The Buzz Intro Interview | Trajectory Improv

Name of Respondent: Pearl Oppenheimer (Actor and coordinator)
Name of Company: Trajectory Improv
Name of Show: Trajectory

“There was a lot more audience feedback when we were performing live. We had to change our thought process to focus on what makes us laugh. I think it’s made us level up in the overall quality of laughs we produce.”

1. Why should people tune in to your show?
It’s one hero, two endings, all improvised. It’s a longform format that is easily digestible for the audience, but raises the stakes for the performers.

2. What about festivals intrigues you? Any why the Atlanta Fringe?
As attendees of previous Atlanta Fringe Festivals, we love the diversity of performers and performances that audiences are able to experience. The Atlanta Fringe Festival gives an amazing platform to creators of all types.

3. What inspired you to create this?
Trajectory was formed by a group of performers who are in love with the power of improvised theater. While improv has long been associated solely with comedy, the troupe was founded specifically to explore characters and their journeys through unique, never before told stories.

4. This year ain’t normal and there’s no sense pretending it is. How has Covid affected what you’re doing for this festival?
We have been performing via zoom for most of the last year. Any changes we had to make for this happened pretty early on. The entire improv community was forced to be digital for the past year, many rose to the occasion by hosting online jams and shows. Improv keeps us going so we’ve evolved to fit the times.

There was a lot more audience feedback when we were performing live. We had to adjust how we receive suggestions. Before the audience could snap or clap when the protagonist was getting close to an ending they preferred. There’s too much delay to do something like that online. Also, we really fed off of the audience laughter and reaction. We had to change our thought process to focus on what makes us laugh. I think it’s made us level up in the overall quality of laughs we produce.

5. What have you learned from working on your show so far?
Improv is all about the people you’re playing with. We’ve been so lucky to have each other. When the pandemic pushed us down, we had each other to lift our spirits up.
When the first couple months of the pandemic had everyone really depressed we had cocktail hours and birthday celebrations over zoom. We are quite the little family these days.

6. There’s a mysterious, anonymous little square watching your show and sticking around for the talkback. In your WILDEST dreams, who is that mysterious stranger grooving on your work? (Please note, this question is inspired by us recently learning that Neil Patrick Harris has been doing this.)
Donald Glover all the way because I am a great admirer of his. He is so talented. He started out in improv but he has become accomplished in Comedy, Music, Producing, Acting, and Writing. Atlanta is an amazing show and he was Lando Calrissian.

[Above: Yeah! Everybody sleeps on Lando, he’s SO MUCH FUN as Lando!]

7. Fringes are the place to really push the boundaries so we gotta ask: are your parents getting the link are or you gonna be like, “Uhhhh, I dunno, the website doesn’t seem to be working, Mom…”
We want everyone to come. Our show works both as an introduction for those unfamiliar with long form improvisation and a unique treat for dubious regular improv fans. Keeping it interesting across the board is our goal.

However, sometimes our characters are inspired by flaws imparted by our parents, so they may hit a little too close to home.

8. We’ve asked this question every year for the past nine years or so but it hits different this year: Will your show change the world?
Yes we are going to change the world! A little bit of laughter can change someone’s life. It literally saved mine!

9. Zoom meetings: dress up head to toe or Daffy Duck it?
I think you meant to say Donald because he wears a shirt. But if the option is nudity I guess that would be pretty comfy.

[Ed. note: we absolutely meant Donald Duck and were horrified when we started getting these back from the artists and we realized we had been asking all these nice artists if they like to cyber. Do the kid still say “cyber”? Anyway.]

10. We’re making an excellent Spotify playlist. Describe your show in two or three songs we can add to keep the jams flowing.
Janie Jones- The Clash