On Jan. 10, thousands of high school students fled to the Renaissance Grand Hotel in downtown St. Louis to be a part of the three day International Thespian Society Conference.

Students attended a variety of theater related workshops such as “Acting for the Camera”, “Musical Theatre Dance” and “Can’t Sing?” all embracing the Conference’s theme: “Show Your True Colors.”

Of the workshops offered, one in particular “Combating Objections as a Woman Improviser” received much praise for the inspiring and empowering message it sent to female improvisers.

Instructed by presenter Mimi Swoboda, the workshop focused on women placing themselves back into the limelight once men push them out.

Within the workshop Swoboda emphasized the necessity for women to confront the “bulldozing” actions presented by men towards women.

“Men want to shut women up, in comedy men associate women with props,” Swoboda said.

In the workshop, improvisers were encouraged to simulate an improvisation scene where one portrayed a man, and the other portrayed a woman.

Lydia Richardson, a student from Wentzville High School, said that during her scene she “wanted to talk, but she couldn’t.” The “man” was too controlling within the scene.

Senior Laynie Henning agreed, “She was talking so fast, that I couldn’t understand her.”

For Henning, it was impossible to come up with something quick enough to keep her relevance within the scene.

As women it is necessary to “Change the direction of the scene, women don’t utilize the strengths that they have,” Swoboda said.

In order to contrast the direction set by men, women have to take advantage of the three characters of improvisation: themselves, their partner and their environment.

Using these skills is like “a slap in the face by estrogen,” Swoboda said.

By inheriting dominance with calm tones and thorough use of the environment, women have the ability to maintain a role in improvisation and be seen as more than a prop.