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First-time stand-up participant Chloe Tatiana Avila was one of the callback students for improvisation and stand-up comedy for this year’s auditions for “Late Night Burnight.”

“Late Night Burnight” is an evening of Improvisation, stand-up and sketch comedy.

The Cerritos College Theater Department held its Late Night Burnight auditions on Oct. 18 and 19.

It is an ensemble-driven variety show in the tradition of Saturday Night Live, Conan O’ Brien, and The Tonight Show.

Improvisation, dancers, filmmakers and stand-up comics were all welcome to audition for this upcoming event.

Even students with little or no experience were welcome to attend auditions.

About 50 students showed up for the auditions and there were 30 callbacks.

Director Forrest Hartl describes what he looks for in a first-time participant.

“I need to see them improvise, read scenes with different students and have a few conversations with them to see how they’d fit into the cast.”

Stand-up comedians such as Avila express their experience as a participant for Late Night Burmight.

“I was a little nervous at first but I got some laughs in, especially for my stand-up act which was my first time actually doing and so I was very excited and happy when I got the call back” Avila said.

Another student who was called back for his improvisation performance is Jared Head, earth and space science major, who explained that doing improvisation is not easy.

“Improv is a really difficult thing to do it sounds easy to get up there and just say whatever comes to mind; it sounds pretty free form but there’s lots of things that you have to be thinking about up on stage.”

Returning participant Emmanuel Plasencia is a theater major who is auditioning for the second time for this type of performance.

Plasencia has participated in up to eight shows at Cerritos College as well as theater major Steven Luna.

Other students such as film major Brian Mejia were called back for the improvisation portion of the audition and undecided major Melissa Legaspi were called back for the scripted portion of the auditions.

Performance dates are Dec. 2, 3, 8,9,10 and 11 all which will start at 8 p.m., excluding Dec. 11, which will begin at 2 p.m.

For more information please long onto www.cerritos.edu/theatre or call 562.467.5058.