Spitfire Spotlight: Jennifer Hope Strouf
What's your day job?
Attorney/Owner of Strouf Law Firm, PA. and Owner/Trainer of Improv4Lawyers, PA.
Do you have any hobbies outside of improv?
I spend a lot of time in jail, oh wait, that's work related. I love to travel (17 countries and counting...). I swim. And, I snorkel every chance I get.
What drew you to improv?
I wanted to do something that was not work. Improv classes were my mental reprieve from working. Improvising was the only time I was not thinking about my job and everything else I had to do. What I found was by not thinking about work for a few hours I actually got better at my job and living my life.
Jen Strouf with her Big Pickles teammates, Paul and Pat Connelly.
What do you like to do most on stage?
I love being in the moment with the audience. Painting a picture so vivid that we get lost in the story together. And of course the laughter. Hearing genuine laughter is addictive!
What makes a good scene in your opinion?
A good scene comes from painting a picture so vivid that you and the audience get lost in the moment.
What's the most memorable moment you've had at Spitfire?
My most memorable moment at Spitfire was performing a solo act in the Spirit of Christmas show in 2017. I was new to the Spitfire community and new to performing before live audiences -- the way the theater, the performers, and the audience welcomed me and allowed me to try something new was amazing!
Jen Strouf and her prize chocolate Santa after winning The Spirit of Christmas in 2017.
How would you explain Spitfire shows to someone who's never been?
Spitfire is an intimate theater that seats about 40 people. Every performance is new, every performance is unique, and yet every performance is fun. Spitfire is the kind of place where everyone is welcome. The audience helps make up what will happen in a scene, and the players are so good that you will leave thinking "did they really just make that up on the spot?"
How would you describe the Spitfire community in 5 words or less?
Supportive environment for playtime growth.
You can see Jen perform regularly in Improvarama, Whose Line St Pete, and 3 First Dates. She also performs with her teams Big Pickles, Comic Sans, and her solo act, Defending Superheroes, in The Spitfire Open.