UCB
Starting in 2002, Billy Merritt (of Ninja, Robot, Pirate fame) started writing what he called “Billy Merrit’s Improv Party.†It started as a story to share his thoughts on improv and turned into a full-blown thread of awesome improv tips. I definitely recommend reading the entire thing (though it is a bit lengthy at 50 posts). It was originally […]
50 Improv Tips from Billy Merritt’s Improv Party Read More »
Instructor: Billy MerrittDate Taken: January 2010 I took a 3-hour workshop with Billy Merritt and definitely enjoyed it, especially the Ninja, Robot, Pirate metaphor and exercises. Here are the notes from his workshop. Workshop Notes Improv is 2 things: pattern and rhythm. Mirroring also means stage picture. Turn improv technique into story. If you’re tentative
Billy Merritt Workshop Notes Read More »
Continuing on the theme of me not really helping much to create it, but it being awesome and promoting The Movie, here’s the Movie Poster made possible by Rob Hugel, Don Fanelli, and Keith Bethea.
600: The Movie Poster Read More »
Instructors: Neil Casey and Dyna MoeDate Taken: October 2009 Straight out of my first 501, I was selected to do the The Movie form, and found it is a blast to play and can help you become a better improviser regardless of what form you’re doing.  I feel like I was stuck in my head
UCB Improv 600 “The Movie†Class Notes Read More »
Instructor: Zach WoodsDate Taken: June 2009 I was fortunate to make it into 501 after my first 401 and immediately went into another class with Zach.  It felt like an extension of my 401 class and was nice to have the consistency of an instructor that already had a sense of how I played—logically. Find
UCB Improv 501 Class Notes Read More »
Instructor: Michael DelaneyDate Taken: May 2009 After about 9 months off from writing any sketch, I decided to take the 201 class at UCB. This class (and Delaney specifically) made me hate my workduring the class but also made me a much stronger writer after the class. Below are the notes. Find out more about UCB’s training program here.
UCB Sketch 201 Class Notes Read More »
Instructor: Zach WoodsDate Taken: February 2009 I’m naturally a problem-solver which doesn’t necessarily bode well in improv scenes (I get caught up in solving the problem, not experiencing it as a character).  This class helped me realize there were more important things in improv scenes than fixing things.  Here are some of the improv gems
UCB Improv 401 Class Notes Read More »
Instructor: Silvija OjolsDate Taken: December 2008 By the time I got to 301 at UCB, I had learned that I was good at identifying the game in scenes, OK at playing it, but also rarely played anyone but myself in a scene.  It was also my first time performing a Harold, a form I’ve grown
UCB Improv 301 Class Notes Read More »
Instructors: Neil Casey / Kevin HinesDate Taken: October 2008 The concept of “game†taught at UCB immediately appealed to my math-mind and helped me find ways to explore funny.  I took 201 as an intensive (8 3-hour days over 2 weeks) hoping to get through it faster, and while it was a fun experience, it was
UCB Improv 201 Class Notes Read More »
I just finished my 201 intensive at UCB with my class show on October 26. This a review of the Upright Citizens Brigade’s Improv 201 class. Summary UCB’s Improv 201 Intensive class was a great class that helped me learn how to better identify the game of the scene and heighten it, both in the
UCB Improv 201 Review Read More »
