SPIT, also known as Student Produced Innovative Theater, performed their shows, “Rideshare Overshare” and “10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse” on Jan. 11th, with the second performance rescheduled to happen Jan. 18th, both at 7 p.m. in the Little Theatre. Unlike previous years, both shows were comedies this year, the first being directed by seniors De’Jah Jordan and Briar Martin, and the second being directed by seniors Andreas Warren and Maddie Struthers.
“Rideshare Overshare” included lead roles by Jack Rippentrop ’27 as Mike and Ella Vakiner ’25 as Elaine, while “10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse” featured lead roles by Xion Owens-Holst ’24 and Jarrett Hinrichs ’24 as Narrators 1 and 2 respectively. Tickets are $5 purchased at the door, and the proceeds will help fund Theatre West.
Ethan Tisdale ’26, an actor in “10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse”, talks about his experience in SPIT.
“[SPIT] is good for learning acting and also just hanging out. [Student directors] are more approachable [than teachers], so it becomes a lot less stressful. You also get all sorts of stories. For example, there was hot sauce as a prop in the show, and after the show me and a couple of people did [what we called] Hot Shots, which are shots of hot sauce,” Tisdale said.
Eli Asper ’25, also in “10 Ways to Survive the Zombie Apocalypse”, encourages others to try it out.
“My favorite part was taking out all the pressure and chaos of Theatre West and just making a fun show with my friends who all want to have fun. It is the most low-pressure [show] you will find. It’s the most fun I’ve ever had doing a show at West,” Asper said.
Asper also found his own fun stories to tell. He said, “There’s this one line I have, ‘I like Family Guy’, and it only is said once. There are so many different ways to say it, that I was told three different times to change the way I was saying it to something funnier. Now the words ‘I like Family Guy’ forever haunt my dreams and has become a running joke.”
Asper said about the show, “Being less serious means it’s easier to have fun. If you mess up, it doesn’t matter. Sometimes messing up makes it even funnier.”
