A packed room of students eagerly volunteered as tribute to watch a weekend of the Montclair State University Players’ anticipated event, The Hunger M.I.L.F.S. The Montclair Improv League and Friends came together on Dec. 2 to perform 10 improv games, which other students had the privilege of observing and contributing to as the M.I.L.F.S battled it out for laughs.
Audience members react to a scene being played by some of the M.I.L.F.S.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
Students erupted in applause and cheers as senior theatre studies major Maggie Aube, the show’s director, kicked off the event with a “Hunger Games” themed video. She appeared on screen in true Effie Trinket fashion to introduce the participating M.I.L.F.S.
Allie Volltrauer, a sophomore theatre studies major, walks down the aisle as Maggie Aube introduces her.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
This included junior film and television major Daniel Amorim, senior filmmaking major Ethan Russo, freshman business administration major with a concentration in finance Ronen Bas, sophomore psychology major Connie Stapleton, senior family science and human development major Angela Rose Massa, sophomore theatre studies major Allie Volltrauer, sophomore illustration major Natalya “Artemys” Kozlovski, freshman theatre studies major Jalen Jones, freshman sports communication major Will Barnes, junior theatre studies major Allie McGowan, sophomore visual arts major Grace La Vergne and senior English major Harry Reiher.
Will Barnes, a freshman sports communication major, reads the next plot out loud so other M.I.L.F.S knows what to perform.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
Each time, a different M.I.L.F. would explain the rules of the upcoming game before randomly drawing other M.I.L.F.S’ names to participate along with them. These games ranged in rules, from delivering award-worthy monologues in “Go For The Oscar” to singing about an audience member’s problems in “Doowop.”
An audience member laughs while the M.I.L.F.S finish singing a song about him.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
But with names being chosen at random, as well as “scene-spiration” being taken from the crowd’s wild suggestions, the cast had no way of knowing what character or plot they’d have to work with. This led to amusingly absurd scenes like pretending to be a bar of soap on a dating show, a robot-butterfly in disguise, a person that just consumed an alarming number of Scrub Daddies and many more unimaginable roles.
From left to right, Harry Reiher, a senior English major, and Daniel Amorim, a junior film and television major, act out a scene.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
The M.I.L.F.S showed no trouble stepping up to the plate, though, as they took ludicrous prompts and made them all the more laughable and nonsensical. This is what makes improv successful and fun, according to Stapleton, who runs with whatever pops into her head.
Connie Stapleton, a sophomore psychology major, and Jalen Jones, a freshman theatre studies major, perform in a scene together with other M.I.L.F.S.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
“I find it’s really the funniest and most creative when you really try to go big with the scenes,” Stapleton said. “When you really just try to make things super crazy and really out of the box.”
(left to right): Angela Rose Massa, a senior family science and human development major, Allie McGowan, a junior theatre studies major, and Ronen Bas, a freshman business administration major with a concentration in finance, perform in a scene together.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
Though she adores improv itself and the creative process that goes with it, Stapleton loves the people she worked with even more.
From left to right, Ronen Bas, a freshman business administration major with a concentration in finance, and Maggie Aube, a senior theatre studies major and the show’s director, sing with the crowd and other M.I.L.F.S during the show.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
“The people that I’m surrounded by constantly are really what make it worth doing,” Stapleton said. “And seeing how their comedy differs from mine, seeing what characters they think of and also just forming bonds with these people and getting to know them more.”
Ronen Bas, a freshman business administration major with a concentration in finance, and Daniel Amorim, a junior film and television major, perform a golf scene.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
From left to right, Allie Volltrauer, a sophomore theatre studies major, and Angela Rose Massa, a senior family science and human development major, perform in one of the scenes.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
These relationships are built during the rehearsal process. Despite dialogue and acting being done on the spot, The Hunger M.I.L.F.S still took a lot of preparation. This included rehearsal four times a week where the students would repeatedly play the same improv games to develop an understanding of their rules, according to Aube.
Allie Volltrauer, a sophomore theatre studies major, and Allie McGowan, a junior theatre studies major, perform a scene together.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
“We work on new characters,” Aube said. “We work on how to say yes with each other. We work on listening skills, taking risks. And then usually I give one-on-ones to each member of the cast, telling them what I like and what I’d like to see more of in them. Then they implement that as the rest of the rehearsal process goes, and they really just start to bond together.”
From left to right, Allie Volltrauer, a sophomore theatre studies major, and Jalen Jones, a freshman theatre studies major, play in the last performance of the show with the rest of the M.I.L.F.S.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
The close-knit relationships were evident as the M.I.L.F.S seamlessly quipped off one another, highlighting individual talent as well as the dedication they have to learning and having fun with one another.
An audience member sits in a chair while Jalen Jones, a freshman theatre studies major, sings to him.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
It was certainly enjoyable to witness for those in the audience who didn’t hold back from making themselves more involved in the night, whether that meant shouting out scene ideas, volunteering to be pulled up to the front of the room or simply letting their laughter be heard. For many, like sophomore family science and human development major Courtney Mincolelli, it meant cheering for the cast.
Will Barnes, a freshman sports communication major, shouts during a scene.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
“My favorite part was honestly just seeing my friends in the show,” Mincolelli said. “I know M.I.L.F. is something that they really love, and M.I.L.F. is a huge part of Players that a bunch of people come out to see. So it was really nice just seeing it after knowing there were months of work going into it.”
(left to right): Harry Reiher, a senior English major, and Allie McGowan, a junior theatre studies major, perform together.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
McGowan, whose presence in scenes garnered some of the night’s most memorable moments and biggest laughs, hopes the experience gave the audience a lot to walk away with.
Allie McGowan, a junior theatre studies major, lies on the table pretending to be dead while other M.I.L.F.S attend her funeral.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
“I hope the audience feels like they have just went through a roller coaster of emotions and that they feel content and happy,” McGowan said.
Harry Reiher, a senior English major, performs in one of the last scenes of the show.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
Aube shared a similar goal for the audience, but for the M.I.L.F.S themselves, she wanted them to have fun as a group throughout the process.
All of the M.I.L.F.S come together at the end of the improv performances.
Lynise Olivacce | The Montclarion
“It’s really nice to see them get the recognition that I think they deserve,” Aube said. “I couldn’t thank the [Student Government Association (SGA)] and the community of Montclair [State] more for coming out, and it just makes me feel really good. It makes me very proud of not only my M.I.L.F.S but Players as a whole.”
