The Lee County Flannel Club isn't a group of people who talk about flannel, but a group of students who perform improv.
Ellie Lerner, junior in interior design, is president and one of the founders of Lee County Flannel Club.
"We've been together for two and a half years, almost three," Lerner said. "We just officially became a club this semester."
Before the group became a club, they would meet and practice in whatever room was available in Telfair B. Peet Theater.
Lerner said the club applied for permanent status a year ago, went through the year of probationary status and then got approved to be an official organization.
The group practices two types of improv: long form and short form improv.
"Short-form improv is a lot like doing games, like 'Whose Line is it Anyway?' You're just on your toes the whole time," Lerner said. "Long form is more of an artistic kind of form of improv, and it's kind of like the only really major theater part of improv where you basically get up there and you do, you know, a play that's never been seen before and will never be seen again."
Lerner said the scenes can range from three minutes to an hour long.
Eddie Robison Rivera, junior in industrial and systems engineering, said a lot of their practices revolve around warming up and diving straight into improv.
They then talk through the different scenes and what went well, or what they could work on to make it better.
"It got me out of my shell," said Ronda Eady, senior in information systems management. "It helps me think on my feet, and that's something you need."
The Lee County Flannel Club got its name in a way as unique as their style of acting.
"The funny thing about improv is it's kind of like a '90s thing, and a lot of the guys tend to wear flannel," Lerner said. "We just kind of like came up with it, the Lee County Flannel Club."
Lerner said the club has about 10 members, but they held tryouts, Nov. 13, to find approximately three more members.
The club has performed for the student body in places such as Langdon Hall, the Haley Center and the Student Center Ballroom.
Lerner said the group is looking into competing in the future.
"Now that we are an official organization, we're going to be able to apply for funds and we really want to take a trip to Chicago," Lerner said. "We might want to do College Improv Tournament or, at least, go watch it."
Lerner said improv is a good activity to calm your nerves, and it makes your brain sharper. Though improv helps Lerner to be more aware of her daily life and observing people, keeping it humorous is the hardest part, Lerner said.
"My favorite part is getting to forget about all the school work and commitments and other things I have going on, and be able to act and make things up off the spot," Robison Rivera said. "I love being able to make things up off the top of my head and really get to be creative in that sense."
The club offers practice, open to the public, once per month. For more information on the Lee County Flannel Club or visit the club's Facebook page.
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