By Anna Raboin
Staff Writer

It’s another season for the Westford Improv Troupe, nicknamed WIT. This group that keeps everyone laughing for little or no money is back again this year with new faces and new talent.

For those at Westford Academy who aren’t familiar with WIT, it’s Westford Academy’s improv troupe. Many times during the year, the group of students in WIT put on a show in the black box theater after school, and they always cost $2 or under. The shows feature scenarios similar to those shown on the popular show “Who’s Line is it Anyway?” and the cast also includes their own improv games. Always on their toes, the WIT cast has a lot of talent and a lot of surprises.

On September 22nd, this year’s auditions for a spot in WIT took place. Seniors Rachel Weinstock, Paul Perrone, and Mark Fingerhut chose the cast out of many who auditioned. According to Fingerhut, close to twenty freshmen auditioned, and choosing which to cast in WIT was extremely difficult. “…they were all really good,” explained Fingerhut, “…but we had to pick 2 or 3 of them.”

Nick Nudler was one of the lucky freshmen that was cast by Weinstock, Perrone, and Fingerhut.

Nudler said, “It’s really cool…just getting into [WATA]…it’s fun.”

Nudler has had extensive experience in improv before WIT. He has participated in improv troupes from Arlington and Boston, but he thinks that Westford’s has a more professional feeling to it. In addition to improv, he’s been a part of several theater groups from many places in Massachusetts.

“I just gotta be random and spontaneous, and just think on my feet. And I feel like I’m kinda good at that,” says Nudler.

Christie Basinas, a senior, first auditioned for WIT as a freshman. The summer before her first audition, Basinas took classes and experienced improv at SSPA, the summer school for kids involved with WATA. Her interest was sparked, and now she is still a performing with WIT as a senior.

“Before the show, all the players come together…sometimes we’ll do warm-ups,…sometimes we’ll just take total zen moments. Then for the show…we play Party Quirks…other times we’ll switch it up; we go with complete freestyle,” says Basinas.

Basinas says that the shows are so cheap because the money is only used to profit the members of WIT.

“You can honestly go around at lunch, go around to 8 different people. Be like, ‘Can I borrow a quarter?…Can I borrow a quarter…?’” said Basinas.

In summing up what it takes to be a part of WIT, Fingerhut said, “You can’t be afraid of being in front of people, and that’s pretty much it. You don’t really have to be anything special.”