Waffles, Improv, and Vicki

by Paul Normandin

I started Improv in 2010. I did not attend WaffleFest that year or the next because I was playing in a tournament for my other love, Ultimate (Frisbee Football) at Celebracion de Espiritu. As one of the founders of the Ultimate Players League of Austin (UPLA), I played Ultimate a lot before Improv. But in 2011 Vicki went to WaffleFest because we were part of the Improv community. She gave me her t-shirt with a waffle shaped like Texas on it. She didn’t wear that color, but loved the design. She had volunteered that year, 2011, to make waffles.

See Vicki had made pancakes for over 13 years at our church as part of the annual Pancake Supper on Fat (Shrove) Tuesday each year. She taught the teens at Sunday School and then drafted them to make the food while I ran the games for the kids. The previous year she sold t-shirts for Celebracion de Espiritu. She liked making food more than selling T-shirts.

The next year, 2012, we both volunteered and I was invited to perform with In Our Prime. Vicki managed the making of the waffles. It was like being at the Church all over again. Only this time, we could curse if we needed too. We didn’t need to though. It all ran so smoothly.

The crazy insane thing was that people I had played with at Celebracion de Espiritu the previous years were now volunteers at WaffleFest. It was so surreal, to see Chad, Todd, Splat (Chris Sebilia), and Mia all there. And through it all was my wife, doing what she loved, near by as I did what I loved.

Vicki is a master pancake and waffle maker, a manager for the State of Texas, animal lover extraordinaire, former Austin Disc Golfer Champion, indoor skydiver, and lover of Improv (and me.) You can catch Vicki at the Hideout every night of WaffleFest making waffles and leading a fun filled weekend for all who attend.

WaffleFest brings out the best in Improv from Austin. It also, brings out the love that the community shares. For that, we are all happy eating waffles one weekend a year.

[For tickets and info about WaffleFest, click here.]