WIT NEWS ITEM | FIST Interview: Chalfant vs Bellavia

FIST INTERVIEW: CHALFANT VS BELLAVIA

POSTED 4.9.08

It started with twenty nine teams. Six weeks later, only four remain.

Two of those teams- the number four seed Justin Purvis Rules! and the number one seed Book!- will lock horns in Friday night's Tournament of the FIST semi-final round. Sure, it will be competitive; all FIST matches are. But adding extra spice to this particular confrontation is the fact that WIT's Artistic Director, Mark Chalfant, will be going toe to toe with WIT's Managing Director and office-mate, Topher Bellavia, for a shot at a place in the finals.

It should be noted that WIT only has two full-time employees. The fact that both of them will be squaring off in battle has made for a tense workplace, to say the least. WIT.com pulled Mark and Topher away from their desks to talk about the weekend's big showdown...


Mark and Topher, hello. You know we couldn't say no to this opportunity, right? We had to get you two together to talk about this. Introduce yourself and tell everyone what you do for WIT.

Mark: I'm WIT's artistic and executive director. I'm also Topher's deskmate (I sit approx. 4 feet to his left) and technically his boss.

Topher: I'm WIT's managing director in charge of classes, volunteers and marketing. I've been a player with WIT for 8 Years and am technically Mark's employee. At least until the results of this Friday's FIST throw down is decided.

Deskmates, huh? So how's the work week going?

Mark: Well, Topher is working from home today. Presumably he's trying to psyche himself up for Friday. I came in a little late because I'm dealing with a cold that I have to assume was strategically conveyed to me by Mr. Bellavia in a pathetic attempt to weaken my constitution. It isn't working. Oh - and I think we're both stoked that the final weekend of FIST is upon us. It's been a 7-week run- WIT's longest ever, I think.

Topher: I had the cold first so I licked all the doorknobs in the office. The deed got done.

Tell us a little bit about your teams this year.

Topher: I'm playing with two performers from WIT's ensemble Caveat- Dan MacAvoy and Joe Brack. I'd describe our style as fast and furious with a focus on the absurd.

Mark: I'm playing with Karen Lange from iMusical and Tyler Korba from onesixtyone. The show explores three people who are in a book club together, but also explores the text of the book they've read.

So the match up is a bit of a clash of styles... based on what you've seen in the tournament so far, which approach has the advantage going in?

Mark: Well I think that may depend largely on the audience. Justin Purvis Rules! may be a lot of absurdity in one sitting for some folks. Plus, what kind of a kiss-ass name is that? Is it not transparent to EVERYONE what's going on here? Book! has some sophistication to it in that we explore two worlds and, when it goes well, find interesting connections between them. Plus, it's really raising literacy awareness. Everyone can get behind that, I think. I mean, it's for the children.

Topher: Book! may have an absurd amount of sitting for some folks. The audiences for FIST have kind of been a mob. I think sophistication might be lost on them. We couldn't care less about the children.

Topher, Last year's FIST team (Werewolf McButterbone) was based on movement and dynamic transitions as opposed to any premise or situational set up... it was also fast and furious. Do you prefer that approach to performing in general? Or is it just the right tool for this particular job?

Topher: Both. The fast and furious approach really pushes performers to focus on extreme movement and physicality which is incredibly fun to me. It was also a winning strategy for my team last year. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

Mark, your teams have been more about character and story... is that your preferred style? Do you find it a challenge to play that way in such a short format, or does it give you something to hold on to?

Mark: Creating characters and stories with impact in 13 minutes is definitely a challenge. The trick seems to be to invest in everything that happens. When it goes right, nothing is thrown out or wasted- it all contributes to the whole.

But when it goes wrong...

Mark: Then people have to remember that this is for the children.

Well said. Mark's team has the number one seed, meaning they've got the most collective improv experience in the tournament. But to Topher's earlier point, he was on the winning team last year and is on a roll following his new team's victory over The Achievers. If I had a serious gambling problem, who would I want to pick as the favorite in this match up?

Topher: It really depends if you're an "underdog" kind of guy. It depends on whether you wanna take a chance on up and comers. It depends on where you want to bet on the little guy against "The Man."

Wow. That's a lot of cliché for just one answer.

Mark: You should see his show.

Topher: Who's team are you on again?

I'm WIT.com, an impartial observer. "Objective journalist" if you prefer. Clichés aside, though, Topher, do you really think you're the underdog?

Topher: In terms of experience, Book! is Hilary Clinton. In terms of style, JPR! is Barack Obama. So I actually think we're pretty evenly matched.

Interesting. Mark, what's your political analogy?

Mark: Weird. Since he's an incumbent FIST champion from last year, I think that makes Topher Bush. Plus there's the "boy's club" thing that I think American audiences are tired of. Last year's Werewolf McButterbone was three dudes. This year's Justin Purvis Rules! is three dudes. Topher, why the aversion to playing with women? Do you believe only men are capable of obtaining improv glory?

Topher: Oh, that's just a coincidence. Having a woman is Book!'s not-so-secret weapon.

I was going to ask which one of you is the bigger trash talker, but you seem pretty evenly matched in that category, too. But I do want to know... who is the bigger trash talker?

Topher: Book! can suck my ****. How's that?

Mark: Topher couldn't trash talk his way out of a dirty-talkers how-to convention in Vegas without calling his mommy first for advice.

Um... I'm not sure I understand that, Mark... I think I've got to give the points to Topher on this one.

Topher: Book! couldn't improvise it's way out of a mimed paper bag.

Okay, enough. Changing gears... Topher, you mentioned after your victory over The Achievers that you pretty much threw the playbook out the window and did a show that was nothing like what you'd practiced. Will you be going in to Friday night with the same plan? Or was that a one-off?

Mark: If I can help explain, what you have to remember is that 13 minutes is a long time for a guy like Topher to keep a plan in his head.

Sorry, Mark. Trash Talking points were already awarded after the last question. There's no going back.

Topher: The show ended up being a lot different than we thought it would. We just got in front of the audience, we listened to what they were laughing at and adjusted accordingly. So when the first scene had someone ****ing someone in the ear, we new it had to end with a final scene of me riding the first pony president.

So you'll be playing it by ear again this time?

Topher: We'll throw something down at the top and see if the great unwashed reacts, if they do, we'll keep throwing out the red meat.

Gotcha. Mark, the last round against Dar, Blunkeet & Hilbiern was a really tight one... it could have gone either way. Does a narrow win like that build or damage team confidence going forward?

Mark: We were shaken at first- we're still not sure we really won it- but we have to have faith in the process and in the Commissioner. It makes us that much hungrier for a decisive win in the next round.

Knowing that Topher was waiting in the wings for the next round... was that a motivation or a deterrent?

Mark: Definitely a motivation.

Topher, same question... when Book! won out, was that good news or bad news?

Topher: Definitely good news. The other team had my former team mate Dave Johnson and I wasn't looking forward to a "brother against brother" fight.

Even though that's what you've got on your hands now?

Topher: This close to the finish line, I have no brothers now.

Fair enough. Setting aside the sibling rivalry for a moment, you've both watched a lot of FIST shows from behind the scenes this year. Give us your personal highlights so far.

Mark: I loved Princess Trainwreck from the moment I heard their name. Interesting format ideas and really playful attitude. I was also really impressed by the team from GW's ReceSs.

Topher: The highlight for me was ALL of the student teams. This was the first year that students participated, some of them had never been on stage before. I have to admit I was a bit apprehensive at the outset because of their inexperience, but the quality of those shows just blew me away. It was truly awesome to behold.

Mark: I have to agree with Toph- that was a fantastically cool development to witness this year.

Has the tournament this year lived up to your expectations?

Topher: People liked the t-shirts I had made, that was basically the thing I was most worried about. Orange was a real risk.

Mark: We've welcomed a lot of new players and new audience to WIT's stage, which I think is a fantastic outcome. And the tournament matches have been great fun to watch.

So your outlook the improv community post-FIST is...

Mark: It's optimistic. We have a great improv scene developing here in DC. More and more people interested in performing is going to mean better and better performances down the line. Taking improv to the highest level we can is what keeps me excited about WIT.

Coming in to the last weekend of the tournament, are there any regrets? Any things you'd like to fix or do differently next time?

Mark: I think next year we don't have to be so careful about setting the matchups. We were hesitant this year to pit a No. 1 seed against a No. 8 seed, but I think we need to let those chips fall where they may.

Topher: Hopefully we can sell beer next year. That'll take this thing to the next level.

Yay beer!

Topher: I regret that we didn't have more swag. Look for trucker caps and huge foam fingers next year.

Mark, if your team was an animal, what kind of an animal would it be?

Mark: A very literate rhinoceros.

Topher, same ridiculous question...

Topher: A bear riding on a T-rex's back.

Topher, if you win against Mark on Friday, how will you rub his nose in it on Monday?

Topher: Most likely a "Sorry for your loss" greeting card taped to his monitor.

That's pretty good. Mark, same antagonistic question...

Mark: We'll have a staff meeting to watch a recording of his show and I'll show him in intricate detail how the choices he made brought the show to ruin.

Wow. Just the two of you in the staff meeting?

Mark: Yes. Mandatory staff meeting.

Ouch. That's brutal. And funny. Any parting comments, either for the readers or for each other?

Mark: I will always love and respect you, Topher, even after we have buried you.

Topher: Mark, you are my mentor. But the student will soon become the teacher.

Topher, keep licking those doorknobs. Mark, keep practicing that smack talk. Both of you, thanks for taking the time to talk and best of luck this Friday. FIST!

Mark: Decidedly- FIST!

Topher: Amen.


The Tournament of the FIST concludes this weekend at Flashpoint, with Mark's Book! taking on Topher's Justin Purvis Rules! on Friday night after the number three seed Polygamy battles number six Grandma Molly and Her Wayback Machine on Thursday. Saturday night's final will take place at 9:30 sharp.

Don't miss you chance to be a part of FIST history! Get your tickets now!

WANT MORE FIST INTERVIEWS?

Click here to hear from the FIST Commissioner!
Click here to meet student team Princess Trainwreck!
Click here to learn more about the FIST theme song!
Click here to get to know Baltimore's Safeword!
Click here to get to meet Grandma Molly and Her Wayback Machine!