OCC Teams to Compete for Laughs : Comedy: The college hosts an evening of improvisational dueling tonight. It is called ‘theatre sport’ or ‘full-contact theatre.’

It used to be that the audience was the only competition facing anyone brave enough to tackle improvisation. Some joker in the crowd would try to stump you by shouting out an improbable situation, and if you could run with it, the game was won.

But now, performers have to beat each other as well. A recent twist in improvisation pits team against team in much the same way as a sporting event. Opponents dress in uniforms, referees watch for fouls, judges keep score and cheerleaders scream from the sidelines.

The professionals call it “theatre sport.” Orange Coast College, which offers an evening of improvisational dueling tonight, calls it “full-contact theatre.” Two teams--the Running Grunion and the Wombats--made up of 20 OCC drama students, will compete in the campus’s first such event.

Alex Golson, an OCC instructor who teaches improvisation techniques and directs the show, said that competitive theater is a growing feature on the improvisation circuit.

“There are theaters in several places, including San Francisco and Los Angeles,” he said. “The Ice House (in Pasadena) puts them on. I guess they work because they can be fun for both the audience and the participants.

“If you like ice hockey or professional wrestling, you’ll love this production.”

He added that such improvisation recognizes America’s essentially competitive nature, as seen in our fascination with sports. “In our society, theater draws 50 people, while a sporting event can draw thousands,” he noted. “I think there’s an interest in cashing in on that. I mean, not many people may turn out to see (classic drama), but look how many people turn out for the Super Bowl.”

The format is simple, with teams tackling situations thrown out by the audience. Judges award points to the team that comes up with the better improvisation. There are segments involving tag-teams where one player can pass off to another when he or she is baffled. Referees can step in at any time to help move things along or assess fouls.

“The audience is actively involved,” Golson explained. “At times, members come out and act with the teams.” Strong language can result, though Golson said “that’s considered a foul and can result in a penalty.”

The performers, however, aren’t always at the crowd’s mercy. There are prearranged segments involving situations the cast has prepared for. Golson offered some examples: games such as Forward and Reverse, in which competitors try to retrace their steps in mid-improvisation; and Foreign Films, which requires team members to act out scenes from films while fellow players provide the dialogue.

Then there’s “the old 172,” which Golson said is probably the most difficult: “It’s like a joke setup that needs a punch line, like ‘If 172 blanks entered a bar and the bartender said “We don’t serve blanks here,” what would be your response to that?’

“It really can be hard, and I’d say it’s one of the situations everybody fears the most. But if it works, it’s great. Too bad it doesn’t always work.”

Clearly, the biggest anxiety for anyone daring enough to take on the high-wire act of improvisation is blanking out, the equivalent of falling without a net. Besides facing challenges from the audience, there’s the problem of nervousness, which can cream any good intentions.

To minimize the risks, the performers practice intensively, using situations that are likely to come up. Most people, it seems, will respond to a suggestion for a topic in general ways. “Like if we ask for locations, we know that someone will probably say the waiting room at an airport. We think of the possibilities and then work on them,” Golson said.

But, he noted, you can’t be prepared for everything--not by a long shot.

“In that case, I just tell them not to worry about making fools of themselves and try to have a good time,” Golson said. “This is a good learning experience, because it builds confidence and gets them to think on their feet. Some are a little worried, but I think it will be fun.”

“Full-contact theatre” will be performed tonight at 8 and 10 at Orange Coast College’s Drama Lab theater, 2701 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa. Tickets: $4 and $5. Information: (714) 432-5880.