Lauren Shilansky serves as head writer and vice president of Friday Night Live!, a student sketch comedy group that will present a free performance on Dec. 6 at Main Street Studi-os, 50-52 West Main St., in Fredonia.
The art of sketch comedy is alive and well again at Fredonia thanks to a dedicated troupe of students.
Fredonia Night Live!, a student sketch comedy club, will present a free performance on Saturday, Dec. 6 at 10:30 p.m. at Main Street Studios at 50-52 W. Main St., in downtown Fredonia. The event is open to students and the public.
“We want audiences to laugh,” said Lauren Shilansky, a senior B.F.A. Musical Theatre major from West Hartford, CT, who serves as head writer and vice president for Friday Night Live!, “We want them to enjoy the student work and think about if sketch comedy is something they might be interested in — especially since we will be holding auditions in the upcoming semes-ter.”
The Dec. 6 show will feature works written, directed and performed by students. The musical guest for the evening is Dynamic Intonation, one of SUNY Fredonia’s leading a cappella groups, and the hosts for the event will be Tali Kam, a sophomore Acting major from Westchester, NY, and Abbie Paddock, a sophomore Musical Theatre major from Ilion, NY.
Friday Night Live! is 18 members strong according to Shilansky, with actors, directors, writers, and one “loyal stage manager.” Originally formed several years ago by alumna Juliet Pearson, Friday Night Live! was revived in October 2024 by Shilansky.
“I had a passion for writing sketch comedy and had no outlet for it, and no chance to watch my sketches get performed unless I was asking my friends to read aloud sketches late at night,” she said. “I had talked with the former president, Juliet, about the club my sophomore year, in December 2023, and she sent me all the information she had on the club. But it wasn't until I was a part of the Performing Arts Collaborative show ‘Too Much Light Makes the Baby Go Blind’ and wrote some sketches that I realized how much I wanted to write sketch comedy for the campus and bring in more people.”
The revival of the club moved forward in the fall semester of 2024 when Shilansky took a play-writing class.
“One of my classmates mentioned that he loved sketch comedy too — and I realized the campus would support the club,” she said. “I put together an e-board from people who had an interest in acting and writing sketch comedy, and we held auditions that fall.”
Is there a key when it comes to making good sketch comedy? Shilansky said she is not sure — but there are some “super important parts.”
“Louder, faster, funnier,” she said. “The only bad ideas are the ones you don't try. Don't let the audience you know that what you are doing is funny! Take risks!”
