The performers of the Arcade Comedy Theater brought students and teachers on stage to play a game where two of the performers talked about their trip to India and the others had to become picture snapshots from the different places they went on the trip. In this skit, the performers were at the Taj Mahal.

JACKSON TWP — The Pittsburgh Arcade Comedy Theater group showed the ninth graders at Seneca Valley Intermediate High School on Friday how to be team players through improvisational comedy.

The group also performed during assemblies at Seneca Valley High School on Thursday and at Seneca Valley Middle on Friday morning.

The performers took suggestions from students for improvisational games, which called for a few student volunteers and teachers to come on stage to act in the games, like bed making Olympics or posing as different photographs from a trip to India.

Matthew Delp, principal at the Intermediate High School, said the assembly kicked off this year’s Olweus Bullying Prevention Program.

Kristy Nolen, a founder at Arcade Comedy, said working with students and teachers is amazing.

“It is such a hit to see teachers in a different light,” Nolen said. “I think it is fun to see them in a role outside the roles (the students) typically see them in.”

Nolen said this leads to social skills like listening, making good choices and teamwork.

“I think it is a really easy way to slip some of these great fundamentals into training for kids in a real subtle way, where they are having a good time where we can kind of talk about it, but they get the one-two punch with the comedy,” Nolen said.

Delp said the program was fantastic because it got the students out of their comfort zones and interacting with teachers in a different way.

“Allowing them to see each other in a different light while improvising and having to be flexible with what’s going on (has) great artistic value,” he said.

Since the assembly was about anti-bullying, Delp said this will help show students the value of teamwork.

“When you are looking at improvisation, they are trying to perform and trying to do something without knowing what is coming,” Delp said.

He said a major focus is working together.

“For students to be collaborative and cooperative with one another, again they don’t know what project may be coming down the line and they don’t know who their group might be,” Delp said. “So you have to be flexible within the groups and also be respectful of the other students that you are working with.”

Linda Andreassi, director of communications, said over the summer administrative leaders visited with performing arts groups involved with the Pittsburgh Cultural Trust to learn how to involve social justice through the arts.

“We met the Arcade Comedy. They were on our stop, and we participated much like the kids and the teachers did today and really enjoyed it,” Andreassi said. “We liked the interactive piece where the students and teachers were brought in to participate.”

Andreassi said the district officials thought it would be good to show inclusion and involvement with others in a positive manner.

Nolen said she is glad the cultural district in Pittsburgh supports this program.

“They said to us we are trying to bring in schools and get them excited about coming down to the cultural district and get them excited about the arts,” Nolen said. “So to help bridge this relationship for us was really amazing and cool.”