“Unconscious conscience, conscious conscience” was splattered all over the dry erase board in the black box room of East campus where the group, Clay Crows, met Friday, Sept. 29. They are preparing for their performance at Lute Fest on Oct. 10. The theme of this year’s Lute Fest is carnival and just like a carnival it will be fi lled with diverse activities and performance. Attendees can expect snacks, student artwork, performances from student groups and signing of the student alumni banner, which will be displayed at the football game. Clay Crows will use this opportunity to improve on their acting skills while sharing their group philosophy with the audience. “We want to adjust ourselves to being unconsciously competent in improv,” junior Kristina Corbitt said. “We want to train ourselves to be in the moment and speak whatever comes to mind.” Unconscious competence involves realizing the correct ways of improv and then committing them to memory so they eventually become second nature. Conscious competence is stopping to realize and refl ect upon the correct styles of acting. The actors practiced this mindset through a series of exercises. One of these involved copying the movements and sounds of their partner along with shouting out the fi rst word the popped into their heads. While Clay Crows trained, their voices ricochet off the walls of the dark room. The black walled room, hidden behind the gym in East Campus, is fi lled with theatre furniture and boarded up windows. One could think it to be a gloomy room if not for the sounds of laughter and shouting coming from the inside. Along with an ambiguous location, Clay Crows has also passed through PLU’s radar and remained an unoffi cial group. “Lute Fest had trouble tracking us down,” junior Dylan Twines said. “They wanted to include an acting group, but they had no idea who we are and what we do; we are like a mystery.” Lute Fest will give them the opportunity to show off their improv skills while comig out of the shadows. “I’m most excited about having a whole range of people in the audience,” senior Katie Rice said. The group will perform one hour of improv, with a little help from the audience. “We have an outline of improv games that we will introduce and then ask the audience for advice or help with the next scene,” Richter said. “We want to encourage them to do as we do: go with the fl ow.” Lute Fest takes place Friday, Oct. 10 in the University Center. The theme for this year’s homecoming week, “get in the game”, urges alumni and current students to interact and take part in the week’s festivities. “The goal of this event is to bring together all of the PLU community,” Associate Director of Alumni and Parent Relations Jacob Himmelman said. “It is a time for students and alumni to be able to interact and celebrate together.” “Lutes for life”, is a term coined by the university that holds several meanings for students. It is about taking pride in PLU and being active in the community. This involves taking part in the educational experiences and having a voice in the diverse range of clubs, events and other opportunities provided. Homecoming week adds to these experiences by offering students the opportunity to take part in events that highlight the diverse and unique aspects of student life. This year’s theme, “get in the game”, was formed with the intention of encouraging students to be involved in the festivities and show off their school spirit. Traditions such as the homecoming dance, Lute Fest and the affi nity reunion feature several student organizations and clubs. These groups will give performances that will showcase the skills and diversity existing in the PLU community.

Photo courtesy of Clay Crow Members

Senior Kristen Corbitt lead the fi rst meeting of Clay Crows. She told the group that letting go and embracing the monent was the best way to improv saying, “don't be afriad to fail.”