The journey with RyKen Media started with discovering that there is a local improv troupe in Amarillo that goes by the name of “Writer’s Strike.” While the troupe offers the usual improv fare we’ve come to expect thanks to “Who’s Line Is It Anyway?” they also take things to another level.

I sat in on a rehearsal of Writer’s Strike where the actors spent the evening locked in a comedic match of wits. Bank robberies, house parties where guests are cats and cult members, and death by duck were all parts of an improvised world we all lived in for two hours straight.

More than once I found myself belly laughing at the absurdity I was surrounded by.

During a break, I was told stories of a game the troupe plays called, “The World’s Most Dangerous Improv Game.” In the game, players are blindfolded and barefoot as they make their way across a stage set with 100 live mousetraps while acting out a scene. I was given a mousetrap as a parting gift.

This is only the tip of the iceberg for RyKen Media. The overall hope is to create a digital channel where purely local content is put on display. Local-only news, poetry, art, improv, food, and travel programming are all planned for the fledgling channel.

The plan is to host the channel digitally and have it funded by donations via Patreon. Once the remodeling is done on the studio space, they hope to open up for live studio audiences during regular performances.

Check out their website, YouTube channel, and Facebook page for more info.

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