously. We are very committed to goofing off. I joined Troupe back in the fall of 2020, which was when things were still shut down from Covid, and this club became an outlet. [It is] set up to be a learning experience,” Sodergren said.
Students do not need experience to be a part of the club. The point of Troupe is to try and take away the pressure of acting so students can lean into their passion for the arts without the performance anxiety.
“My favorite thing about Troupe is seeing the transformations in new members. We get to watch them build confidence and become more relaxed with performing, [it is] really amazing to see,” Tice said.
If you are interested in acting and theater but are not sure how to get involved with it on campus, be sure to attend one of the Troupe club’s meetings in the future.
