understanding comedy
The Ideal Improviser
From everything that I’ve read, been taught, learned and experienced when it comes to improv, they are concepts and ideas that come back time and time again. And if you were to take those concepts, put them in a pot, and stir, you’d have an “ideal improviser” soup. The ideal improviser doesn’t think about these […]
Read MoreUCB Improv 301 Class Notes
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 […]
Read MoreThe City Clocked! Review
I recently completed my Clocked! class at The City with my class show on November 2. This a review of the The City’s Clocked! class. Summary The City’s Clocked! class was the first class I’ve taken that taught a specific improv form (you don’t get into Harold’s until the later classes at UCB). And while […]
Read MoreUCB Improv 201 Class Notes
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 […]
Read MoreClocked! Improv Class Notes
Instructor: Aaron HaberDate Taken: October 2008 When I first started taking classes in NYC, I found a description of one called Clocked! by Aaron from the Broadway Comedy Club. The idea of the class was to learn a form that involved a series of 30-second and 10-second scenes. While I don’t know that it makes […]
Read MoreUCB Improv 201 Review
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 […]
Read MoreUCB Sketch 101 Class Notes
Instructor: Dominic DierkesDate Taken: August 2008Â At about the same time I decided to jump back into improv, I also decided to take a sketch class. I never really had much interest in writing sketch for the stage, but figured the class could give me some good insights on overall comedic writing. Below are the […]
Read MoreUCB Improv 101 Review
I recently wrapped up my first class at UCB with my class performance on August 16. This a review of the Upright Citizens Brigade’s Improv 101 class. Summary UCB’s Improv 101 class is a great introduction into the world of improv. It provides an end-to-end look at the key skills it takes to be a […]
Read MoreUCB Improv 101 Class Notes
Instructor: Bobby MoynihanDate Take: June 2008 I took a short break from improv after moving to New York in January 2008. To jump back into it, I decided to take classes at Upright Citizens Brigade—my first official improv class and my first real exposure to long-form improv. Below are the notes I took from the […]
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Persona Smersona
I’ve recently been doing some thinking about my persona on-stage and have come up with a few ideas about “Stand Up Drew.” The first big point is that there are some key differences and similarities between my on-stage and off-stage personas. If I had to identify some differences, I’d say they were: I’m more outgoing […]
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