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South Jordan Journal

Improv group, The Sock Puppets, brings laughs to South Jordan

Mar 09, 2023 10:27AM ● By Peri Kinder

The Sock Puppets improv group performs the first Friday of each month at 9 p.m. at The Gale Center in South Jordan (10300 Beckstead Lane). The group has performed together for eight years and are always looking for new members. (Photo courtesy of Seth King)

The Sock Puppets want to bring more humor to your life. The improv group based in South Jordan was founded eight years ago by Seth King and his wife, Angela. 

“We started a little group and invited some friends to be a part of it,” Seth King said. “We had some friends with a history in the theater world and some friends who didn’t have history in the theater world that we thought would be good at it. It’s kind of evolved.”

The group meets regularly for rehearsals and improv games and holds workshops for people wanting to learn more about the art of improv. They perform the first Friday of every month at 9 p.m. at The Gale Center (10300 Beckstead Lane).

Angela King is a Broadway-level talent who’s performed in many local productions. Other core group members also have theater experience, plus there are usually surprise performers, guest pianists and musicians, and people from other improv troupes who like to stop in and participate. 

“I’m just a goofball who loves theater,” Seth King said. “I like being in the ensemble and being in the background. There’s a lot of talent in the group and it lifts the quality of what we do. We’re not a huge group but we have workshops and things that help outside people get involved with improv. We’re always looking for people interested in performing, if they gel well with the group.”

Seth King describes improv as “make-believe.” He said it’s about creating a story out of nothing based on a prompt from the audience. Using the rules of improv, group members create something funny and new, and every performance is different and unique. Other than rehearsals or knowing how to play certain improv games, everything is made up on the spot. 

Improv rules include the statement, “Yes, and,” meaning players build on whatever prompt or story they’re creating, no matter how ridiculous. The intention is to add new information, change things up, throw in silly ideas, find ways to use props and have fun. 

“At the very least it shows you can create something from virtually nothing,” he said. “That’s why improv is so fun for us. In a group of mid-life crisis individuals, we still get the acting and the thrill of performance. Sometimes it’s brilliant and other times it could have been more brilliant.”

Seth King called the monthly performance an “easy and cheap hour-and-a-half laughfest.” Tickets are $5 per person and can be purchased through Venmo @SockPuppetsImprov. For more information, visit Facebook.com/TheSockpuppets. 

“We’re not an alcohol venue so we like to do it a little later in the evening when people are punch-drunk. The tiredness adds to the silliness,” Seth King said. “We just want people to come enjoy themselves, learn a little about improv and hopefully be a little impressed with what we create and send them with home with smiles. I always enjoy the show. We have a talented group and we have a lot of fun. Our goal is to always make people happy.”