CEDAR FALLS - About 40 minutes into their free show Friday, the members of Half-Masted 3.2 turned to the audience for help.

In one of the troupe's classic acts - named "world's worst" - the University of Northern Iowa improv group asked attendees to call out professions.

"Garbage truck driver," one fan offered.

In a matter of seconds, troupe members Larry Raineri and Tanner Randall snapped into character. Randall sauntered to the center of the performance area, toting an imaginary trash bag. Meanwhile, Raineri squeezed himself into a pretend garbage bin.

Crowd members held their breath as Randall approached his fellow performer. When he pantomimed lifting a lid, Raineri sprang to life with a triumphant yelp. Randall stumbled back in shock and the audience exploded with laughter.

The chuckles are nice, Randall admitted following the hour-long show. But the theater student relishes the weekly performances at the Cedar Falls Public Library because they offer Half-Masted members an opportunity to try out new material and improve their comedic skills.

"We look at this as practice," said the UNI junior. "It helps us understand what works and what doesn't."

The student troupe started offering Friday performances at the library last spring. They will continue the family-friendly shows throughout the 2008-09 school year.

In addition to their nights at the public library, the 6-year-old troupe performs for mature audiences at the end of every semester at UNI and books private shows, seminars and team-building workshops throughout Iowa.

The free acts help the troupe prepare for those gigs, said group adviser Doug Shaw, a UNI professor.

"This gives us a chance to work in front of an audience more," said Shaw, a UNI professor. "It's wonderful also because a lot of little kids come. Three-year-olds laugh like nobody's business."

About 40 people, including families, college students and retirees, attended Friday's show. Lindy Spore giggled through most of the program. She said she enjoyed the spontaneous nature of Half-Masted performances.

"There's no better way to start the weekend," said the UNI senior. "It's a good way to de-stress."

Contact Mary Stegmeir

at (319) 291-1482 or

mary.stegmeir@wcfcourier.com.