Just last week I had an alarming experience. My improv notebook went missing and I panicked. I started calling all the people I knew, to see if anyone had picked it up while we were out. No one knew where it was. I searched my overflowing backpack, my messy apartment, my paper filled office and still nothing. It turned out, I had written a few notes in it last Wednesday during group practice and had left it by the leg of my chair. Luckily for me, Roy Astorias Studio had it turned in and I retrieved it, but it was a harrowing experience. The history of the last year of my improv education is contained in that little notebook and If I were to loose it, I wouldn’t be able to reconstruct all the lessons, exercises, thoughts, or knowledge contained in it.
This, surprisingly, coincided with an article I have been writing, off and on, for the past 3 weeks about keeping an improv notebook. I considered it a sign that I should finish off the article and post it on the website. And so, without further ado…
Recently a UCB instructor asked me, while I was sitting in the UCB training center’s waiting room, writing in my improv notebook, whether I took class notes.
You now I never see many students taking notes in classes I teach. Back when I was in classes I took lots of notes and I still have all my notebooks. Yeah, I hardy ever see students taking notes in classes and it sees strange to me as well. I would never remember any of this if I didn’t take notes.
Strangely from that time I have taken 2 additional classes and I am consistently the only student who takes regular notes in my classes and the only student I know who keeps an active written journal (besides improvoker web journal). Of course, everyone is different and has different ways of keeping and recording information. Some people may have brains that can retain class information without the need of a notebook, but I am not one of those people and I would wager that the majority of you all are not those types of people.
“If you want to sing out, sing out…” UCBNY Announces a new sketch show and makes a pun.
The UCB Theatre is thrilled to announce the creation of MAUDENIGHT!
Much like Harold Night showcases the improv talent of performers who have completed classes at the UCB Theatre, Maude Night will feature sketch comedy written by students who have completed sketch classes at the UCB Theatre.
WHATIS A MAUDETEAM?
Maude Teams will consist of six (6) writers each. These writers will have the option of being writers only or writer/performers.
Maude Teams will meet once a week with an approved director to get feedback on their sketches and will put up a show at the UCB Theatre once a month featuring the material they have created.
Maude Teams are meant to to create opportunities for sketch writers to improve by:
Original Swarm team: Billy Merritt, Andrew Daly, Andy Secunda, Sean Conroy, Katie Roberts, Dave Blumenfeld, Michael Delaney
The Swarm Returns for One Night at UCBNY! 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!
Normally I wouldn’t be spotlighting to a class show on Improvoker. Class shows are usually a great place to watch students perfecting their craft, but are sometimes a little difficult to watch… but this isn’t an ordinary class show. This is the final performance of a 600 level class taught by instructor Christina Gausas.
Christina is first generation Del. She studied with Del Close, Charna Halpern, Mick Napier in Chicago, taught at IO Chicago, and is now teaching at UCB New York. Her current 600 level class, which is an advanced class, is performing two long form improvisational styles called JTS Brown and Cat’s Cradle. These two forms are by far the most interesting structures of improv I have ever seen. They border on the side of experimental theater, weaving abstract scenework into the long form structure.
Each form is very different from one another. JTS Brown begins with an improviser becoming a character and supporting improvisers becoming that character through a tag out like replacement. Cats cradle is an amorphous set of scenes, which morph from one scene to another through a series of almost dance-like montages.
I heavily recommend checking out this show if you are interested in seeing how improvisational forms can be used to create more complex performances. The ideas inherent in these structures beg the question, “what is possible in an improv performance?”
Del Close thought that improv should be more than just a quick joke. These forms really spotlight that improv can be more.
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.
