The Nuthouse Improv Comedy club is halfway through the season, but the group’s biggest show has yet to go on.

The improv cast will return to perform at 8 p.m. tonight in Jones Theatre for Dad’s Weekend.

Senior music composition major James Campbell said his favorite shows to perform are during Mom’s and Dad’s Weekends because of the larger crowd, the greater expectations, and good presence of pressure to give the audience a good show. 

The group will not only perform on a larger stage, but also to a larger audience: 398 seats to be exact.

Sophomore computer engineering major Elias Nilsson, who just joined the cast this year, said there is a different energy when comparing the two different sized theaters in Daggy Hall.

“The Jones shows are more extreme in reactions with more people reacting to what you do” Nilsson said, “while Wadleigh shows are more personal.”

Despite the larger crowd, the groups material will remain the same.

During performances, senior history major Jared Chastain, the director and host of the comedy troupe, asks the audience to participate by means of providing content for the games.

Whether it’s a location, profession or subject, the actors must then spontaneously create a scene.

“A lot of it is very organic,” Chastain said. “There are certain types of games, guessing games, lying games, one-bit jokes, open scene … Some of these are made up during the show.”

A veteran member, Campbell said there are also games within games.  

Sometimes the group will have random scenes during the improv game of freeze tag that turns into a more cohesive story, so that all the players are now a character in one universe rather than just in a bunch of different worlds, Campbell said.

“The way they’re done is made-up, but I’m not inventing them as we’re playing,” Chastain said. “There’s a list. It’s the content that’s original.”

The list of games is universally known throughout the world of improv. Fans of the ABC show “Whose Line is it Anyway” or the Chicago-based troupe “Second City,” will recognize games like four square.

In this game, multiple scenes are set in rotation with four actors interacting with one another according to a scene that two people are paired up with.

After joining this semester, Nilsson said he has more confidence returning to Jones since their first performance.

“We have grown in membership with two more cast members,” he said, “As well as we have grown closer together.”

Nuthouse member psychology major sophomore Chelsea Feioch said she worked with Nilsson before coming to WSU.

“Elias and I actually played in high school and competed against each other,” Feioch said.

Rivalries play a role in improv groups because competitive nature of the games can often lead to personal development and helps build a supportive team.

With all the Dad’s Weekend events those looking to include a bit of comedy can see the Nuthouse special performance $10.