The Bad Dog has trained, nurtured or hosted some of the best of Canadian comedy. We'll put the spotlight
on some of our members and find out more about why they make the Bad Dog such a special place.
IN THE SPOTLIGHT : SHAISTA LATIF
Interview by Angèle Liane MorganShaista is one Bad Dog's top improvisers. You can find her at the theatre on any given night from improvising in Bad Dog's popular shows like Macro Neato, WEIRDOS, Harold and more to hosting the uber-popular Thursday night Jam to participating in last month's Bad Dog Short Play Festival. Every Monday in November, you can catch Shaista in her brand new venture, Welcome to Town, an improvised documentary that Shaista produced, co-directed and performs in as part of an ensemble of Bad Dog Improvisers.
Fun Shaista Facts!!
- Shaista's high school nickname was Shy-Town. Sometimes old high school friends still call her Shy-Town, which she likes because it sounds cool!
- In Grade 10 at Weston High, Shaista put on a one-woman play called, "Me, Myself and My Fat." Unfortunately the students didn't get it and her drama teacher closed the curtain on her!
- Shaista's favourite colour is lime-green.
- Shaista has a younger brother who is her opposite. He's in University, very serious, tall, thin, and drives a car!
- Shaista's middle name is Tarana.
- Hooray for us - Shaista was just elected to the Bad Dog Board of Directors!
I wanted to do improv for a very, very long time but I just didn't have the opportunity. So as soon as I turned nineteen, three years ago, I had saved enough money to start taking classes at Second City. I knew Second City from everybody doing Saturday Night Live and stuff. You know, it felt so natural, it was really fun and easy because memorizing lines is the worst!
What do you like best about improv?
What I love about it the most is that we are adults acting like children. We're making stuff up. Sometimes you're on stage and you're doing something insane like being a princess, or on the moon, or being a Jedi, or whatever, and you're like, "Whoa, this is kind of weird!" Like, we're adults doing this and we get to do this on a continual basis. It gives me a kick to be a kid.
Do you have a favourite improv moment?
There's so many. My favourite scenes are the ones where I'm having a good time. The scenes where I crack up and I can't control myself are my favourites. I'd rather have that than a really good, logical scene.
Do you have a favourite scene location suggestion?
Oh, anything with forest...wilderness. ‘Cause you can take it anywhere, right? You can be a crazy stalker in the forest, maybe you're putting initials in a tree, you can be Puck and fairies from Midsummer's Night Dream... I'm lying, I really don't have one at all.
Do you have a favourite object suggestion?
My favourite is opening up cupboards and searching for things. It has nothing to do with the scene but I'm doing object work. "I'm reaching for this can." But I wish for once somebody in the scene would actually go, "What are you doing?" or "What are you holding?" and I wouldn't have anything. I wouldn't have anything at all.
If you could improvise with anybody, living or dead, who would it be?
Oooh jeez, that's a hard one. He's not even an improviser, but Gene Wilder. I adore that man and Young Frankenstein is one of my favourite movies. He also has those intense, beautiful eyes... just so soft and could be so intense and stuff. It would be so lovely.
What was the best improv advice you ever got?
I think the most important thing is to compete with yourself. Just compete with finding your personal best.
Catch Shaista Latif and other great people at The Bad Dog Theatre. Spotlight off!