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In-person improv is one of the things I miss the most with the pandemic. Fortunately a lot of enthusiasts have adapted with web technologies and have been strea

In-person improv is one of the things I miss the most with the pandemic. Fortunately a lot of enthusiasts have adapted with web technologies and have been streaming shows on Zoom- I joined a team recently that has actually never performed in person! In NY's scene there's a surprising amount of software engineers who do improv as a creative outlet. I started taking classes at Magnet Theater about 1.5 years ago and it's been a great way to pull my brain out of work. More specifically, it's nice to enter a mental space where I need to empty out my mind, listen to what my scene partner is saying, and progress a situation that's presented to me- its close to the concept of mushin[1] but in an acting context. Improv theaters in NYC have (for the most part) been suffering financially, and if you're in the area, once things are in a more normal state, I strongly advise checking out shows, whether it's UCB, Magnet, PIT, or any of the other theaters! Some places (namely Magnet) also do twitch streams if you're looking for something to watch on a random night. [1]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushin_(mental_state) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mushin_(mental_state)

doomrobo 6y ago
The Squirrel Theater is a new one that I also recommend people check out. It's a non-profit founded by former UCB people, and has a strong commitment to diversity. They're completely online right now, but looking to get a physical space some time this year. https://www.thesquirrelnyc.com/ https://www.thesquirrelnyc.com/
- cambalache 6y ago
  > ... and has a strong commitment to diversity. Experience has shown that comedy and "diversity efforts" are negatively correlated
  - tashi 6y ago
    Yeah, it's all been downhill since they shut down the Chitlin' Circuit and people like Richard Pryor started showing up in mainstream venues.
    - mjcohen 6y ago
      Quora has a Chitlin' Circuit group. Lots of good stuff there.
  - jmcqk6 6y ago
    Your experiences are quite limited then.
    - cambalache 6y ago
      On the contrary this has been shown time and time and time again and again and again. All the great comedians (Louis CK, Seinfeld, Carlin, Prior,Chris Rock, Bill Burr) are transgressors,provocative, very un-PC and at odds with the SJW movement. You can keep you "jazz-hands" comedians all to yourself and your "rich" experience.
      - jmcqk6 6y ago
        I would encourage you to look deeper than just following the mainstream narrative you currently are. The world is much more complex that you are giving it credit in this statement.
schnevets 6y ago
When I did UCB 201, 10 out of 16 members of the class were Software Developers. There is something uniquely appealing to such a face-to-face activity that can still benefit a tech worker professionally (by practicing public speaking and on-the-fly thinking) It is disappointing that improv and all live-theaters perpetually struggle to stay afloat (even without COVID). It should not be a challenging model; a class just requires a teacher, students, and a clear performance space. Unfortunately, that space is a scarce commodity in the largest cities and finding enough students is impossible in a smaller city.
- murph-almighty 6y ago
  Space is a _huge_ consumer of income, and Magnet has already lost its practice space that they basically couldn't use in KTown. If they lose their theater space it'd be pretty fucked. I think the economics are a little weird as well- improv coaches basically are hourly employees, and the sticker price for a class (400+ for 10 3h sessions and a ending show) can get a little daunting especially as you go further along. Aside: Apparently UCB has a bit of controversy surrounding its finances and paying staff, though I am not super familiar with it and can't speak to it further, but I'll point you here: https://www.vulture.com/2020/03/ucb-layoffs-coronavirus-beginning-of-the-end.html https://www.vulture.com/2020/03/ucb-layoffs-coronavirus-begi...
- bikeshaving 6y ago
  This post upsets me. I’m sorry, I can’t imagine anything more insipid than a UCB 201 class where the majority of students were software engineers. It’s yet another example of nouveau-rich tech workers obliviously ruining something with their money. Most NYC improv classes before the end of the pandemic crept up to around 450 dollars for a class which met once per week over the course of 8 weeks plus two shows. This is terrible value and flat out unaffordable for aspiring comedians who decided to move to NY. For them to be priced out by software engineers who see improv as some kind of corporate public speaking training is kind of devastating, not least of which because I considered the UCB (at least in the era of the Chelsea theatre) to be a sort of hallowed ground growing up, where I could go see some of the funniest people in the country for free at the 9PM Sunday ASSSSSCAT after waiting the entire afternoon in line. The pressures of financial mismanagement and the enormous amount of demand from well-paid professionals who wanted to give comedy a go ruined improv comedy in NY. The fact is many of your peers probably “passed” the 201 “graduation“ requirements, despite not having a single funny thought most days, because of the tantalizing incentive of getting these people to pay for more classes. A “school” where some of the greatest comedic minds were once gathered became a cult where people paid tithe, and the result is some of the worst live theatre the world has ever produced. I sincerely hope the UCB never comes back, and that if improv ever rises again, it does so in more sensible cities like Las Vegas, Atlanta or Miami. What happened in New York was senseless. Also, maybe software engineers should think a little bit about how their money shapes their local economies.
ricopags 6y ago
Hello fellow long form fan! If you're out of the Magnet, might you know some of the Honey folks? I'm in Phoenix and their shows at our improv fest were always a joy to behold.
- murph-almighty 6y ago
  I don't think I've heard of that team, sadly

doomrobo 6y ago

The Squirrel Theater is a new one that I also recommend people check out. It's a non-profit founded by former UCB people, and has a strong commitment to diversity. They're completely online right now, but looking to get a physical space some time this year. https://www.thesquirrelnyc.com/ https://www.thesquirrelnyc.com/

cambalache 6y ago
> ... and has a strong commitment to diversity. Experience has shown that comedy and "diversity efforts" are negatively correlated
- tashi 6y ago
  Yeah, it's all been downhill since they shut down the Chitlin' Circuit and people like Richard Pryor started showing up in mainstream venues.
  - mjcohen 6y ago
    Quora has a Chitlin' Circuit group. Lots of good stuff there.
- jmcqk6 6y ago
  Your experiences are quite limited then.
  - cambalache 6y ago
    On the contrary this has been shown time and time and time again and again and again. All the great comedians (Louis CK, Seinfeld, Carlin, Prior,Chris Rock, Bill Burr) are transgressors,provocative, very un-PC and at odds with the SJW movement. You can keep you "jazz-hands" comedians all to yourself and your "rich" experience.
    - jmcqk6 6y ago
      I would encourage you to look deeper than just following the mainstream narrative you currently are. The world is much more complex that you are giving it credit in this statement.

schnevets 6y ago

When I did UCB 201, 10 out of 16 members of the class were Software Developers. There is something uniquely appealing to such a face-to-face activity that can still benefit a tech worker professionally (by practicing public speaking and on-the-fly thinking) It is disappointing that improv and all live-theaters perpetually struggle to stay afloat (even without COVID). It should not be a challenging model; a class just requires a teacher, students, and a clear performance space. Unfortunately, that space is a scarce commodity in the largest cities and finding enough students is impossible in a smaller city.

murph-almighty 6y ago
Space is a _huge_ consumer of income, and Magnet has already lost its practice space that they basically couldn't use in KTown. If they lose their theater space it'd be pretty fucked. I think the economics are a little weird as well- improv coaches basically are hourly employees, and the sticker price for a class (400+ for 10 3h sessions and a ending show) can get a little daunting especially as you go further along. Aside: Apparently UCB has a bit of controversy surrounding its finances and paying staff, though I am not super familiar with it and can't speak to it further, but I'll point you here: https://www.vulture.com/2020/03/ucb-layoffs-coronavirus-beginning-of-the-end.html https://www.vulture.com/2020/03/ucb-layoffs-coronavirus-begi...
bikeshaving 6y ago
This post upsets me. I’m sorry, I can’t imagine anything more insipid than a UCB 201 class where the majority of students were software engineers. It’s yet another example of nouveau-rich tech workers obliviously ruining something with their money. Most NYC improv classes before the end of the pandemic crept up to around 450 dollars for a class which met once per week over the course of 8 weeks plus two shows. This is terrible value and flat out unaffordable for aspiring comedians who decided to move to NY. For them to be priced out by software engineers who see improv as some kind of corporate public speaking training is kind of devastating, not least of which because I considered the UCB (at least in the era of the Chelsea theatre) to be a sort of hallowed ground growing up, where I could go see some of the funniest people in the country for free at the 9PM Sunday ASSSSSCAT after waiting the entire afternoon in line. The pressures of financial mismanagement and the enormous amount of demand from well-paid professionals who wanted to give comedy a go ruined improv comedy in NY. The fact is many of your peers probably “passed” the 201 “graduation“ requirements, despite not having a single funny thought most days, because of the tantalizing incentive of getting these people to pay for more classes. A “school” where some of the greatest comedic minds were once gathered became a cult where people paid tithe, and the result is some of the worst live theatre the world has ever produced. I sincerely hope the UCB never comes back, and that if improv ever rises again, it does so in more sensible cities like Las Vegas, Atlanta or Miami. What happened in New York was senseless. Also, maybe software engineers should think a little bit about how their money shapes their local economies.

ricopags 6y ago

Hello fellow long form fan! If you're out of the Magnet, might you know some of the Honey folks? I'm in Phoenix and their shows at our improv fest were always a joy to behold.

murph-almighty 6y ago
I don't think I've heard of that team, sadly