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By Angela Decker December 04. 2014 6:35PM Acting without a net The "On the Fly Improv" players are, from left, Kate Sullivan, Mike Wills, Cat Gould, Rochelle Webster, Kirk McKenzie and Daniel Jokelson. Courtesy photo Improv acting is terrific fun for audiences and players, but its not for the faint-of-heart performer. Like a trapeze artist without a net, improv (short for improvisational) actors perform without a script. “You never know what's going to happen and that is what makes improv shows so much fun,” said actor and director Mike Wills of Ashland's “On the Fly Improv” troupe. The On the Fly returns Friday with their holiday show at the Havurah Shir Hadash, “A Hair Rolled Experience 2: Un-Permed.” In the one-night-only show, the six performers, Cat Gould, Daniel Jokelson, Kirk McKenzie, Kate Sullivan, Rochelle Webster and Mike Wills, spin ideas from the audience into never-before-seen skits that will never be seen again.  Wills observes that the beauty of improv is in that moment of creativity when the actors work together to turn a simple prompt into a story. “There are times when, without saying much, we are in communication with our partners. It's kind of a dance and when it works, there is no greater feeling,” he said. “When it doesn't work, that's pretty great too,” added Wills. “In improv, mistakes are embraced. Those times when the skit goes a little off are often the funniest and the best,” he said. “It's like Nascar, people kind of want to see something go wrong.”  There are very few rules when it comes to improvisation, but most scenes are anchored by the idea of “yes, and ...” in which the improvisers accept the ideas of their teammates and add on to them. For example, if one actor tells another her shoe is untied, then that actor must accept it and do something related to her untied shoe. “Accepting what is offered is the golden rule of improv,” says Wills. “Without it, scenes just don't work well.”  The “On the Fly Players” is a tight-knit group that has been getting together for the last two years to practice and put on an occasional show. Before a public performance they meet weekly to rehearse. Wills says rehearsing for improv is kind of an oxymoron, but it helps keep the actors on their toes. “We have to be ready for anything the audience throws at us. We play improv games and try out some prompts. Mostly, we just have a good time,” he said.  The scary aspect of improv, being on stage without knowing what is going to happen, is also the best aspect, says Wills. “It's a performance art, a chance to let go and take the world as it comes. The first time you do improv, it is terrifying, but you also get a rush out of it,” said Wills. “It takes a special kind of crazy.”  The audience can expect to get a similar kind of rush. “The audience is part of the show, and there's a relationship that happens between us. The prompts, whether holiday-themed or not, reflect the audience in a way. That's the X-factor. Whatever the audience is feeling comes out in the scene and it can be wild and funny without even trying,” he said. Wills encourages folks unfamiliar with improv to give it a try. “It's a great escape, and a great way to stretch a little out of your comfort zone,” he said. A beginning improv group meets to practice and play at the Ashland Library on Sundays from 3 to 5 p.m. in the Gresham Room. “A Hair-Rolled Experience 2” begins at 8 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Havurah Shir Hadash at 185 N. Mountain Ave., Ashland. The event benefits the Havurah.  A $5 to $10 donation is suggested. For more information, visit the “On the Fly” Facebook page at facebook.com/ImprovOnTheFly.  Angela Decker is a freelance writer in Ashland and can be reached at [email protected].   http://www.dailytidings.com/article/20141204/NEWS/141209899 © 2015 Copyright © 1995-2011 Crain Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. Terms of Use Privacy Statement -->