Just Add Water -Yale

Just Add Water or JAW is an improvisational comedy group based at
Yale University in New Haven, CT. Currently consisting of fourteen of Yale's funniest comedians, Just Add Water regularly performs all over the Northeast. Each year, a select few of Yale's funniest students are accepted into the group. Every winter and spring, JAW tours to various cities all over the United States, and as a result, has performed in traditionally comedic, and non-traditionally comedic venues (such as high schools, parties, community centers) all over the country.
History
Just Add Water was formed in 1986, making it one of Yale's oldest comedy groups. In 1986, mysterious signs advertising "improv comedy” went up all over campus. Following the directions of the signs, a group of intrigued students met in a classroom, where they found the words “Do you Just Add Water?” written on the chalkboard. The group’s founder - and the mysterious poster of those signs - was Steve Bodow, the current Head Writer of The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. Other alums have gone on to win Emmys, Golden Globes, and Tonys, work for Late Night and Stella, and join President Obama’s Council of Economic Ad- visers.
Since its founding, Just Add Water has performed at notable theatres and improvisational venues all over the country. Just Add Water was the first college comedy troupe ever invited to perform on the mainstage at Chicago’s Second City Theater. Since then, JAW has performed in comedic and non-comedic venues alike, including comedy clubs, classrooms, opera houses, pre- schools, senior centers, conven- tion centers, restaurants, community centers, and even a parking lot. Just Add Water has toured New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Honolulu, Colorado Philadelphia, Washington D.C., New Orleans, Chicago, and other cities. In the upcoming 2010-2011 season, Just Add Water will tour San Diego and South Carolina, performing in venues all over the cities, as well as lead workshops.
Performances
Just Add Water is the only improv group on Yale's campus to consistently perform short-form, long-form, as well as musical improv. JAW performs regularly at various locations on Yale's campus, well-known particularly for its themed performances. In addition, JAW consistently performs in the New Haven, Connecticut and greater New England area.
Current members
Members of Just Add Water for the 2009-2010 academic year are:
'10: Allison Williams, Gillon Crichton, Ben Flores
'11: Matthew George, Will Stephen, Ethan Kuperberg, Alex Bercow
'12: Laurelin Kruse, Matthew Prewitt, Michael Gabriel
'13: Hannah Slater, Andi Zhou, Nelson Madubuonwu, Julie Shain
Comedy At Yale
Comedy has quickly established itself as one of the most popular extracurricular activities at Yale University, both in terms of student involvement and frequent audience members. Each year over 100 incoming freshmen audition for comedy groups, with only a handful being "tapped" (Yale's term of choice for gaining acceptance to a club) into any group, each of which has their individual comedy style.

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