It's the first of October, and the gang at Sorry Not Sorry Improv is ready to roll out the red carpet for the most won-BOO-erful time of the year: Halloween! Trick or treat season means pulling together a costume or two (or more, if you're one of our more ambitious players).
Have a Halloween party you want to wow on a budget? Pull your inspiration from these Sorry Not Sorry formats and shop your closet for creative costumes done dirt cheap!
yegDND
We'll start at the very beginning, with Sorry Not Sorry's flagship fantasy improv adventure—yegDND. We went more in-depth with a blog post about creating fantasy costumes last year, but the short of it is: if you're looking to costume yourself as an original fantasy character, we recommend finding neutral-coloured clothing you can layer up, pulling on some knee-high boots, and loading up the accessories. Pin some fake flowers into your hair and fake some pointed ears with pieces of KT tape, or by purchasing prosthetics (we recommend checking out local costume staple Theatre Garage). Voila—you're decked out for a fey shindig! (Save the costume for some renfaires next season, too!)
Player Laena Anderson as Galen Valourheart, Fringe 2023
MONSTER OF THE WEEK:
Get ready to hunt down the things that go bump in the night as a team of rough-and-ready monster hunters. Get your inspiration from genre TV like Supernatural, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, or the X-Files. Better yet, come to the Grindstone on Saturday, October 12 to see our Monster of the Week format for yourself. Make use of your most rugged fabrics: think denim (in jean or jacket form), plaid shirts, cargo pants, or leather. Be sure to grab props like a flashlight, toy firearm, or arcane spellbook. Or, get real into it and BECOME the monster with a splash of fake blood, costume contacts, and claws!
Players Corina Dransutaviscius and Glenna Schowalter as a monster-hunting duo
PRAIRIE IMPROV FEDERATION:
If you're looking for a reference that's bold, bombastic, and athletic, look no further than our pro-wrestling inspired format, the Prairie Improv Federation. Though these superstars duke it out with improvised comedy, we recommend bringing it back to the source. Scrounge up your tightest, brightest athletic gear, tie a bandana around your forehead, and slide on your most mirrored shades. For those of you who are extra dedicated to the bit, don't forget the body oil!
Player Matt Ness as Alien Improv Superstar Pisces Medallion
MALARKEY MURDERS:
Keep it suave, upscale, and a little deadly by donning a costume inspired by our murder mystery format. For a great group costume, all you need to do is dress to the nines and carry a prop that could double as a murder weapon. One person can wear the hat of the detective, carrying a pen and notebook to jot down motives and alibis all evening.
Players Adam Keefe, Michael Vetsch, and Glenna Schowalter as murder suspects/potential victims
ENTERTAIN ME, SENPAI! ANIME IMPROV TYPHOON:
Bring the vibe of your favourite anime genre to life with a closet cosplay of your own! Love magical girls? Look for pastel hues, lots of ruffles, and bows. Can't get enough sports anime? Put on your best jersey, some cleats, and practice your victory pose. Long time Pokemon fan? Become your very own trainer or gym leader with bold block colours, interesting accessories (can't forget a signature hat), and a pokeball or two, which can be purchased or crafted with a foam sphere and some paint!
Players Shanni Pinkerton and Michael Vetsch as a Pokemon trainer and All-star athlete, giving their best original Star Wars poster art pose
ALL THE KING'S MEN : A BRODOWN HOEDOWN: MANSPLAINING WITH DRAG KINGS:
DO DRAG. Not only is it a vast and expressive art form that spans centuries, genres, and performance styles, it's also super fun and freeing! Halloween is a great chance to break out the drag persona that lives in your heart. King's director and choreographer Shanni Pinkerton has gone on the record saying "you'd be surprised by how easy it is to transform clothing you already own into a drag look with a shift in your posture and body language, some decently-applied makeup, and a whopping heap of attitude. Give it a go!"
SNS Kings Brigham Hung, Marq, Gaz O'Lean, Rock "The Glock" Harding, JPat, Austin Otto, and Greg "The Stag" Stallion
Happy Halloween, and happy costume creating!
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