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April 28, 2006
Chicago Improv Festival photos
The Chicago Improv Festival has a Flickr account, with photos being added each day of the festival.
Posted by Fuzzy at 5:22 PM
Bad Set Decoder Ring
Christian Finnegan's Bad Set Decoder Ring is for standup comedians, but works just as well for post-improv show conversations:
POST-SHOW COMMENT: "Good job."
TRANSLATION: You were a forgettable part of a lackluster evening. I am complimenting you only because I have a vague notion that you performed and now we’ve found ourselves standing around the bar, socializing with the same group of people. I remember that you weren’t offensively bad, but if you asked me right now what I liked about your set, I’d probably say something vague, like "You said something up top that I really loved," and then excuse myself to go to the men’s room.
(via Drink at Work)
Posted by Fuzzy at 4:53 PM
April 27, 2006
Photos from the Phoenix Improv Festival
Some photos from last weekend's Phoenix Improv Festival:
Kristen Freilich: Flickr set of 65 photos
Fuzzy Gerdes: Flickr set of 23 photos
Kevin Patterson: Best 65 shots
Kevin Patterson: Complete set of 656
Posted by Fuzzy at 9:32 AM
April 25, 2006
Groups Update
Groups Added:
Big News (USA - California)
Coldtowne Heroes (USA - Texas)
Cupcake (USA - Washington)
Imp (USA - New York)
Let Them Ho's Fight (USA - Illinois)
Midnight Hellhouse (USA - Illinois)
Mother (USA - New York)
NewFormat Improvisation (USA - New York)
On the Spot (USA - Hawaii)
Reality World (USA - Washington)
The Suggestibles (World - UK)
Switchboard (USA - New York)
Urban Improv (Canada - British Columbia)
Waiting for Ennis Cotter (USA - Massachusetts)
Whirled News Tonight (USA - Illinois)
Posted by Fuzzy at 5:23 PM
Directing Improv
YESand Publishing has released YESand.com editor-in-chief Asaf Ronen's first book, Directing Improv: Show the Way by Getting Out of the Way. The book features techniques and advice for coaches, teachers, and directors of improvised ensembles and shows. Besides Ronen's personal views, there are also tips and anecdotes from improv directors like Armando Diaz, Michael Gellman, Kevin Mullaney, Mick Napier, Shira Piven, and Mark Sutton.
YESand.com features an excerpt from the book.
Posted by Fuzzy at 12:03 PM
Chicago Improv Festival
The 2006 Chicago Improv Festival has kicked off.
Chicagoist: CIF Nine: What's So Funny?
Posted by Fuzzy at 11:41 AM
April 18, 2006
Lewis Black Contest
More free stuff? Are we crazy? Well, yes, but we also have a copy of the new Lewis Black standup album -- The Carnege Hall Performance -- to give away. And it's a double CD, so it's like 2 giveaways.
It goes on sale April 25, so let's have a "win it the same day you could buy it" contest -- send an email to improv@fuzzyco.com with the subject "lewis black contest" by midnight, Tuesday, April 25, 2006. One randomly-selected lucky winner will receive:
Posted by Fuzzy at 8:59 AM
April 14, 2006
PULVER
PULVER, a Norwegian Improvisational Theatre Festival, will be May 4-14, 2006 in Oslo. And speaking of Norway, Scenekunst.info looks like a good resource for impro in Norway. I think. (I don't speak Norwegian.)
Posted by Fuzzy at 1:42 PM
Groups Update
Groups Added:
The Early Monday Morning Show (USA - Maryland)
E.J.Smackels (USA - Maine)
ImprovAnonymous (USA - California)
Scenekunst.info (World - Norway)
Posted by Fuzzy at 1:40 PM
April 7, 2006
2006 XL Funnywriter Contest
I usually get all snooty here on the New Improv Page* and won't post things about sketch comedy, but this might win one of my readers $500, so I'm bending my own rules:
The Austin-American Statesman, Esther's Follies, and the Hideout Theatre are presenting the 2006 XL Funnywriter Contest and the Funnywriter Sketch Festival.
Until April 27, 2006 you can visit the contest webpage and enter your 600-word-or-less sketch. You may enter the contest as often as you like. Six sketches will be chosen as semi-finalists and performed and judged:
Six semi-final entries will be performed on Friday, May 12, at the Hideout Theatre, as part of the Funnywriter Sketch Festival. The six semi-final entries will be performed again on Saturday, May 13, at The Velveeta Room as part of the Funnywriter Sketch Festival. Those six entries will be published in the May 18, 2006 edition of the American Statesman XL magazine and performed at Esther's Follies the following night, May 19, scored by a panel of five judges. First Place winner will receive $500 and all six finalists will receive gift packages featuring Esther's tickets and tee shirts and prizes from area businesses. First, second, third place winners will be announced at the end of the show on May 19. The three winners and three honorable mentions will be performed again on May 20 at The Velveeta Room. Contest participants do not have to be present to win.
* But just here. I perform sketch comedy, but I try to keep the New Improv Page focussed.
Posted by Fuzzy at 11:50 AM
April 4, 2006
Chicago Improv Network
The Chicago Improv Network website has been redesigned.
Posted by Fuzzy at 4:07 PM