For the past four years, Purdue North Central’s Ranting Llamas Improv Troupe has been bringing laughs to the stage of the Mainstreet Theatre in Michigan City as part of the Canterbury Winter Series, while at the same time benefiting local organizations and charities in need.
They continue their tradition with a special Halloween-themed show from 7 to 9 p.m. Friday.
Junior Rachel Rogers, who serves at the troupe’s president, says that audiences always have a good time. “Our audience can expect a lot of laughter and a lot of on-the-spot comedy. We aren’t even sure what we’ll do when we’re up there,” Rogers said.
The troupe is composed of students from Purdue North Central with a variety of backgrounds and majors, Roger said. “We are all students at PNC and we came together a few years back. There are about 15 of us this semester. We’re small but we pack a wallop. I’m a business major but we have majors in communications, biology, English and this is one thing that brings us all together — comedy,” she said.
“We want to bring something to our community. We all enjoy making people laugh and helping others with what we do and we have common interests in making people laugh, so we donate all of our proceeds to a different charity after each performance. We like to keep the funds local. In the past we’ve donated to the Humane Society, a couple of local cancer research organizations, and this year our proceeds to go to the LaPorte County United Way,” Rogers said.
Heather Augustyn is a freelance writer.
Ranting Llamas Improv Troupe
7-9 p.m. Friday
Mainstreet Theatre, 807 N. Franklin St., Michigan City
Tickets: $5
Information: 219-874-4269 or festivalplayersguild.org/Shows/Details/?Llamas2015