OUR STORY:

The Babbling Bishops started as a concept of Maria Dotori in the fall of 1990. Maria was a senior theatre major, and as a theatre major, she was required to create a performance-oriented project to receive her degree. She organized a group of friends, as well as herself, into an improv comedy troupe and began rehearsing. In the spring of 1991 they performed for the first time under the name Chameleon. This first performance was done in the Stuyvesent Hall Smoker. Since then, the Smoker has become the home of the Babbling Bishops, housing ninety percent or so of our shows, as well as rehearsals and occasionally workshops. Later in the year Chameleon performed for a second time due to popular demand of the student body. This show was at the “Heartland Restaurant”, located in beautiful downtown Delaware. Maria Dotori graduated in 1991, leaving behind her the legacy of the Babbling Bishops.

The next year, 1991-92, Johnny Ray Meeks took charge. He was a member of the Chameleon project in the prior year and decided to continue the work of Maria. The group reformed under Meeks and became an officially recognized student organization under WCSA (Wesleyan Council on Student Affairs). Randy Myers, a member of the group and participant of Chameleon, is accredited with the naming of the Babbling Bishops. Using what they had learned in Chameleon, Meeks and the new Bishops organized the first workshops, which taught other Ohio Wesleyan students basic improv comedy skills and games. At the end of the workshop process the group performed in the Red and Black Revue, a Theta Alpha Phi sponsored talent show that takes place during Monnett weekend. Those who did well in the workshops and in Red and Black Review became Babbling Bishops, a tradition that still continues to this day. From there, the group began regular rehearsals and shows.

In the spring of 1996 the Babbling Bishops performed for the first time with another improv troupe. Originally, groups from both Kenyon University and Denison University where confirmed to attend. However, only Kenyon showed. At the end of the twentieth century the Babbling Bishops entered into their first golden age, and it was during this time that the troupe became the most powerful group on campus. In the spring of 1999 two important milestones were met. The first saw two guest improv comedians hold a three-day workshop with the troupe. During this Then the Bishops made a trip to the city of Chicago, well known as the Mecca of improv comedy. There they studied under such important companies as Improv Olympic, Second City of Chicago, and the Annoyance Theater. The Babbling Bishops still try to make regular pilgrimages; the most recent was in 2004.

Another great landmark event for the Babbling Bishops occurred in the spring of 2001. The president of the group at the time, Steven “Fatty” Cady II, organized the first Reunion Show, commemorating ten years of perfect improv. Bishops alumni from around the country returned to Delaware, Ohio to once again adorn their Blacks and take the stage of Grey Chapel as a unified Babbling Bishops. In attendance were Johnny Ray Meeks and his brother, Marcus who was also an original member of Chameleon. The show was done in memory of Tai Merion, a Babbling Bishop alumni who had passed away earlier that year.


For information on the 15 year reunion, stop by the Reunion page on this website.

OUR MEMBERS:

Members are listed by year of induction. All names are followed by graduation (or supposed graduation) year.
The composite group of each year is that year's inductees plus any previous year's inductees who have not graduated or withdrawn.

Linked names are current Bishops, clicking on these allows you to contact the current Bishops.

1990-1991 AS CHAMELEON: Maria Dottori '91 Founder Carey Douglas '91 Melanie Blevines '91 Randy Myers '92 Glenn Ross '93 Johnny Ray Meeks '94 Keith Black '94 Peter ???? Total members: 8	1991-1992 AS BABBLING BISHOPS: John Marcus Meeks '92 Edward Arrendondo '94 Josh Artis '94 Marion Weil '94 Dan Sagarin '94 Chris Peer '94 Megan Marx '95 Randall "Puddn'" Harr '95 Shai White '96 withdrew Total members: 12	1992-1993 Sarah Thomas '95 Brian "Porno" Kirk '96 Dan "Straight Man" Richardson '96 Nikki Eiler '96 Hannah Farrington '96 Total members: 15
1993-1994 Brian Shipley '96 Chris "Chewy" Sibbald '97 Total members: 16	1994-1995 Jen Jacoby '96 T'ai Merrion '96 Meggan Traucht '97 Darryl "Ghost Dad" Adams '98 Todd (Tronster) "Fly Boy" Hartley '98 Total members: 14	1995-1996 K.C. Webber '96 Jim Tranchida '97 Amanda "Snippy" Case '98 withdrew John "Cowboy" Toretta '98 Aaron "Abe" Cook '99 Total members: 15
1996-1997 Sean Harris '97 Nichole Kim-Bavene '98 Pete Schultz '99 Josh "Titty Boy" Kessler '00 Mike "Licky" Mattieu '00 Total members: 13	1997-1998 Andrew "Beans" Connor '99 Steve "Sparky" Herring '99 Emily "Strong Arm" Hill '01 Stephan "Fatty" Cady II '01 Total members: 14	1998-1999 Jason Beehler '00 Barb Lanciers '01 Martha "Glass Cutters" Hill '02 Dave "Diamond Dave" McLaughlin '02 Total members: 12
1999-2000 Jasin "Flash Dance" Lifshin '02 Daniel "Narratron" Granata '03 Doug "P.J." Hettich '03 Total members: 11	2000-2001 John "Granpa" Foughty '02 Sarah "Doppleganger" Cook '02 Cuyler Hunter '03 withdrew '00 Total members: 10	2001-2002 John "Wholsome" Rhoades '05 Kevin "Creepy" Collier '05 Nolan "P.T.J." Dutton '05 Tracie "Doogie" Hall '05 withdrew '04 Total members: 9
2002-2003 Brian "?" Henry '05 declined Katie "the Messenger" Burnett '06 withdrew'03 Total members: 7	2003-2004 Brian "Blue Balls" Henry '05 undeclined Casey "Fisting" Philips '06 Emily "Demolition Man" Ranii '07 transferred'04 Eric "Dreamcatcher" Carpenter '07 Eric "Pokey" Magnus '07 Nicole "the Juice" Perez-Daple '07 Total members: 10	2004-2005 Kit "*gasp*" McCann '08 Total members: 9
2005-2006 Nathan "Slippery When Wet" Truman '08 Jessica "Tiddlywink" Ferguson '09 Brett "Cruiser" Riffle '09 Total members: 8	2006	2007