With a name like Glaundor, even members of the student-run improvisational comedy group admits that their name is a bit ambiguous.
“There are many speculations as to where, and what, a Glaundor may be,” said BFA-Acting junior and one of several founding members Kevin Lusignolo.
According to the guys behind Glaundor, their name has many meanings — a Glaundor is a new species of shrimp that was recently discovered in the deep blue sea; it could also be an extinct bird. Maybe it’s a name that people once used to refer to senior citizens back in the 1600s. In Greek mythology, they said, a Glaundor was a winged man with the face of a bear, the legs of a pig and the torso of a man.
As thought-provoking as the name may be, they’re much more eager to practice their comedy chops and keep everybody laughing. As members of an improvisational comedy troupe, their mission statement is simple: To entertain and to have fun.
They also wish to rule the world, but “that’s a little bit further down the line,” Lusignolo said.
Since Glaundor’s conception last year, the group has experienced success and often collaborates with other improv groups from the Houston area. The troupe has also become a part of the comedy night at 2016 Mainstage every Wednesday night.
Improvisational comedy is a form of entertainment that seems to be off the radar for most people, with the exception of the popular television show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?,” which ended its on-air tenure in 2004. Differing from the three- to four-minute sketches of “Whose Line?,” Glaundor creates a 25-minute performance from a single word or phrase the audience suggests.
The idea of improv comedy might be more than a little nerve-wracking for most students, but the members of Glaundor find the uncertainty to be the most exciting part of the process.
Garrett said the biggest difference between performing improv and performing a scripted show is insecurity — “insecurity out the wazoo,” to be exact. However, the uncertainty seems to be balanced by the dynamic of working in an ensemble, learning from each other and developing relationships.
The men of Glaundor are slated to present their next show, “Hungry Hungry Glaundor” at 8 p.m. on Saturday in Studio 208 of the Cynthia Woods Mitchell Center. The show is a benefit for the Houston Food Bank and admission is a single can of food to be donated to the Food Bank.
