BURPEE'S SEEDY THEATRICAL COMPANY

Burpee's Seedy Theatrical Company began as an acting class taught by Kevin Hoggard during the 1979-80 school year.  Kevin, who had previous experience with improvisation, drew on the work of Spolin and others to introduce "the group" to the fundamental principles of improvisation.

 

The class never began with intentions of performing or of continuing as an ongoing troupe; but as they developed a repertoire of formats and critiquing their work, they quickly realized that they had something special. Kevin, who also performed the exercises with his students, stepped back from his role as director to create controlled anarchy - a group where all voices had equal obligation to give artistic feedback. (To this day, the process of thoroughly critiquing performances, as well as practices, continues to be a big part of the group.)

 

Original members of the class included a small group of students who left Denison before graduation, but the majority of the group remained.  Beth Schnelz, Jeff Yeager, Diana Sitter, Marnie Munger, Steve Carver, Misty Owens, Charlie Hartsock, John Terlesky, and John Zarchen comprised the class-turned-troupe.

 

With the announced departure of Kevin Hoggard the group's future was momentarily in question. A new administration expressed a neutral stance on improvisation as a significant facet of the Theatre Department (then called the Department of Theatre and Cinema).  With the loss of Hoggard, followed by a few students to graduation, the courageous decision was made to continue the group without departmental support (funds, faculty, or curricular involvement).

 

Now established as an official student organization under the DCGA, the group started performing regularly in the fall of 1980 and held its first auditions in the spring of 1981. The first auditioned class included Monica Bell, Katie Boughton, Steve Carell, and Elliot Mitchell, all class of '84.  They decided to audition only freshmen so that all members of the group had a chance to get maximum experience as their years progressed. Becoming a "Burp" became a four-year commitment. This led to the end-of-the-year tradition of "Out with the old, In with the new" show - one that consisted only of graduating seniors and and the year's new freshmen. These traditions continue today.

 

MEMBER RECORDS- *Names that are bolded denote members who are pursuing careers in comedy/ theatre/ film/ entertainment industry

​

ORIGINAL COMPANY 1979-1980
Dr. Kevin Hoggard (Chair, Department of Theatre & Cinema), Stephen Carver, David Greenham, Charles Hartsock*, Kelly Kimball, Marguerite Munger, Frances “Misty” Owens, Elizabeth Schnelz Rexroat, Dianna Sitter Edwards, John Terlesky*, Jeffrey Yagher, John Zarchen
-------------------------------------------

1981 Auditions
Monica Bell-Woodson, Katherine Boughton Burdiak, Steve Carell*, Elliot Mitchell

1982 Auditions
James Anderson*, Alexandra Moussouras McNamara, Todd Smith

1983 Auditions
Brian Bragg, Judson Curry, Anthea Daniels, Martha Donaldson Hennum, Robert Little, Katherine Lutjen Hauser

1984 Auditions
Anna Huckabee Tull, Peter Moses, Kevin Plunkett, Dana Washington

1985 Auditions
Anne Curry Coon, David Gaudet*, Thomas Koletas, Miles Smith

1986 Auditions
Bradford Cover*, Timothy Ewing, Lauren Kronish Klayman, Karen Moore Johnson

1987 Auditions
Ryan Glass, Stephen Knode, Bryan Lee, Patricia Rinaldi, Lisa Russell

1988 Auditions
Eric Franzon, Carter Holland, Chandra Ramey Postma, Richard Roland*

1989 Auditions
Katherine Denny Bowyer, Richard McKee, Robert Andrist Plourde*, Chad Whitney, Peter Zinn*

1990 Auditions
Jeffrey Archipley, William Stuart, Susan Vaughan Sims

1991 Auditions
Christopher Iven, Matthew Makman, John Neumann, Cheyanne Paris, Lynn Repasky Nieman

1992 Auditions
Trevett Allen, Ryan Dobbins, Anders Geering, Michael Meiners, Jackson Pellett,

Timothy Schory, Jeremy Waltmunson

1993 Auditions
Jamila Barnes-Luckett, Erin Boyles, Mark Evans Bryan*, Catherine Murphy, Matthew Thiemann

1994 Auditions
Philip Dean, Daniel Ewen*, Daniel Fiden, Jill Jeffrey*, George Rem Johannsen,

Jeremy Chad Jones, Tyler Korba, Roderick Gray Wilson

1995 Auditions
Daniel Hill, Joanne Michelle Kahlenberg, Megan Kellie, Jason Makman,

Emily Rogge, Megan Serpe, Katherine Suettinger

1996 Auditions
Randall Frey, William Alexander Haughton, Kristen Kordet, Peter Rees

1997 Auditions
James Kroll, Tracy Meyer, Michael Piper-Younie*

1998 Auditions
Timothy Allen, Lisa Diniz, Michael Jennings

1999 Auditions
Elizabeth Brammer, Thomas Hankinson, Sonia Kap, Erin Roberts, Matthew Roseman

2000 Auditions
Matthew Bolish*, Joseph Halaas, Kori Martodam

2001 Auditions
Katherine McKenna, Ashley Meade, Mark Soloff*, Jeffrey Smith

2002 Auditions
Craig Chosney, Emily Franzwa, Brian Giovanni, David McDonald, David Tyler

2003 Auditions
Charles Hauser*, Danielle Lebens, Drew Pannebecker

2004 Auditions
Jordan Fehr*, Ryan Lucas*, Christian Vernon

2005 Auditions
Ryan Ahlrich, Lindsay Hittner*, Matthew Coon, Alyson Thiel

2006 Auditions
Nicholas Bailey*, Evan Hill*, Joshua Mankoff, Amanda Moore, Michael Warshauer*, Joshua Zingg

2007 Auditions

Katie Dahm*, Tara Demmy*, Bobby McGlynn*

 

2008 Auditions

Elizabeth Gannon, Matt Matteri

 

2009 Auditions

Bob Ambrose, Kale Hills*, Brad Miller and Emaline Pryor

​

2010 Auditions

Ryan Fraser*, Cullen Marshal, Ellen Rosebrough, Kenny Wottrich

​

2011 Auditions

Meghan Callahan, Mike Herman, Grace McQueeny

​

2012 Auditions

Jacob Betts, Matt DeMotts, Zach Matek, Jill Weeks

​

2013 Auditions

Nia D'Emilio*, Matt Harmon*, Kate Ramsdell, Phoebe Thatcher

​

2014 Auditions

Natalie Kindler, Nick Salasky

​

2015 Auditions

Sara Hartsock*, Peter Malicky

-------

CURRENT COMPANY:

​

2016 Auditions

Maggie Chamberlain, Tommy McMaster, Megan Odell, Kate Piscetta

​

2017 Auditions

Atticus Daniels, Cierra King, Erin Stewart, Sarah Wilson

​

2018 Auditions

Sarah Hendricks, Lily LeLavanis, Quinn Lonergan, Anna Mae Murphy, Jordan Zelvin

​

2019 Auditions

COULD IT BE YOU?

​

​

​

​

​

​