By Thompson Perry

James Isaac keeps in mind the words of the late George Carlin when he is on the stage: “The role of the comedian is to figure out where the line is drawn and cross it deliberately.”
Though he has declared this brash approach to comedy his unofficial motto, he knows all too well that the attitude can have its pitfalls.
“It’s sometimes weird to have my mom in the audience when I’m making sex jokes,” the senior theater arts major readily admits.
Though it might not win him any points with his mother, the comedy act of Isaac and the ensemble cast of the Indicators is winning over just about everyone else.
“I saw a show [by the Indicators] about a year ago at the Red Barn,” said University of Louisville graduate Michael Young. “I laughed through the whole thing. They just have a really good chemistry and they feed off each other really well.”
“You can’t be afraid to go somewhere that people don’t think you’ll go,” said Isaac, displaying the attitude that seems to please everyone at Indicators shows.
The Indicators group was formed in 2005 by theater graduate student James Cronin, who was, according to his peers, “looking for a way to fill some time in between plays for [student-run theater].” For instance, Isaac was auditioning for a main-stage show when he was approached by Cronin and asked if he had any experience in improv.
Though  the group has continued to grow and evolve as time has passed, that same motto cited by Isaac, along with the primary goal of getting laughs by any means necessary, has remained intact throughout it all.
“I think that comedy is an escape that everyone can enjoy and benefit from,” said Isaac. “Improv is different in that it’s probably the scariest form of comedy for performers. You don’t know what kinds of suggestions you’re going to get or what your setting is going to be.”
What fuels Indicators shows – audience participation – is an unpredictable beast for these performers, so the group often finds themselves at the mercy of their audience. The same participation that makes each show so individual is also what makes them so genuine and spontaneous.
“The audience is the ‘x-factor’ that sets improv apart from other forms of comedy,” said Ben Owens, a 2005 U of L theater arts graduate. “Improv starts with the audience, because the performer cannot pre-plan his attack because the audience can throw a wrench in that plan.”
Owens also acknowledges that the audience can “make or break a show.”
Being able to adapt so quickly to audience requests, Isaac says, is a testament to the performers with whom he shares the stage.
“When you have talented members like the ones in our group, it looks easy and natural,” said Isaac. “It’s also very pure in that what the audience sees is being created right in front of them.”
Past shows, which have featured games such as “Four Corners,” “Video Store” and “Freeze” has allowed the group to develop a rare kind of chemistry, group members attest, that makes the performances as enjoyable for them as they are for the audiences they entertain.
And of course, in keeping with the philosophy Isaac outlined, they keep their material irreverent and unapologetically blunt. Recently, a game the performers played on stage involved a parody of the program “Inside the Actor’s Studio.” University of Louisville student Brandon Meeks portrayed the part of recently deceased actor Heath Ledger.
“I just screamed as though I was looking at a ghost,” Isaac remembers. “[Brandon] had no idea what was happening.”
Though it may seem on the edge, such comedy is exactly what keeps audiences returning for multiple shows.
“That’s just what they do,” said Young, “and they’re very good at it. They take what can be a very lame suggestion from the audience and you wonder ‘How are they going to make that interesting?’ They always find a way, though.”
The Indicators are scheduled to perform this Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 7:30 p.m. at City Block. Tickets are $10 for students and $12 for the general public.
For more information on the Indicators, visit the web site of The Indicators at www.indicatorsimprov.com.