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When you start a scene, bring a brick not a cathedral.
Possibly Del Close?
This quote has followed me around thought my improv career. I read somewhere and now can’t find the attribution to it. I always ascribe it to Del Close, but as I can’t find it’s source, I’m really not sure any more. There is a very similar quote in the Second City Almanac of Improvisation on page 103. If anyone knows where this quote comes from, please let me know.
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For all the credit I give Mick Napier and his excellent book Improvise, learning the rules of improv as taught by Del Close in Truth In Comedy is a necessity. Mick teaches a far more organic form of Improv that, while being a great addition to Del’s teachings pushing forward an improviser stuck in a rut, it’s major failing is if you aren’t following the ground rules in improv chances are your scenes will suffer.
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Original Swarm team: Billy Merritt, Andrew Daly, Andy Secunda, Sean Conroy, Katie Roberts, Dave Blumenfeld, Michael Delaney
The Swarm Returns for One Night at UCB NY! The legendary Upright Citizen’s Brigade improvisational team comes back for a night of sidesplitting improv this Thursday. If you are a serious improviser, which I know you are, this is an important event. Reserve toady!
(They have a website… but it hasn’t been updated since 2004.)
Review on it’s way!
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Saw Dave Foley speak last night at Inside Joke at UCB as part of their The Best Comedy In The Universe Festival.
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Dear Improv Diary,
Although I am a few weeks late, I thought I would reflect on my 201 class at the Upright Citizens Brigade New York.
The Whip at Drury Lane in 1909
As I alluded to earlier, things over at UCB had definitely become more interesting. Jon Daly, our instructor, was called away for a writing gig out in California and was replaced by Neil Casey of Death By Roo Roo. At first I was very nervous about the instructor change 5 weeks in to an 8 week class, but Casey proved to be an excellent instructor.
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Just went out for lunch and saw Stephnie Weir checking her cell phone by the Coffee Shop in Union Square. At first I had trouble placing her face, but then realized I was going to see her tonight at UCB’s The Best Comedy In The Universe Festival.
So, I think somebody is trying to tell me to remind you fine people to, if you haven’t already, make your reservation for Weirdass this evening at 8pm.
It’s the show I judge all other’s by. It is, bar none, the best improv performance I have ever seen.