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3/4 Chicago Improv Comedy A/V and Web Update

March 4, 2012 By Leave a Comment
New Episdoes of Improv Nerd Podcast Up

Playboys: Rachael Mason, Susan Messing and Kate Duffy.

Almost a Children of A Lesser God

 

History of Improv from On the Cusp/Off the Cuff

Nate Dern, a NYC  improviser, is making a movie about improv. Check this history of improv!

Trailer for the film is here.

 

The 2012 INNY awards are coming!

INNYs are awarded by Improv News Editors in these categories: Best in Long Form Improv, Best in Short Form Improv, Best in Sketch Comedy, Best in Musical Improv, Most Innovative Show or Group, Best Comedy Video Short, Best Improv Training Program, Best Improv Venue, Best Improv Coach and several others.

Vote online here!

 

 
 

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1/15 Chicago Improv Comedy A/V and Web Update

January 15, 2012 By Leave a Comment
Entry is $50
Suggestions given: Friday March 23rd
Films Due: 11:59p Saturday March 24th
Finalists will be screened at iO Chicago March 25th. Winner’s will be chosen by audience choice at the Chicago Comedy Film Festival in November.
Improv Obsession Podcast Interview with Colton Dunn 
Colton talks about BOOM Chicago, the early days of UCB NY and more.
New Episode of We Wrongly Assume with Kate Duffy and Rachael Mason
What’s wrong with America and why the world will end in 2012.
New Webseries from Hallie Jordan

AWKWARD INTERACTIONS from Omar Haro on Vimeo.

 

Comedy Central Short Pilot Competition

Entries Accepted through 1/27/12

Free to enter.

Submit your 8 – 15 minute pilot along with the shooting script.

Finalists will receive designation as 2012 NYTVF Official Artists and be invited to the New York Television Festival, held in NYC in the Fall of 2012.

Finalists will give development rights to Comedy Central for a period of 3 months.

Rules and submission form here.

 

New Improv Nerd Podcasts Up: TJ Jagadowski and Dave Pasquesi

Should probably note that these are separate interviews. You can hear quite a bit about what makes TJ and Dave tick as well as the personal motivation and frustration of a life of improv.

You can also check out my digest from attending this past week’s live Improv Nerd Show featuring Middle Age Comeback.

 

Poor Choices with Mary Sohn and Tyler Smith

I hope to someday be as regular in my work or my bowel movements as Mark Colomb is at recording interviews. He is a work-aholic. Then again, its hard to call something this much fun work.

Two episodes: Mary Sohn and Tyler Smith

Also, turns out Mark is in Wikipedia!

 

Beginnings Field Guide with Ilana Glazer and Abbi Jacobsen

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Ilana and Abbi are NY based performers and writers and their web series is being optioned by FX at the moment. So their interview is a nice window into that process.

You can see their series “Broad City” below:

 

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12/12 Chicago Improv Comedy Events and Training Update

December 12, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Playboys at Improv Nerd this Saturday 12/17

Sat 12/17/11 9:00p

$10 with code word “Martin”
Come see Jimmy perform and talk with Susan Messing, Racheal Mason and Kate Duffy.
Get Physical with Jet Evelyth
Sun 12/18/11 1p-4p
25 student max
“This workshop focuses on finding the physical potential of every scene. Many improvisers become stuck in their heads, talking through scenes and not truly reacting or going after what their character wants. This course will focus on techniques that allow thoughts to descend so the scene can become active. The performer will discover how to purse their wants with an arsenal of physical tactics.”

 

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9/19 Training and Events Update

September 19, 2011 By Leave a Comment
Watch Andy Kaufman Award Showcase Entries at Annoyance
Mon 9/19 8p (TONIGHT!)
The Andy Kaufmann Award is given yearly to a performer whose style and sensibility most captures the spirit of Kaufmann himself. Kristen Schaal is a previous winner. Come watch the video submissions of Annoyance performers with a big group!
Q&A with Nora Dunn at Second City

Tue 9/20 2p-3p

Free for Second City Students

Nora Dunn played for five seasons on Saturday Night Live and then appeared on NBC’s Sisters for three seasons. She has effortlessly weaved between comedy and drama from her film roles in Working Girl, Bruce Almighty, Drop Dead Gorgeous, Three Kings and Runaway and numerous television roles from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia and Curb Your Enthusiasm to Law & Order and Private Practice. She is currently appearing in Love, Loss and What I Wore at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place through October 23.

Registration is only online at the link above!

 Benefit for Judy Fabjance

9/21 6p-9p

$25 online (above) or at the door

Judy is busy kicking cancer’s ass and need you to help her out with some chump change for whiskey and cigarettes…perhaps that was too flippant.  Come support this wonderful lady! Performances by: Andy Eninger, The Tim and Micah Project, John Cates, Bryan Bowden, Dan Telfer, Gellman and O’Malley, The Playboys (Susan Messing, Rachael Mason, Kate Duffy), GayCo, Schadenfreude, the cast of the e.t.c. and musical guest Luna Blue.
Improv Audition Workshop with Jay Sukow

Sat 9/24 12-2p OR Sun 9/25 7p-9p

Location TBD

$30

Focused on basics, three person scenes and freeze tag. All the simple stuff auditions call for.

Email: sukow@groupmindfilms.com

 PH’s Jason Geis is offering the “Improv Gym” again

Sat 9/24 and 10/1 3p-5p

Studio 44 1623 W. Montrose

$12.50 in advance $15 at door

Jason will be focusing on going out of your comfort zone.

Go to two workout sessions (consecutively or not) and you can perform with PH at Thursday night College pHarm Night at Studio BE. In this case on Thur 10/6 at 10:30p

 

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9/5 Training and Events Update

September 5, 2011 By Leave a Comment 
Colin Quinn Q&A at Second City
Thur 9/8 1p-2p
Second City  1616 North Wells
Skybox Theater
Free for SC Students
Colin Quinn will do a Q&A. That’s pretty much it.




Chicago Ladies in Comedy Panel Discussion on Women in Comedy
Sat 9/10 3:30p
Comedy Sports 929 W. Belmont
Free!
Tara Difrancisco, Cameron Esposito, Jet Eveleth, Anne Libera, Rachael


Mason, Susan Messing and Katie Rich discuss women in Chicago Comedy.


Moderated by Deanna Moffit. All lady show to follow at 6p.
RSVP to ladiesincomedy@me.com




Early Registration Discount for Annoyance ends 9/11/11
If you are planning on signing up, do it now and save $20.




Jason Chin teaches Page2Stage Sketch Writing
Tues 9/13-10/11 7p-10p as well as Thurs 10/11-11/10 7p-10p
Performances Wed 11/16-12/14 at 8p
Gorilla Tango Theater 1919 N. Milwaukee
No cost specified
Jason Chin teaches a 9 week writing process that culminates in a four


week show.
Email Katie Johnston-Smith at katie@gorillatango.com




Cook County Workshop at iO
Sat 9/17 6p-10p
iO Theater 3541 North Clark St.
$60
Max 24 students in two groups
Another workshop on their use of the game in scene. Recommended.




Commercial Auditions Workshop at iO
Sun 9/18-10/9 6p-9p
iO Theater 3541 North Clark St.
$250
Max 15 students
Brooke Shoemaker of Grey Talent and Actor/Teacher Janet Ulrich Brooks


will cover a variety of types of commercial auditions.




		

		
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