The Black Box Theatre in Collins Auditorium has become a second home for Henry Tremblay, FCRH ’26. The theater is where he performs stand-up and improv comedy in front of a live audience of Fordham University students throughout the school year. His experiences have allowed him to grow his comedic skills and become part of a fun community on campus.
Growing up in Providence, R.I., Tremblay found interest in comedy while watching stand-up specials “Saturday Night Live” and Mad TV.
Robin Williams specifically had a large influence on forming Tremblay’s comedic approach. What attracted him to Williams was his fun energy and warm nature: “A lot of comedians can be a little mean, but Robin Williams was pretty kind.” However, it wasn’t until arriving at Fordham that Tremblay decided to become a comedian.
During the first week of his first-year, he went to Gotham Comedy Club in Manhattan and saw comedians perform their sets in person. This experience inspired him to pursue performing comedy. While in Providence during Winter Break in 2023, he had the opportunity to perform at The Glue Factory comedy club, where he performed a set about dogs and their odd behaviors.
The set was a success, and his comedy career began. Tremblay auditioned for the Black Box improv team during his second semester and got in. Throughout the semester, he performed improv routines with his teammates and was able to grow his skills as a performer.
What Tremblay likes about improv is the teamwor.