Anyone here into comedy or improv?

AND YOU'RE REALLY JAZZED ABOUT YOUR OPPOSABLE THUMBS

As someone who usually (a) hates being the center of attention and (b) likes to say no, improv is really, really hard. I've been going to these sorta casual-ish workshops for a couple of months now and am about to give up. Kinda think that'd be too easy though. Any stories, encouraging or otherwise?

what do you expect to get out of doing improv comedy? why isn't that motivation enough to stick with it?

Speaking as someone who had no prior performance background and who currently isn't all that interested in doing improv, I still say to anyone who's interested that taking improv classes was one of the best things I ever did for myself.

Where are you doing these workshops?

xpost

The impetus was to kill some time and I figured the challenge of doing something so totally foreign to me would be good. It's the feeling of failure that is so discouraging. Rapid fire, on the spot thinking on any random topic ain't easy.

I'm taking them at the university where I work. Toss in that I am 15-20 years older than everyone -- so even cultural references are different enough to matter -- and it makes it a bit harder. The guys who are leading the group are all good, although I could probably use a bit more "Stop there, try this" sort of guidance.

What was your experience, Radar?

I thought this thread was going to hand me a flyer

The impetus was to kill some time

Well you've already succeeded in meeting your goal, so maybe you need a new goal, or else its time to move on.

I had completely forgotten about it but tried this for a while in grad school. I was a decade or two older than the others and had a problem with the cultural references as well, throwing in too many from my generation that were lost on the youth of today, well, the youth of that day. Also had a problem trying too hard to be funny and not understanding the craft and "accepting the offer" and all that stuff. They seemed to tolerate me one or two even seemed to like me, one or two guys who at studied at the UCB seemed to be annoyed by my antics. Anyway I found it kind of interesting but I had to stop for some reason. I have a good friend who is now the number one improv teacher in Austin. I need to discuss this with him again, thanks for the reminder.

Thinking maybe you need to take one of them aside and ask for guidance.

In fact he has posted here twice under the name Viscount Slim. Maybe I can get him to come back and give us some pointers.

I participated in improv "jams" -- and ONCE for a paying audience! -- and I was better at it than standup, which I halfheartedly pursued around 1989-91, passing the audition at a storied Manhattan club whose owner ran it into oblivion.

i keep thinking about maybe one day doing this but i'm afraid i would either be bad at it or that i just wouldn't jive with anyone else in the class. not that those aren't good reasons to try but ehh

I had no problem spewing out random stuff that sort of connected with what the situation was, but it finally dawned on me that this was viewed as more of a stealth monologue and not really what the improv experience was supposed to be getting at.

yes, the first rule is LISTEN u know.

So as I was saying....

I still need to sign up for the 2nd half of the 2nd year class.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0nMU82cWM8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Xmz-p9FYW8&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Sandy Denny is gone off of YouTube because of you.

john: I've been through the training program at Second City, roughly half the program at iO, random classes and jams and drop-ins, and had an independent dramatic improv group (much more my speed, as I'm not particularly wild about the general tendency towards max yuks per minute) that imploded. I've been out of town/the scene for a while and have just recently returned, dipping my toe ever-so-gingerly into stand-up (maybe not exactly my cup of tea but the logistics of which don't involve other people following through) and in the planning stages of some performance stuff that'll incorporate a degree of improv (including a show I hope to direct in the not-too-distant future). And, again, I had nothing to do with anything performance-related prior to '08. It's a bug and it'll get under your skin if you let it.

If you're pretty much new to the game, I'd highly recommend the SC training center. The early levels are like improv kindergarten in the best possible way.

Cool, Radar. Looks like next round of classes starts in March at Second City. Are you doing the stand up/show up in Chicago?

> Also had a problem trying too hard to be funny and not understanding the craft and "accepting the offer" and all that stuff.

Oh, yeah. Right now, I'll analyze, say, a question I answered lamely, and mentally kick myself for the missed opportunity. The other day we were working on character and detail, trying to keep consistent and to elaborate. Hard enough when I'm still trying not to stare at the floor while I'm speaking.

are there improv groups that are specifically geared towards things that aren't comedy, like improv as speech therapy or improv as increasing your salesmanship?

Second City has classes in Dramatic Improv and Improv for Anxiety.

I wonder how many people are in regular improv because they didn't want the stigma of being in improv for anxiety.

Ted Flicker, a key talent in the Compass Players and The Premise, who went on to create The President's Analyst and Barney Miller.

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/18/arts/television/theodore-j-flicker-sitcom-creator-dies-at-84.ht

sorry

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/09/18/arts/television/theodore-j-flicker-sitcom-creator-dies-at-84.html

Been listening a lot to "Improv4humans", with Matt Besser, on Earwolf podcasts.

I find this type of improv way more funnier than what I remember of "Who's Line..." being, weren't they all just smug gits on that?

Anyway Matt introduces the occasional debate with callers, or rants about stuff in the news, which is usually interesting.

In Del, “Mike Myers will portray one of his own mentors, Del Close, an early influencer of improv comedy who was also known for training many notable comic actors.” The Hollywood Reporter‘s Rebecca Ford: “Betty Thomas (Private Parts, 28 Days) will direct.”

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/berlin-mike-myers-star-film-as-comedy-coach-del-close-973791

"Barbara Harris established the role at Second City of ferociously smart women who refused to be mere adjuncts to the boys. She brought an emotional complexity that has rarely been matched."

Read more about Barbara's incredible life & unequalled talent: https://t.co/JJyUqhYjC3 pic.twitter.com/Run482YFiM

— The Second City (@TheSecondCity) August 21, 2018

RIP Fred Willard. Second City trained, part of a comedy group I remember from my youth, The Ace Trucking Company. He was a sketch comedy pioneer. A great part of Christopher Guest's films. pic.twitter.com/ufmIvqj7xU

— Dennis Perrin (@DennisThePerrin) May 16, 2020

Who else is in that picture?

From the Wikipedia entry for the 2000 AD 'Ace Trucking Co.' strips:

The title was lifted from a 1970s improvisational comedy group whose membership had included Fred Willard, Patti Deutsch, Michael Mislove, George Memmoli, and Bill Saluga.

Thanks. She looks a little different from when she was on Tattletales.

Bill Saluga was the "You can call me Ray or you can call me Jay" guy from 1970s beer commercials

George Memmoli was the pool hall owner in Mean Streets.

Sad news. I met Noah a few times, and he was a real mensch. And an incredibly solid, very smart performer.

Noah Gregoropoulos, influential Chicago improv performer and teacher, has died at 63. https://t.co/l37SSLZCuk

— Chicago Sun-Times (@Suntimes) December 17, 2022