Behind the Scenes of FIST!
So, you want to know more about how WIT’s Fighting Improv Smackdown Tournament works. Is there actual physical violence? Do people smack each other down? Are there any literal fists involved? Well, let us clear these things upyou prepare to laugh your confusion away and hopefully no one will get hurt in the process.
The Basics
This year’s FIST line-up has 44 teams--each with three players. Starting March 4, each performance is a faceoff between two teams. It’s a bracketed tournament, just like college basketball's March Madness, with teams fitghting their way up the brackets toward championship glory. One by one, teams are eliminated based on audience voting, and those who survive continue their journey to greatness. Only one team will actually arrive at the ultimate greatness, emerging as the Champion of FIST.
What to Expect
Each team gets 12 minutes to perform for the audience. They can do whatever they want, as long as it's improvised. Any actual smacking down, breaking of bottles, deployment of explosive devices, etc., between teams will be frowned up on by FIST's Commissioners and will result in disqualification of the team in question. After both teams finish, a panel of judges skilled in the art of improv will give their input on both of the performances for the consideration of the audience before voting.
Voting
After the judges have shared their about the two acts voting will open up to the audience. Each audience member has the ability to vote for one of the two teams via text message. Unique numbers for each team and each show are provided and a soon as all votes are in, the winner is announced before the audience leaves, usually after a performance by a WIT company ensemble. For those of us less technologically inclined and unable to text their preferred winner, there will be a paper ballot provided.In the event of a tie, the Commissioners will ask the judges on hand to agree on a winner.
More Information
You can follow FIST on Twitter (pictures and announcement of the winner will be posted).
Each winners and losers will be updated to the online brackets.
