In the mid 90s, the group came under the direction of Heather Roberts, who fused TSF's social and political consciousness with a more comedy-based style of improvisation. Roberts also created The Sunday Group, a special team in TSF that would focus specifically on "long-form" improvisation (a Chicago style that provided the comedic foundation stars like Tina Fey, Amy Poehler, and Chris Farley).
Now, with regular performances for packed audiences and ever increasing membership, TSF has become one of the largest and most popular collegiate comedy groups in the nation. Although we're best known for our "short-form" improv (popularized on the TV show Whose Line Is It, Anyways?), we also perform long-form improv, musical improv, and sketch comedy. Many of our alumni have moved on to Chicago and Los Angeles, joining the ranks of some of the best improvisers in the country.
With dozens of shows each semester, if you're anywhere on the UF campus (or surrounding Gainesville area), there are plenty of opportunities to watch TSF do its thing.
The Club:
TSF may function as a performance group, but at its heart is also a completely open club. Every Monday and Thursday at 7 p.m. in Weimer Hall we teach our TSF Academy. These classes are THE way to learn the games and techniques used in our monthly Gator Nights shows and our more frequent dorm shows. Anyone who is interested can send us an e-mail. You need no experience to join. All you need is a desire to have fun.
The Sunday Group is an elite, auditioned troupe of improvisers that performs long-form improv. They represent the best Strike Force has to offer. The Sunday Group performs at a wide range of events including shows on campus, at local bars, and a medley of shows at Gainesville's prestigious Hippodrome State Theatre. The Sunday Group has gained acceptance to various improv festivals, including the Chicago, Miami, Blackbox, and Dirty South festivals. They also perform regularly in the Gainesville Improv Festival, but they just might be shoe-ins to that one.
As the newest troupe in TSF, Delta Group serves as the training ground for Sunday Group. They speciailize in organic, Chicago-style improv and explore themes based on audience suggestions. In Delta, players are challenged to push their improv muscles.
Almost everyone that has ever been in the Sunday group has learned their craft in the Apprentice Group. It also specializes in long-form. Don't let the name fool you, as these players may be apprentices of the Sunday Group style, but they've become masters of their own, quick-paced style as well.
Founded by Nicole Christiansen in January 2008, the A.M. Radio performs half-hour, fully improvised musicals that are inspired from an audience-given suggestion. AM Radio entertains audiences with shows that are full of memorable characters, interweaving storylines and catchy musical numbers. If you don't leave our shows humming, you'll probably be laughing. Either way, a smile is headed your way.
Founded by Erik Voss in January 2008, the TSF Sketch is a team of comedy writers that meets weekly to collaborate in developing ideas and writing sketches. Our mission is to provide Theatre Strike Force with a flow of sketches to use to entertain audiences in the local Gainesville community and beyond. After just 10 months of incubation, this eclectic group of writers created the successful "Gary: A New Hope for a Better America." Currently they are the creative minds behind the TSF/IRHA television show known as Oppie. You will be able to see the fruits of their labor starting Friday, August 28 on campus television.
