We’ve all heard of acting like “a kid in a candy store,” but NSTV, Northwestern’s sketch comedy group, took their childlike antics to a furniture store during filming for their upcoming show.
NSTV taped the introduction to their show in the IKEA at 750 E. Boughton Road, Bolingbrook, early Friday morning. The group was in the store from 2 a.m. to 11 a.m., when the store opened. IKEA is an international franchise that offers affordable Scandinavian furniture.
Communication senior Amanda Dunlap, one of the group’s executive producers, said they thought college students would connect with the location.
“NSTV doesn’t do topical humor – that is, Northwestern-related humor,” she said. “But, at the same time, we wanted to do something about the college experience.”
Students will be excited about seeing IKEA incorporated in the show, Dunlap said.
“We wanted to pique the people’s interests,” she said. “Ever since we’re kids, we have a dream of having free rein in a store.”
Dunlap said the group has tried to incorporate unique locations in its opening credits since 2004, when it used Tivoli Theatre, 5021 Highland Ave., Downers Grove. Last year, the group closed off a street in Kenosha, Wis., to film a sketch involving a bicycle race.
Dunlap said the group got permission to shoot the segment from IKEA a month before the actual filming. The group also used an outside director of photography and a professional Steadycam operator.
The filming was fun for the cast and crew, Dunlap said.
“It brought out the kid in you again,” she said. “There was a loose script so we had to improvise.”
Communication sophomore Brad Cerf, assistant director for the show, agreed, saying many people will connect with the sketch.
“It’s a lot of people’s dream to get locked in a department store,” he said.
The group was grateful to have the store for nine hours, Cerf said.
“It was pretty amazing that we got to shoot there,” he said. “We had a backup in case IKEA did not work out, but I was really impressed with their willingness to help us.”
Cerf said the location made filming smoother because they were able to incorporate the furniture set-ups into the three- to five-minute sketch.
“It was kind of surreal having an entire showroom and merchandise area,” he said. “We had 10 to 12 pre-made sets, and they were all modern.”
Cerf said he thinks students will be impressed with the sketch.
“It’s something new, and no one’s done it,” he said. “There will be people who think we’re selling out to IKEA, but most people like it.”
Communication senior Sara Hong, the show’s director, said IKEA accommodated the group’s requests, including reversing the escalators for the shoot. She also said the store provided a good backdrop for the introduction.
“The visuals were pretty to look at,” she said. “If you add a funny script to that, you get an amazing product.”
The group will premiere the show on Friday May 26 at Tech Auditorium at 8 p.m. Tickets will cost $5 and will be available at the Norris box office and at the door.
Reach Ketul Patel at [email protected].
