Q&A: Get to know the members of Charcoal Pony
By Drew Henderson // A&E Editor
At High Point University, there are a variety of entertainment groups that put on various shows and concerts throughout the year. Charcoal Pony is an improv group of 14 students who put on numerous comedy shows throughout the school year. Known for their unfiltered comedy, Charcoal Pony has become increasingly popular on campus as it grows through the years. Meet four of the group’s members: Jared Lindsay, Alec Yamartino, Trey Volkher and Brooke Smith, all of whom have been a part of the group since their first years.
Q: What is Charcoal Pony? How did it start?
Lindsay: Charcoal Pony started eight years ago, and it was just a really tiny improv group not focused on preforming, just really focused on playing improv games when it was founded. There are currently 14 members in the group.
Q: How has it changed since you’ve been involved?
Lindsay: We have just gotten bigger every year and more people have come out to see us. I don’t know much about the year before me, but we just started getting really popular the year I joined.
Volkher: We’re definitely trying to take it to a professional level when it comes to technique and really starting to focus on technique.
Q: What performance stands out to you the most?
Lindsay: My first Hayworth show was my freshman year, and that was the most exhilarating experience of my life. We filled that theater, and it was the first time I was preforming for Charcoal Pony. Anytime we perform in Hayworth is just amazing.
Yamartino: During the parent’s weekend show last semester, someone’s dad got pulled on stage for this game and he was hilarious. That was the funniest part of the show. The game was moving bodies where the audience member has to manipulate the actions, and this guy was hilarious.
Volkher: Parent’s weekend. It’s kind of a challenge since you have to limit yourself on what you say. We have a to filter ourselves more than normal for the parents, but its cool to be able to preform in front of a huge crowd.
Smith: We had one show, the Acapony Show, that was really fun because it was interesting to see all the acapella groups on campus preform, and it was really huge crowd with big support from the student body.
Q: What has your experience been like in Charcoal Pony so far?
Smith: It’s been really fun. It’s really interesting. It feels like a group of people that would not be friends if it wasn’t for Charcoal Pony, and it feels inclusive and when we come together for practice we all just have a great time.
Q: What was the audition process like?
Smith: First I went to one of the open rehearsals and it was really fun, and when they mentioned tryouts, I wasn’t sure I would get in. When we first got there, we had to introduce ourselves by playing a game, when they threw up one finger, you had to repeat your name over and over again, with two fingers, you had to keep jumping over and over, and three figures meant you had to break out in song of your choice. It was a fun time, and after going to the open rehearsals, I was already comfortable performing with this group of people.