On May 4, the Theater 360 (previously Theater Improv) activity traveled to Los Angeles for a four-day trip with activity leaders Elizabeth Gettel and Scott Campbell. They toured the theaters on the University of Southern California campus, where Gettel attended, and went to see performances in Hollywood just within the first few hours of arriving in California.

The group spent the  first night visiting the The Groundlings, a comedy club and improv troupe, for a improvisation performance, where they were able to see Meisner technique, an improv technique the group has been working on, in action. “I think seeing The Groundlings there, seeing them act, was helpful not just for learning about emotion and your voice, saying the right things, but also the physical aspect of acting, that’s something they used a lot in The Groundlings. I was surprised at how well they interacted with the other people. That’s something I’d focus a lot more on now,” freshman Katherine Christensen said.

They also met up with Gettel’s former teacher’s daughter, Iris Kline, for a three-hour acting class. The class covered more of the Meisner technique, worked on repetition exercises, and improvisation in general. “The class gave us a new perspective on how to do the Meisner activity, and it was a once in a lifetime experience I am glad I got to enjoy it with all of these people,” freshman Lauren Christenson said.

In addition to all of the acting and theater-oriented activities, the group also visited Malibu beach, strolled around the famous shopping mall The Grove, took a drawing class at the Getty museum and had an unexpected encounter with YouTube celebrity Logan Paul. “It was nice going to the beach since we don’t have any sandy beaches here in Tacoma. And seeing Logan Paul was uneventful and boring,” Christenson said.

The group stayed at a condominium in Park La Brea. For sleeping arrangements, they split between three rooms where they were able to get to know each other better. They played many games together, Cards Against Humanity included. “I was more comfortable around the blue ties [sophomores] than I thought I would be because when I went on the trip I was like ‘I’m pretty much only going to talk to Terah, Lauren, and Ian this whole time because those are the people I know that are in my grade,’ but I was actually surprised,” said Christensen.

The group is still unsure of the trip for next year, but they are thinking of heading to New York or possibly traveling internationally.