Quill Wordsmith

wordsmith@excapethematrix.com

On a small patio located in the quiet community behind Federal Hill, there’s a serious conversation going on. Well, not so serious. Five men are conducting a new form of communication that consists of throwing sound, catching invisible objects, call and response and anything else you can possibly think of. To someone passing by this could appear to be another deranged group of friends but within the group itself, this is to be taken seriously…this is only rehearsal for The Mime Hunters – an improvisational entertainment group.

The Mime Hunters was founded nearly a year ago by Alex Hill as a result of an improvisational class. They formed through networking, auditions, and old schoolmates to become the five-plus entourage that they are today. With the support of the Downtown Baltimore partnership, family, and friends they hope to take street performing to a new height. The group is knit together with its core members, Luke Clippinger, Sean Stokes, Scott Goodhue, and James Wicks, each with their own unique style and personality. The Mime Hunters, formally known as "Off the Cuff" are known for their quick wit, quick thinking, and of course ability to perform "huge productions" without a script. Even though almost all of their work is people friendly for any audience, the group still has the ability to take on chameleon like capabilities by adapting to different environments and atmospheres of crowds.

"…imagine Cinderella or Little Red Robin Hood being annihilated in a single minute"

A few of the segments include a new version of the "Good, the Bad and the Ugly," in which random audience members "seek advice" on a certain situation. The result is members of the group offering sound advice, not so sound advice, and then finally – some advice that you’d probably keep for imagination purposes only! Another great segment is their famous 60-second Fairy Tale, in which an audience member gives a brief synopsis of their favorite fairy tale and then the group is assigned to perform the fairy tale in 60 seconds or less. Can you imagine Cinderella or Little Red Robin Hood being annihilated in a single minute? Another awesome segment is when the group requests an audience member to give a foreign language outside of English along with a title for a movie yet to be released. For example, a French film called "The Front Porch." The group then commences to act out the movie…with translators!!

As mentioned earlier, this can be some of the most exciting and amusing entertainment, not only for the audience but also for the members of The Mime Hunters. However, there are some things required for them to pull off inventiveness in such a crisp manner. UNITY & Communication is vital. This is demonstrated throughout the entire performance. Whether it’s the non-verbal communicators of the "foreign film" or the structure behind the 60-second fairy tale, the group is only as strong as the weakest link. The slapstick style of Scott, the youthfulness of Alex, the amplified Sean, Luke with his dynamic personality, and the hilarity of James all combine together to make up The Mime Hunters.

"The group still has the ability to take on chameleon like capabilities by adapting to different environments and atmospheres of crowds."

As a result of the group’s unity and creativity, and of course among other acknowledgments, they’ve been licensed for street performances in the downtown Baltimore area, including the Inner Harbor. In addition they’ve also been granted an opportunity to participate in the city’s annual art festival, Artscape 2007, in July among other performances.