One by one, the hopefuls shuffle into the meeting at Sheil Park in Lakeview, a room so white and devoid of color that anything -- shoes, clothing, jokes -- becomes magnified. They sit down in two rows of folding chairs, heads down, quiet, waiting for Jason Geis and Micah Philbrook to give them a suggestion.

Philbrook asks for two volunteers. Two of the eight applicants stand up and give their names, adding a line about themselves. One plays fantasy football. The other describes himself as a "South Side Italian family man."

"Your suggestion," Philbrook says, "is AM radio."

The two men get to work, lamenting over a pantomimed radio, acting out a scene on the fly. And for the next few minutes, Geis and Philbrook look for signs. Can they move a scene forward? Do they work well with others? Do they make smart choices? Are they funny?

These questions lead to a bigger one, whether any of the auditioning improvisers can fill one of the open slots at pH Productions, a 31-member improv company that performs at Stage Left Theatre in Lakeview. pH wants to fill seven spots. More than 100 people will audition over three days.

It's easily the largest audition in the group's history, say Geis and Philbrook, the group's artistic directors and two of its founding members, but that's not surprising. The group lacks the size of more-established companies such as Second City or i.O., but those companies mainly recruit out of their teaching programs. pH is one of the few groups in Chicago that offers almost-instant stage time in its four weekend shows, including the musical "pHamily" and "pHrenzy," a riotous blend of "Whose Line Is it Anyway" meets "Survivor."

Add to that the group's growing reputation -- it recently performed at the Chicago Sketch Festival in January -- and a spot in the 6-year-old company becomes enticing to young players.

"I respect these guys," says Gordy Andina, 23, of Chicago, one of the hopefuls. "They're kind of wacky, but they're smart and grounded. It's a great combination."

But a smaller company doesn't mean an easier selection process. Most times, breaking into an improv troupe is downright hard, says i.O. co-founder and artistic director Charna Halpern. Good improv, she says, requires intelligence, a sense of narration and comedic talent.

"And everyone ... needs a saintlike ability to make the other person look good," she says. "Nobody wants to play with anybody who doesn't have good table manners."

Over two days, Geis and Philbrook look for those qualities as they watch rounds of applicants audition. Each round follows a tight format. First, two hopefuls perform a scene together, with either Philbrook or Geis calling out a suggestion. They call "scene" when they've seen enough.

Next, "Freaky Friday." Two people get up, each performing a character monologue. Then the performers switch characters, portraying each other's creation.

Finally, a montage. All the performers line up. A suggestion is given. The performers take turns creating new scenes, one after another. Every time a performer tags in, a new scene begins.

For five minutes, the mania is palpable. At it's best, a performer can come in with an idea, start acting it out and have the others fall in line, figuring out how to move the scene while mining it for laughs. At its worst, a performer comes in, eyes wide, with no idea of what to do, and the scene falls apart.

"The montage makes or breaks it," Geis says. "It's easy to set-up a two-man or a monologue, but can they handle characters on the fly?"

At the end of each night, Geis and Philbrook head to a nearby bar with a few company members (most nights, cast member Tristan Tanner joins the group). Over a late dinner, they discuss the performances.

They whittle the number to 22, and callbacks are held. Each hopeful interviews with Geis, Tanner and Philbrook.

pH isn't just looking for good improvisers. They want people skilled in HTML and Web design, people with experience in shooting viral video or willing to stage manage a show. They want people who will stay.

It all comes into play that final night, when Geis, Philbrook, Tanner and fellow cast member Alex Sanborn huddle around a table at nearby D'Agostino's.

They come up with a list they think fits their needs. They're all solid performers. They'll make pH a priority. They want to help the theater grow.

In all, 13 new performers. Geis and Philbrook explain as they leave D'Agostino's close to 1 a.m. It's more than they planned, sure. But they just couldn't lose any of them. More than 100 tried out. Twenty-two made the cut. Thirteen wanted more than just stage time.

Finding good people is hard. When you do, you don't let them go.

"It's more than just the improv," Philbrook says.

PH PRODUCTIONS

When: Signature show runs 11 p.m. Thursdays; "pHamily" and "pHrenzy" run 11 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays

Where: Stage Left Theatre, 3408 N. Sheffield Ave.

Price: $8-10, 773-883-8830,http://www.whatisph.com

----------

gjeffers@tribune.com