Washington D.C. may not be a city that embraces comedy with open arms, but you knew that already. That is why you found us. Here you can get information, interviews and insights on the best local stand-up, improv and sketch comedy this city has to offer... 4 Now. You can reach us at dccomedy4now(at)gmail.com. LET'S DO THIS, DC!
Take a $240 WIT Foundations of Improv Class for $195 ($25 Discount + entering the $20 early registration discount code)Washington Improv Theater's Foundation's of Improv Class begins next week and you still have time to enroll. Long-form improvisation has been the backbone of the comedy coming out of Second City, Saturday Night Live, SCTV, Kids in the Hall, Mad TV, and has influenced countless others for over 40 years. So if you have ever had an itch to perform or even just need to get out and do something with your life, check out WIT's website and enroll...
Washington Improv Theater classes focus on creativity, communications and teamwork and have enthusiastic instructors that establish a fun and trusting atmosphere. Former students have said:
"I loved this class"
"Great opportunity for expression, meet cool people and build confidence."
"I started taking WIT classes to help me get over my stage fright and to think on my feet better. I've taken many drama classes and other things over the years, but this has helped the most".
"Personally, the classes have taught me to listen more effectively, feel free to explore my creative side...and I have met some really cool people as well".
"The skills you learn in improv are really life skills - they are transferable to so many situations. I am always seeking to get outside of my comfort zone and the classes help me do that."
"Foundations of Improv" starts next week:
Monday June 16 w/ Marquis
Tuesday June 17 w/ Karen Lange
Thursday June 19 w/ Anna Marie Trester
All classes at 7pm.
If you have any questions that aren't on the FAQ give Managing Director Topher Bellavia a call at 202-315-1314 or email: topher@washingtonimprovtheater.com
Location: The Children's Studio School at 1301 V St NW
I thought this blog was about the DC comedy scene?
It is...but sometimes enthusiasm trumps logic.
At the bottom of the page is the link to the article the Chicago Reader did about Jagodowski last week during their coverage of the Chicago Improv Festival. Its not DC related and that is sort of what this blog needs right now but this is a good comedy/human story; it's got perseverance, overcoming adversity, the character finding his way, loss, failure, success and so far a happy ending--from what I can remember it’s been a week since I've really read the article. But Jagodowski is someone you should know.
[Hit the Jump!]
In the same way a stand-up comic would want to wax poetic about Bill Hicks to the normie on the street all the while getting the same confused look that Andy Rooney would give a Nintendo Wii ; Jagodowski is that guy to people in improvisation—even to others in comedy. And if you are as much of a fan of Hick's philosophy, Jagodowski embodies it--he does what he truly loves and finds a way to make it work as his livelihood despite what life as thrown at him.
If you are ever in Chicago and stroll around the area of the Improv Oylmpic, you'll probably see him, usually hanging out, having a few drinks, a smoke and a round or two of Golden Tee in one of the many pubs on North Clark Street. He is unassuming and approachable but prefers to blend into the background. I had one comic tell me once that seeing Jagodowski on the subway set off his own internal alarm bell--being that the road to stardom or a decent income wasn't via improvisation.
"There I was sitting on the subway and right across from me is the best improviser in Chicago, in the country, in the world for that matter, and he was riding the subway just like me--and nobody knew or cared who the fuck he was".
I saw Jagodowski perform last week in Chicago, I went out early to the Chicago Improv Festival to see him specifically. He performed with his troupe, "Carl and the Passions" but the real experience started with his two man show, TJ and Dave. However, Dave Pasquesi wasn't there that night and taking Pasquesi's place that night was “30 Rock's” John Lutz, who synced perfectly into place.
As I get older, more and more I lament that nothing is ever “as advertised”. This show was--Jagodowski was and is that good. I've seen other comedians come close in the past; but even when I was 17 and I saw George Carlin on my birthday, it was "eh"--I'd heard most of it already. (No disrespect to Don Carlin but I was still a kid and it was the equivalent of getting to see Santa Clause).
Go see TJ and Dave either in Chicago or New York. Anyone who performs can respect a good show, a good performance, and can learn from a dedicated artist. Well, anyway, read the article here. I think I just came up for air off Jagodowski's existential cock; though if you think I’m parched with sore knees, check out the quote from New City Chicago on Jagodowski’s Wikipedia entry.
That's right. The compound in Texas didn't even get as much attention as the recently crowned F.I.S.T. 2008 Champions did last weekend. Polygamy Rules! Congrats to Mike Bass, Ken Hays and Michelle Swaney!!
They are the last team standing in WIT's largest F.I.S.T.'in ever, beating out 26 other teams. Wow.
For those of you that missed this year's tournament.. sorry, your loss. Crowds were rowdy, shows were sold out and teams came from all over the area to compete. It was awesome. Mad props go to the Commish, Justin Purvis for keeping the madness going all through March and April.
Don't miss next year's tourney in March '09. Start getting your groups together now!
Classic American Comedy Parker's Classic American Bistro in Bethesda, MD 10pm FREE This is one of the greatest showcases in the country. If you are a fan of watching great comedy, or performing on great comedy shows, please check out Parker's tonight. It is a young show and as all young shows are, on a probationary period. We need to pack the room to tell the owners that stand up is as important as we the readers think it is. Do it for your country (or at least your friends.) Tonight, check out John McBride, Brandon Ivey, Nick Turner, Shotgun Tom, Andy Haynes, and Tyler Sonnichsen
TOMORROW NIGHT, SATURDAY APRIL 10!
DCC4N presents: DC Comedy Festival Showcase DC Improv Comedy Lounge 8pm $10 Featuring the best stand-up comics in DC auditioning for spots in the DCCF '08. Line up includes: Jason Weems, Aparna Nancherla, Jay Hastings, Bryson Turner, Kojo Mante, Nick Turner, Tony Gracyk, John McBride, Tim Miller, & Hampton Yount. Buy tickets here
WIT's F.I.S.T. Tournament FINAL ROUND w/ JACKIE Flashpoint Theater in Chinatown 9:30pm $12 The Final Two Teams in the 2008 F.I.S.T. tournament go head to head to crown the ULTIMATE CHAMPION. The audience votes for the winner! Buy tickets here
Caveat, one of Washington Improv Theater's premier longform improvisation ensembles, is looking to add new members, and is holding an open audition.
The Caveat Audition will be held,Saturday, April 26th from 10AM - 4PM at the Children's Studio School (13th and V St., NW).
The Audition will be comprised of varied group scene work. If you are selected to attend call-backs, you will be notified by 10PM on April 26th.
Callbacks will take place the following day, Sunday, April 27th beginning at 11AM at the Children's Studio School (13th and V St. NW).
SIGN UP HERE no later than 4 pm, Friday, April 25th.
Read the FAQs online. If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact Justin Purvis via email, LaughRyott1@gmail.com, or by phone, 443-831-6796.
Screw you guys. I don’t care what you “young people” think! With your Death Cabs and your backpacks with the seatbelt buckles on the strap and your new ways of shaking hands...you clench fists then hit them together? Bah! I am old school! You know why? Because some people never stop being funny. Some people just know comedy from the get go and ain't nothin' gonna change that. One of these people is Mr. Shawn Westfall.
Born and raised in Indiana, Shawn Westfall has performed improvisational comedy for over 14 years with a number of professional improv troupes as well as founding some of his own such as the sketch comedy troupe, Pretentious Actors Collective (P.A.C.), which played to audiences in Northern Virginia and Washington, DC and most recently Bright Young Things, an improv troupe specializing in long-form improv that played to audiences in Washington, DC (headlining at the DC Improv) and at the UCB Theater in New York City.
Shawn has also performed stand-up comedy in Texas and throughout the Washington, DC area, and has opened for comedian Adam Ferrara at the DC Improv.
In addition, this May will find Shawn marking five years as the exclusive improv instructor at the DC Improv. His classes (and the numerous DC Improv shows they've generated) have been featured in the pages of The Washington Post, The Washington Post Express and Washingtonian magazine and as well on Washington Post Radio, DC 101, WTOP, and on Mix 107.3’s “The Jack Diamond Morning Show.” He’s also the founder and primary facilitator of Improv Comedy Delivered, an improv-focused event-based business.
Shawn knows his shit, people. Sit down and pay attention. Learn something for once. Quit with your “hatin'” and your “just sayin'” for one gosh darn second.
(BTW, this is my cranky bitterness spewing forth, youngsters. Shawn always greets everyone he meets with warmth and vitality)
Shawn can also sing? What!? Fuck yes. Catch Shawn this weekend in: iMusical Friday 8pm $15 Flashpoint Theater buy tickets here
"I'm always stunned and amazed how this troupe of improv geniuses creates a musical in front of our eyes. Get thee to the iMusical." -DC Theatre Reviews
DCC4N interview with Shawn: When did you realize that you wanted to do comedy?
Not sure the exact age, but I suppose it was very early on that I learned that I could get attention (especially from girls — and that’s really what it’s all about, right?) by indulging in what appeared to be a god-given gift for mimicry, making a fool of myself, and getting laughs. Some guys could dribble basketballs or throw footballs. I could do bad Steve Martin imitations. Though I did, and still do, a spot-on version of Burt Ward’s Robin.
But once you’re past that, comedy is something you sort of fall into it by default, isn’t it? You discover your tendency to locate the humor in the mundane, boring, banal, and irritating. You start giving in to this tendency at work, in the grocery line, with friends, with your girlfriend, etc. And suddenly what started as an occupational hazard then becomes an occupation, or at least a vocation. It’s weird. For most comedians or comic performers, comedy is something they discover that they can’t *not* do.
[Hit the jump for one of our most insightful interviews yet. Plus, there is a video for you Gen X-ers!]
Who were some of your earliest influences?
Well, two of my earliest influences were my parents, who saw fit to bless me with a downright awful childhood. Nothing, in my experience, is more useful to comedy than a bad childhood. When reality is alternately boring and horrific, one’s imagination tends to vividly intensify. At least mine certainly did. Just the way it is, I suppose.
That said, my parents, perhaps because they were too drunk to care, allowed me to stay up to watch Saturday Night Live during its very first season, and those first shows — indeed, the first show — stayed with me, are with me even now. I once won a trivia contest by being able to name the person who spoke the first words on the first episode. Most think it was Belushi. But it was actually the late Michael O’Donahue — twisted, crazed genius that he was — in a sketch where O’Donahue’s character is teaching Belushi’s character to speak English using phrases like “I would like to feed your fingertips to the wolverines.” For weeks I went around repeating this. I was ten.
Where did you first start doing improv?
I was fascinated by SNL and from the Midwest, but because of my rather insular upbringing I didn’t discover until late in life that there was a career-track to getting on the show, and that it, generally speaking, went through something called “improv,” which was done, generally speaking, in some place called “Chicago.” My first exposure to it was about 14 years ago: I was studying acting with a guy named Kent Bateman (Jason and Justine’s father) near Park City, UT. He attempted something approximating improv by occasionally asking his students, as an exercise, to take the characters we were working on for scene study and put them in audience-suggested situations with other actors’ characters. The results were usually monumental failures, my improv scenes in particular.
A few months after working with Kent Bateman I saw a show on the A&E channel, late at night, where some very gifted actors were doing short-form improv. Lights went on, bells went off, etc. The moment I saw that I knew I was born to do this style of comedy/acting, and that I’d find a way to get involved.
From Utah I moved to Hawaii. Just as I arrived I saw an ad in the auditions section of the Honolulu Advertiser: a local improv troupe was seeking additional actors to flesh out their numbers for a 12-hour non-stop improv marathon to benefit a local theater. I auditioned, was told that my tenure would only be for this one show, got in, and was then given a six-week crash course in improv. The day of the show, though scheduled for only two hours, I ended up doing four hours non-stop, since the other actors refused to let me off stage. The troupe, Loose Screws (still extant and thriving, by the way) figured that since I had undergone this improv trial-by-fire, it was only appropriate to ask me to officially join. I’ve been involved in improv ever since.
What would you say is your improv-comedy style? What do you enjoy bringing onstage?
Given that I’m not really all that good at being me, and prefer, in fact, to be someone else, my improv is character-based, so I enjoy bringing as many unique, differentiated characters as I can to a performance. I’m very fond of Groundlings-style improv, where they seem to encourage strong, distinct character choices as the through-line for improv and sketch comedy. Some of my favorite comedic actors trained there, notably the late Phil Hartman, who is, in my opinion, the most gifted comedic improv or sketch actor we’ve ever produced, someone who could effortlessly go from persona to persona. People often forget just how brilliant Larraine Newman, another Groundling product, was on those first seasons of SNL. She created a different character for every sketch she was in. I also admire Peter Sellers, another character-mad genius, playing three (almost four!) different characters in “Dr. Strangelove.” And I don’t think it’s any accident that my favorite writer is the comic novelist Kingsley Amis, whose novels are basically catalogues of unforgettably rendered characters with distinct voices. Practically everyone who knew him testifies that in real life, Amis was an excellent mimic of voices and sound effects; one of his most requested parlor pieces was an impersonation of Franklin Roosevelt delivering one of his many fireside chats as heard on shortwave wartime British radio, complete with the buzzes, cracks, and whistles of signals fading in and out as they’re transmitted across the ocean. I actually heard a recording of Amis performing this. He could have easily been a master improvisational performer.
Do you enjoy the process of writing? How do you think your improv training has affected your writing style/process?
Well, no one enjoys the process of writing. Nearly every writer I know enjoys *having written.* However, about six years ago, I was involved in a sketch comedy troupe here in DC (Pretentious Actors Collective) and, had we not all had improv backgrounds and brought that to our collaborations, we would have killed each other (we did end up killing each other, but not over the creative process). It was basically understood that whatever sketch we individually brought was never a finished product, that others were given license to improve upon the premise in any way. In fact, there were a couple sketches I wrote that I was, at one time or another, ready to abandon when one or both of my partners would find ways to improve it, either at the writing stage or in rehearsal. We did this constantly. And that’s the collaborative nature of improv at work. You don’t own the comedy. And you have to be willing to check your ego at the door to find it.
What about performing live do you enjoy? Do you ever want to convey a message?
Basically discovering the right in-the-moment piece of information or character that I can bring to a scene. I’m usually listening intently for ways to help the scene or further the story (I’ve got an MA in English lit, so “story,” “three-act structure,” and narrative are things I’m kind of obsessive about). I took a workshop with Owen Burke of UCB last year, and he basically said that an improviser’s job is to serve the scene. Again: not to “be [individually] funny,” but to look for what the scene needs and bring it, so that the funny in a scene becomes something you create together.
Regarding messages: I have little patience for political art, “message art,” etc. Anytime I feel that I’m being exposed to propaganda, I just want to take a shower. And I don’t really care for overtly political comedians (standup or improv), either. Some do, but I don’t. I don’t think there’s any difference between comedians who walk on stage saying in essence, “wow, George Bush sucks” and getting a reaction and their saying “wow, isn’t DC [or geographic location X] great?” You’re just pandering. Of course, these tend to be the same comedians who mistake that for a successful gig, too. Plus, it’s all been done. Go look at Mort Sahl’s stuff from the late ‘50s, early ‘60s. Take out whatever politician he was trashing back then, insert one of today’s politicians, and you’re basically telling the same joke.
What's hacky to you?
Probably the same things that are hacky to everyone else reading this website. Topical humor, which, in my opinion, has a shelf life of last week. Dick jokes. I once commented to The Washington Post that nearly all beginning improv scenes default to either sex or poo, or both simultaneously. And because I have a pathological aversion to boredom, I get impatient when I see the same comic premises falling along those already well-traveled sex and poo routes. Indeed, one of the things I try to impress upon my students is that there are multitudes of paths towards the funny, and they don’t always fall along the cliché lines to which Hollywood — and by extension everyone else — defaults. It’s hard, but then a few weeks later, a light goes on and they get it. Of course, mea culpa, we’re all occasionally guilty of resorting to that.
You have been involved with DC comedy for years now. How do you feel about doing comedy in Washington DC?
Love it. I thought about leaving a few years ago, but I’m so glad I stayed. Whatever I would have achieved elsewhere, DC has rewarded me tenfold in other ways. DC may be, as the cliché goes, “Hollywood for ugly people” (which certainly explains why I’m here). But given that Hollywood has to have things like intellectual curiosity and irony imported by the truckload (nearly all of which is lost or damaged in shipment), I prefer DC and the East Coast. There are also some very personal, almost psychodrama-esque reasons for why I remain, which I won’t bore your readers with (not that that’s stopped me so far). But unless someone comes along offering me the standard rich-and-famous contract that necessitates my moving to either NYC or (Christ…) LA, I’m staying here.
You have been involved with DC comedy for years now. What are some of the biggest changes you've seen occur since you started here?
The biggest changes? More venues. More opportunities. A more vibrant and thriving community all around.
Eight years ago, there were only a handful of places where one could perform. The DC Improv hadn't started its open mikes yet, and if you wanted to do stand-up, generally speaking you went out to Wiseacres on open mike night, signed up, and got on a huge list of like 15 comedians who were given 6 minutes a piece. Then they added an extra night and you did the same thing. The improv scene wasn't much different. ComedySportz was in transition; when I got involved there, Liz Demery had just bought it, and was searching for a place to call home (one of my first tasks when I got involved in CSz was helping repaint the Victoria's Secret in Ballston to transform it into the Comedy Spot theater…we geeky theater types called it "The Old Vic"). And Mark Chalfant and Topher Bellavia were in the process of reenergizing WIT.
But from this came a groundswell of talent and desire to perform that manifested itself in a kind of DIY attitude. People began starting up open mikes in DC and online communities with information useful to local comedians; ComedySportz found a permanent home in Ballston; WIT began forming additional house troupes; and the DC Improv began offering more open mike opportunities as well as classes in improv and stand-up. Then suddenly we had this fantastic annual comedy festival.
There's not much practical value in pursuing an MA in English, but one of the things you learn is that great artists and performers usually do their best and most lasting work when they're part of communities. The myth of the lone writer struggling away in some garret far away who eventually publishes and is discovered is precisely that: a myth. It's no accident that writers, artists, and performers travel in movements, groups, and communities. The Romantic poets (Byron, Coleridge, and Shelley) all knew each other, vacationed together, and were audiences for each other's work. Post-War Modern artists hung out in the same Greenwich Village bars and championed each other's stuff. Bob Dylan and Richie Havens were buskers on the same New York City street corners.
This is one valuable way the community has grown and an equally valuable benefit of being part of the community. In fact, I tend to think the comedy community here in DC is like a family. Like any family, you're closer to some of your relatives than you are to others; like any family, there's infighting, squabbling, and petty territorial grievances. But we do a good job of defending each other to outsiders. And then on some nights we get together, tell stories about each other, have a few beers, and make each other laugh. And that makes the rest of the bullshit all worth it.
The zone! Every performer craves it. That flight of fancy in which everything seems effortless, innovative and just plain right onstage. You're not even trying, and yet, you're beyond present in each moment. Everything clicks, including cameras later because, guess what? You're famous! No, you're not actually. But you feel like it. You feel better than fan fiction published in a nationally-acclaimed magazine! In fact, before Britney Spears' life went slightly awry, she titled her chart-topping fourth album In the Zone. In other words, the zone = artistic nirvana, or something approaching it.
the zone is difficult to put into words, but easy to picture. some say it looks like a waterfall, others say a swan. photo courtesy of Flickr and Editor B
The zone is hard to describe really. So I'm not going to try. It's not even what this post was supposed to be about. Get back on track, me! This post is about how performers hope to get in the zone...i.e., any pre-show rituals or exercises done to get the ball rolling and to prevent utter awkward pie (Unless that's your act! Heyo! I just called myself out.) Pre-show rituals never guarantee anything, but they at least put our minds in a comfy place where we can deny the jitters and/or dance them away.
[Hit the jump for my pre-show rituals, as well as some perspective from comedic rock stars! And then, if you're brave enough, add your own! We will judge you on them, but you knew that already.]
My own pre-show rituals slightly differ for stand up versus improv, but are rooted in the same channeling of creative focus. Yeah, I did just use the phrase 'channeling of creative focus.' I did also just draw attention to it.
My stand up rituals involve going to the bathroom, being more antisocial than usual, reviewing jokes, stretching, studying the room for potential off-the-cuff bits, trying to write new material in meager amounts of time and annihilating negative thoughts using mental sunshine daggers. I also do a few breathing exercises to prevent the panic attack that inevitably rises in my sternum before any open mic/show/gynecologist appointment (Am I right, ladies?!)
warm ups can be creative, and so can you! girl on far right ain't havin' it. photo courtesy of Flickr and eric.surfdude
For improv shows, there's usually a group warm up with your co-players, which involves getting your energy going and clearing your head of daily dust accumulation. I like warm ups that involve jumping as much as using your noggin. I also try and think of a few characters, lines, voices or scenarios, which some might constitute as "cheating" but no, not really. It's just brainstorming to prevent shitstorming onstage. It's also just to get my clinker thinking. I don't need to justify myself to any of you!
It's important to note that sometimes, none of these things work. And performing feels weird. Really weird. As if someone just gave birth to you right before you got onstage, you came out covered in slime, and then a roomful of people (or also commonly, a room devoid of people) expected straight no-nonsense entertainment (paradox, son!) before you could even blink for the first time. However, that's all to be gained through experience, exposure and lots and lots of uncomfortable times to come. I can't wait.
If you are going to do anything other than watch NCAA basketball this weekend (forget them, you know your bracket is already fucked up) then head out to these above-the-rim comedy shows.
The Awesome Room Tonight is The Awesome Room @ McGinty's Pub in Silver Spring, MD. This week's show crosses over and hits the paint with music, comedy, musical comedy and comedy about music.
9pm $4
Starting Lineup: Tyler Sonnichsen Bryson Turner Kojo Mante Jason Saenz ...and DC funk/fusion powerhouse The Champions!
Washington Improv Theater's F.I.S.T. Also tonight thru Saturday is the final bracket of WIT's F.I.S.T. tourney @ The Flashpoint Theater. It is teams of 3-on-3 competing for YOUR vote. Shows have been selling out. There is only going to be more madness in March as we approach the final matches.
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to be able to speak and act with spontaneity, confidence and humor without a second thought? Improv gives you the tools to get yourself out of bad situations and into awesome ones. These workshops are free, fun, and oh yeah, did I say it's free?
The Washington Improv Theater classes focus on creativity, communications and teamwork and have enthusiastic instructors that establish a fun and trusting atmosphere.
Former students said: "I loved this class" "Great opportunity for expression, meet cool people and build confidence."
Free Intro to Improv Workshops: Monday Mar 24 7:00 – 9:00pm Tuesday Mar 25 7:00 – 9:00pm Wednesday Mar 26 7:00 – 9:00pm Thursday Mar 27 7:00 – 9:00pm
Location: The Children's Studio School at 1301 V St NW
Last week at Chief Ike’s showcased many fine local comedians, but it also featured one obnoxiously drunk patron. While I don’t want to dwell on that incident for too long, I can say that I did not handle the situation well as the Host. It was just something I had not dealt with before and for one reason or another couldn’t smother that vodka fueled fire before it got out of hand. And it did.
It was a learning experience, most definitely.
I have dealt with drunk people in improv shows before. But they don’t interact so much during the show so much as they EXPLODE at the chance to throw out an suggestion at the top.
“DILDOS!! VAGINA!! DRINKING!! SARAH’S TITS!” and then proceed with the typical drunken laughter/snoring.
It was bound to happen for me during a stand-up show, too. Which makes me want to be more prepared for the future. How to do I handle someone like that on stage? How do I handle it as a host, booker, owner? Talking about it with a few folks, there seem to be some rules of engagement.
[Hit the jump for the rest of this "YOU SUCK!!".... post.]
1)The audiences enjoyment comes first. A heckler always undermines that, therefore your loyalty with the one patron ceases to exist. 2)You want to handle it first with grace, second with bluntness and third with a boot out the door. 3)There are different types of hecklers and some can be handled better than others.
Supposedly there are two types of hecklers. Both of them I assume are drunk. The first are those who think they are adding to the show:
“MY SISTER WENT TO GEORGE MASON!” “Great, I didn’t ask. Shut the fuck up.” “BUT SHE DID!”
Or the more abusive types, the ones who want to hurt you and the show:
“YOU SUCK! YOU ARE UNFUNNY!!BAHAHAHA” “THANKS FOR COMING. Show him the door.”
Then there are those who don’t even know they are disrupting the show, the stereotypical LOUD drunks.
“I ALREADY ATE BEFORE THE SHOW!!! I DON’T WANT ANYTHING!!!!”
Do all these types of people need to be dealt with in the same way? I am really interested in what comics & improvisers have learned from their dealings with heckers. I still think it is some of the scariest shit out there. Hell, it’s St. Patrick Day. Share some drunken stories.
BONUS: Cool article on a heckler getting put in his place at a Comedians of Comedy show in NYC. COURTESY DEAD-FROG.COM
by: Mike Blejer and Jason Saenz First up: The Stand-Up Comic, Mike Blejer
Full Disclosure: I’ve done some improv over the course of my life since I’ve been involved in acting from about the time I was 8 or so, but in the context of comedy I did mostly sketch in college and then writing a satirical blog for a magazine after school before I started doing stand up. My point is, I’m going to be making a lot of assertions about improv and stand up and I’ll own up to my lack of in-depth experience with improv now. Feel free to use that to discredit me without really considering the strength or validity of my argument.
The Gripe: A lot of comedians I’ve seen perform bits that could just as easily be done in improv. For instance they take a two things that are wildly different and juxtapose them in an obvious way and then act out “what it would be like.” (e.g., What if, Captain America went to the Laundromat!?! ‘What is this, steel mesh?! I ain’t steam-cleaning no shield!!’). This isn’t inherently a bad thing, but I just think that stand up comedians should aspire to do things which people can’t do in improv, to play to the strengths of their chosen medium.
So because stand up material is practiced beforehand1 you should be able to do things with it which you just can’t do with improv. This could mean going into a subject matter in greater depth (what is typically thought of when depth is discussed), but it could also mean exploring a concept with more subtlety than would easily be attained in improv. For that matter, it could be structuring a bit with more depth, the most conspicuous example is probably a call back (which also occurs in improv, but again the subtlety factor can be a big differentiator here), but in addition to call backs, there are more interesting structural benefits that can come from prepared material.
[For the rest of Mike's take on Improv and Jason's counterpoint hit the JUMP!]
Comedy Autopsy: Bryson Turner has a bit he’s doing right now which provides a really good example of this. I will try to paraphrase the joke as best I can2:
Premise/Observation: They sell regular and large sized condoms in stores, but not small condoms. “They have every other type of condom except small condoms. They even have mint-flavored condoms, and I highly doubt there are women out there saying, (Act out) ‘man...i wish there was something that made my mouth feel really clean and really dirty at the same time.’” Normal explanation/set-up: No one wants to have to publicly admit they have a small penis by buying one. (Act out: “Hey can I get price check on a 12 pack of mini-P’s? Yeah, the ones for people with small penises. Over in Isle twelve. For this guy.”) Alternate explanation/Twist 1: A man with a small penis doesn’t really need a condom anyway, because if he’s gotten a woman to agree to sleep with him despite his ‘shortcoming,’ he’s obviously cunning and resourceful enough to get out of using a condom anyway. (Act out?) 2nd premise/Twist 2: This is why I think MacGyver had a small dick. Development/set-up 2: (act out) Girl to Macguyver says “what should we do, all I have is this saran-wrap, a rubber ring and some twist ties” (This isn’t quite right, but the supplies will lead the audience to believe Macguyver will turn it into a condom). Twist 3: (also act out) Maguyver says “It’s ok, I’ll take the twist ties and wrap them around the rubber ring, use the saran-wrap as a lens to turn it into a make-shift laser which I can use to render myself sterile.”
Ok. Look at all the logical steps required to get from point 1 to point 6 there. Look at how 4 serves as both a punch-line and a set up. He draws a logical line, extends it to an absurd place, extends that absurdity to another logical line, and then brings that to an even more impressive level of absurdity. It’s fucking great, and it reflects a kind of depth that could realistically only be achieved by writing it in advance (other requirements include being funny). Ok, sure, the joke is about MacGyver, which means he can’t in good conscience tell it to anyone under the age of 21, but who cares, because people who can’t buy alcohol are too busy obsessing over how to get alcohol to laugh at jokes anyway. Take that collegehumor.com…
The Fight: This is not intended as an insult to improvisers or improv as a format. Leaving aside improv for its own sake, it helps build strong performing skills. Good improvisers exhibit a kind of immediate responsiveness and vibrancy that can be found lacking in more “prepared” performances like sketch and stand up3. I think most people who have been doing stand up for a while will testify that when you start doing it, you’re basically just presenting the material you wrote and hoping it will go over with the audience, but over time you get more comfortable listening, paying attention to what’s going on both in terms of your own material and with the room. You get so you can more easily add stuff that is immediately and sometimes only relevant to that night. And that’s the kind of thing that can leave an audience walking out telling their friends “oh shit, it was awesome, but you just kind of had to be there.” Zach Galifianakis is a good example of someone who does this really well. His material (for the most part) is really strong conceptually, but at the same time he can fly off the handle and bounce in between at one moment being shy and reserved and the next exploding violently at the audience, but in a way that they (usually) understand is (usually) all part of the joke (…usually).
Me! This is about Me!!: My love of stand up comes fundamentally from the fact that it can so deeply explore relationships between concepts, society, and your own life experience in a way that just excites me on an intellectual and emotional level. That said, I recognize that stand up is live performance, and at its best it should represent both the prepared material but also the vital improvised response to what’s happening in the room on any given night. If you’re not going to aspire to that, then why do live comedy at all?
For me, long term I know I need to do more improv. Right now I’m learning on the job, which is proving to be a really exciting challenge, but one I could probably navigate better with more direct experience in improv. For a lot of people improv is what they love doing and just want to keep doing it forever and that’s awesome for them; for me, I think it’s a means to an end. When I look at myself and honestly evaluate why I keep getting up on stage, it’s because I love telling people what I think about things, I love constructing my joke/puzzles as cleverly and tightly as I’m able, I love making people laugh. Bottom line? I love doing stand up. When I don’t hate it.
Next Up: The Improviser, Jason Saenz
FULL DISCLOSURE: Over the past 3 years I have been performing, taking a class or rehearsing long-form improv at least two nights a week. Before that I had performed in ComedySportz type shows i.e. "Whose Line." in highschool and college. I am happy to say though, I have never been in a group that wore the same color t-shirts. I have been digging into the world of stand-up since May 2007 and I strive to find the common ground between the two styles. Writing jokes, in the pure "sit down and write" sense, continues to be a challenge for me.
THE GRIPE: That improvisers cannot make the leap to stand-up as well as others. Also, that anything not pre-planned completely or a bit that inherently requires thinking on your feet is not stand-up comedy. When in fact, the foundations of improv transcend into the world of standup more deeply than most people think and that a good understanding of improv will only help you recognize the strengths and weakness of your set and what you can do to address them.
COMEDY AUTOPSY: Improv schools like The Annoyance and UCB teach game and pattern work as the fun of the scene, and ultimately the reason why you would want to see that scene again. It's the exact same thing with a well constructed joke, i.e. Bryson's small condom joke.
1) Small Condoms= Not a big seller (establishing the game) 2) Guys w/ Small dick = don't need a condom because they are resourceful (still heightening the game of "small condoms don't sell") 3) MacGyver = has a small dick (capping the game by taking it to the most resourceful guy ever and why he would never buy one when he could just make one himself)
Improv gets your brain thinking in patterns, raising the stakes and recognizing why audiences enjoy seeing them. It also in a way, teaches you the Comedy Rule of 3. That the third beat of a pattern is the funniest, if it was properly established and heightened in the first two beats. This is something many good stand-up jokes adhere to. I do believe that this is not only achievable by writing it in advance but that it can be done onstage as well, because a smart comic/improviser could see the 3 beat possibility from just the reaction to the initial premise.
The Fight: This is not to say that writing and working on material offstage is not the best way to be comically creative. It definitely has established itself as the backbone to standup. I know it is something I want to get better at. What I am saying is that audiences react to the same thing, regardless of the medium. In standup, improv and even comedy editing you want to trim the fat and heighten the joke. There are things that are specifically taught in improv that will help any standup comedian. Examples like; realistic character work, having a strong initiation, not dropping your "deal" and being confident. Those are all fundamental concepts that my favorite comedians excel at and also what good improv coaches teach.
Me! This is about Me!: My love of improv comes from the fact that I can create something from nothing, by understanding what makes something fun to watch. I also love that improv teaches you to give and take, how take care of your partner as you bolster yourself as well and to always think of how I can agree and 'Yes And..' something. It puts my mind in the right direction and clears up all roadblocks that take me away from the fun. It excites me, to think a scene literally about nothing at all, can cause people to hoot and applaud and never be able to explain it to their friends. It was just for them.
For me, I am still adjusting to the transition from the group mentality of improv to the solo dependency of stand-up. I can tell you what I see the benefits of each are: improv teaches you to trust your partner and to truly know how they are going to react next. “I set them up, you knock them down.” This translates better to sketch writing and character creation than I believe stand-up does. I mean, just look at the history of the cast members of SNL. The majority are improvisers. Stand-up has taught me though, how to be more confident. That at the end of the day I have just myself to rely on. I don’t think you can truly find your “voice” as a comedian, without performing stand-up. It just forces you to say to yourself “how do I want to present myself, what type of comedian do I want to be?” Stand-up instills self promotion and learning to do that is just something you have to do in the world of comedy.
For me, long term I know I need to do more standup. I always want to continue doing improv, because I really believe it makes me fundamentally a better comedian. But, when I look at myself and honestly evaluate why I keep getting up on stage, it’s because I love sharing something about myself with people that will make them laugh and Stand-up does that for me as well. I just love improv because I can create something out of a mistake, a moment, a gesture or a silence that will resonate with someone else. It's kinda magical. When it doesn't completely suck.
I've been jetsetting the American States United for about a week. Last Wednesday, I was in the City of Angels, California. Yester-Wednesday I was in St. Louis, Missouri (More like misery with that wind chill! Am I right, crickets?!) Not bad for an 8-day stint. Tomorrow morning, I'm headed to Raleigh, North Carolina for the Dirty South Improv Festival.
Anyway, let's recap my travels with gusto and a dash of pepper!
*puts on chef hat, also incidentally blogging hat*
Los Angeleezy
I wish people in LA were only allowed to wear LA Gear. Not because it's a good idea, but because the idea amused me for three seconds. I love this city. I know it has a bad rep because of Hollywood floozies, but I really liked it when I was out there. Maybe because it's sunny there right now and it's frowny here right now. Maybe it's that. Or maybe it's because it's a vibrant and exciting city with infinite avenues for creativity.
LA-parna
The comedy shows I got to do in LA ran the full gamut of the stand up experience. On Wednesday night, merely a few hours after I was greeted by the waving fronds of palms, I got to do some time (sounds edgy) at the Hollywood Improv. The booker was kind enough to squeeze me on relatively last minute, and I got to do five happy minutes of punching the sky. That's a new expression I've coined for a fun set. The Improv is a typical comedy club, and there was a pretty amazing line up including Chris Porter from Last Comic Standing and a surprise appearance by Ty Barnett, also of Last Comic Standing.
I found people and other comedians to be generally friendly everywhere I went, and they came and talked to me after shows especially if they enjoyed a particular joke I did. Other shows I performed at included a place called Karma Coffeehouse, which was very similar to DC's very own deceased Soho Tea & Coffee open mic, including the appearance of memorable characters such as Treeman (a man standing 9-feet-tall dressed up like a tree - he only came to enjoy the comics, not to be one). I also attended an improv show called Cagematch @ UCB, which I would highly recommend. The two groups that performed (Convoy and Tigerpants) were both amazing.
I also did a show called Rocket Video, which was in a video store. No microphone. Just straight up in the back behind the foreign films section. Free beer and soda too! My favorite show that I got to do was called The Tomorrow Show, and it took place in a theater setting. It is hosted by three superfun dudes, including Brendon Small of Home Movies fame, and it starts at 12 midnight every Saturday night/Sunday morning and runs for a good two to three hours. This show is a variety show and includes music, comedy interviews, characters, stand up, and anything one could imagine up. It draws a regular faithful audience every week as well. I almost ended up doing my set in panda make-up. That's just the sort of thing that happens in LA.
NACA Convention in St. Lunatics, Missouri
I'll also briefly recap attending the national NACA convention this past Tuesday. NACA stands for the National Association for Campus Activities, and it's where college bookers go to choose their entertainment for the upcoming school year. Literally, every type of entertainment imaginable. Magicians, singer-songwriters, dancers, mimes, performance artists, public speakers (including Lance Bass), martial artists, clowns, exotic reptiles, improv/sketch groups, and of course, stand up comedians.
I, along with the other comedians on the Stand Up for Diversity College Tour, were part of the closing festivities of the convention. The audience for our showcase was probably a little over 1,000 people even though it was originally slated for 2,500. Still a bit of a formidable number for me to comprehend. The performance space involved two large jumbo screens next to you onstage as well as a digital clock timing you right by your feet. My set was a bit shaky, but wakka wakka NACA, what can you do?
After my set, all of us comedians went to the booth in the big open "marketplace" to schmooze with bookers and college students. It was a flurry of overstimulation, but definitely a memorable experience. It was like having to be one of the spritzer ladies in the mall except replace the perfume with pamphlets and DVDs. It was a good experience in self-promotion, and luckily it didn't involve accidentally spraying someone in the eye.
So that's it. I'll be fielding questions about my travels in person at an undisclosed time and location. Read more!
“Ladies and Gentlemen, boys and girls, children of all ages…”
We are just a week away from D.C.’s #1 competitive improv-comedy event!! That is right, WIT’s 2nd Annual "Fighting Improv Smackdown Tournament" (F.I.S.T.) is almost upon you.
“…Three-player teams do battle in a single-elimination style test of improv mettle where the audience determines who lives to fight another day. The action is fast. The tension is high. The consequences are severe... win your match and move on to the next round. Lose your match, and there's no road back but the one paved in shame.”
What is so awesome about the F.I.S.T (other than its name), is that it brings together improvisers from all backgrounds from all around the city. For example, competing in this year’s smackdown are some people you might recognize from this here blog, like Seaton Smith, Mike Bass, Mikael Johnson, and DCC4N's friend for life, GWU's ReceSs. Also, DCC4N contributors Aparna Nancherla and “yours truly” will be droppin’ elbows as well.
This is not an event to be missed folks. I plan on seeing as much as I can because 1) TICKETS DO SELL OUT 2) THE CROWDS ARE ALWAYS ROWDY AND READY TO RUMBLE 3) IT IS SOME OF THE MOST UNIQUE AND INNOVATIVE IMPROV YOU WILL SEE ALL YEAR LONG.
SHOWS START THURSDAY FEB 28th @ 8pm at the Flashpoint Theater in Chinatown.
This week's DC Comedy Spotlight shines on one of the most energentic and entertaining comics in D.C., Seaton Smith. After getting his start in New York, he moved to Washington D.C. in 2003 and began to develop his act as a comic who attacks the stage. If you catch him performing now-a-days at such clubs as DC Improv, Baltimore's Comedy Factory, or Cozzy's Comedy Club, you will definitely be going home with one of his characters bouncing through your head.
His ability to yank the audience along with him as he relates one of his wild stories has given him alot of attention. He has been continually featured at the DC Comedy Festival in 2005, 2006, and 2007. Also, last summer he nabbed an opening spot at the Opie and Anthony Traveling Virus Tour , where he performed with such acts Louis C.K., Jim Norton and Carlos Mencia.
Catch him while you can at:
TONIGHT'S "TOP SHELF" @ SOLLY'S TAVERN at 8:30 also: MARCH 2ND AT THE DC IMPROV MARCH 21-22 AT MAGOOBYS COMEDY CLUB
He also is a student with Washington Improv Theater and can be seen soon during WIT's Tournament of the F.I.S.T in March. DCC4N's Interview with Seaton: When did you realize that you wanted to do comedy?
I was ten when I thought I was funny. And then there was a talent show and I got on for rehearsal and killed. It was fun. But the problem was my stepmom was very controlling type of woman and she made me rehearse for her. Which is more painful than one would think. I did multiple rehearsals and I didn't know that you were supposed to do the same material I think, so I kept coming to rehearsal with different jokes and it got pretty bad to the point where I asked to just host and not do jokes. It was pretty bad. But I regretted not doing the talent show for real. I guess that's my earliest feelings of wanting to be a comic only cause it's seeped in regret. And that, I think, is the essence of being a comic. The overbearing sense of regret and shame.
[Hit the jump for more of Seaton's interview, plus a new video from his set at the DC Improv]
Who were some of your earliest influences?
Pryor, my grandma had "Is it something I said?" And I thought that was the most brilliant thing ever. I didn't have those stories where you would listen to them in secret. My family is big into dirty language. So we enjoyed those tapes together, like family time. Some people watched wizard of oz, we watched Richard Pryor Here and Now. Then when I got into comedy and I was frustrated with the form of opening, setup, punchline it was like a wet dream to hear Steve Martin's Let's Get Small. I had not idea of the brilliance at the time, only cause I wasn't born yet. Then Woody Allen's Comedian did a lot on structure. Bob Newhart Button Down Mind on the bumbling everyday type of guy that you wouldn't notice. But then Sam Kinison, his screaming was like music, plus he had a cleverness that's not given enough love. What about them captivated you?
Well I mentioned the other ones, but Pryor then was just funny, now I can see from every aspect of comedy he was great at it. Characters, stories, one liners, clean, dirty, plus he could stop doing jokes and talk about something serious or jump into a skit with four or five characters. His ACT, in speaking of his hour to hour and a half sets, would have an intellectual and entertaining arc to them that at the end you would feel a sense of completion. He's like a book you can read a thousand times and find something different.
Where did you first perform?
I guess I answered this. But I'll tell you the second place I performed. I was 14 and there was a talent show at a religious camp I used to go to. You want to talk about good crowds. I got applause breaks before I told a joke. I mean "introducing seaton smith" applause. "hello" more applause. It really did wonders for the delicate teenage ego. then I did a show in newark, nj, another talent show but not religious, with my mom in the audience and I bombed so bad that in the car my mom told me never to invite her to another show until I get famous. So much for the delicate teenage ego. What was your first paid gig?
I want to say it was Jillian's. I want to say Sean Savoy (then Sean Joxe) was the first to give me some love. I had some really good times at Jillians, and some equally bad times.
Do you prefer to write on or off stage?
Both. I go in spurts where I'll try different writing exercises to flesh the ideas out. But then a joke will reach as far as I can take it and I'll brainstorm with a friend. But that's when I have an idea of what I want to say. Sometimes i have no idea what I want to say about a particular idea so I'll go on stage and hope that the adrenaline will cause a creative moment/magic. whatever.
Do you enjoy the process of writing?
Yes. when I'm doing it. When I'm staring at the page no. When I'm laying in bed thinking about it, sometimes.
What about performing live do you enjoy?
Intimacy. I really like the feeling of a group of people coming together and seeing the same thing and having the same feeling about something. There is an intimacy in that that can feel warm. It's only when you get off stage do you realize somewhere in the back of your head it's not real or it's so temporary that you can't real suck it in. But sometimes aftershocks of it all hit you later at night when you're alone and you feel it again, except a little less. But it's great just the same.
Do you ever want to convey a message?
I want to. But I don't know what it is in general. I know when I speak about race I try to speak on my disposition in the societal paradigm. Meaning I don't say "white people be fucking up" kind of humor which comes from an attacking place. I try to speak on how we all kind of relate cause we're all kind of squeezed in this tight space and we've established rules with one another about how to conduct ourselves. Like I have a joke about how white people can't say the word "African-American" but I only mention only because it speaks to all these rules in place that white people are afraid a rule is being broken just by mentioning that black exists, but on the flip side this hesitation isn't out of nowhere because black people are so paranoid of racism/or racist moments that we're looking for white people to get one syllable wrong. See rules. But that's not my whole act. It's really 7 minutes. I don't know what else I talk about. I hate life.
What's hacky to you?
Not speaking from your own life, experience, perspective, or your own funny. We all have our own funny and if you're not looking inside yourself to find it then it's hacky. Or if you're trying to be anything else than funny ie dirty, weird, offensive without trying to be funny, it's not hacky but it isn't comedy, it's more or less bullshit.
Were your parents supportive of you doing comedy? Very much so. Too much. They'd want to sit and workout shit with me when I was a teenager. My father keeps calling me telling me I need to be like Tyler Perry. It hurts me to tell him that it will never happen. My mother would make me do choirs and when I argued she'd say, "you'll get a joke out of it." It never happened ma.
Where do you plan on moving next?
New York City. I'm not sure why. Really. I have no idea what to do. I know my options. But they don't jump out at me as appetizing. I just want to be really really really really (infinite symbol) funny and just assume something good will happen. I don't know what though.
How do you feel about the comedy scene in DC?
That's it's a good place to start. The clique thing doesn't bother me mainly because I don't like people enough to want to be in their friend group. I think that would annoy me. As long as I get stage time. And DC has afforded me a lot of stage time. For about 12 calendar months i was doing about 7 days a week. That was fun. I went a little crazy and I was ugly to a lot of people but I grew. I think anyway. People like to tell me I'm a natural onstage. Which kind of annoys me, cause i'm not a natural, I just was onstage so much that it looks easy and natural. Also when they say you're natural they're making a point to say that they don't like my material. Moral of the story: I really would like to stop talking to people.
-What would you change?
Me personally? Nothing. I don't want to do anything except write and perform, but if I wasn't moving, I'd just create more rooms. That's what comedy is, performance.
Wow, Solly's is definitely becoming THE place for local music and comedy, with the announcement of another show popping up this week.
Mostly Monkee, D.C.’s only gypsy cow-punk reggae band continues its tradition of electric live performance events by teaming up with musical improv-comedy punksters the Slut Rockets on Thursday night February 21st, 2008 at Solly’s U Street Tavern located at 1142 11th Street (at the corner of U Street and 11th NW).
Doors open at 8:30 PM The Slut Rockets start at 9:15 Mostly Monkee follows at 10:30 PM. Cover charge is $5.00.
The Slut Rockets live show features a musical improv-comedy format that will take audience suggestions and build improvised punk songs based on them.
"musical improv-comedy punksters"?
Does it still count as improv if the audience can't understand you?
We are putting on our second showcase at The DC Improv Comedy Lounge on Valentine's weekend combining the sweetest standup and improv comedy just for you, that's right, you snickerdoodle. Our First showcase, "Clash of the Titans" sold out (unlike any show that has ever been produced by any person or persons in any medium!)and we are celebrating by putting on another local comedy showcase with twice the heart, with TWO shows @ 8pm and 10:30pm. Hey pumpkin-pudding, you deserve nothing but the best.
Fall in love with stand up from: SHOTGUN DENNY TOMM (winner of 2007's "Funniest Person in Baltimore,") NICK TURNER (jerk from NYC and [little-seen] National Commercials) JAY HASTINGS (Comcast On Demand) JASON WEEMS (Last Comic Standing, Comcast On Demand)
And Long-Form Improv/Pillow Talk from: HOURLY RATE HOTEL f/ Topher Bellavia, Natasha Rothwell, Dan Hodapp (Washington Improv Theater's "161" and "Caveat" ) THE JOHNSON FAMILY VACATION f/ Dave Johnson, Mikael Johnson, Jason Saenz-Johnson (Washington Improv Theater's "161" and "Jackie")
And hosted by the debonair but cuddly JASON SAENZ (member of WIT's "Jackie" and "iMusical)
What: DC Comedy: 4 Now Presents: "Romantic Comedy" When: Saturday, February 16th @ 8:00 and 10:30pm Where: The DC Improv Comedy Lounge Cost: $10 at the door or go to http://www.symfonee.com/improv/dc/home/index.aspx.
Michael Bass is a Comedic Renaissance Man(tm). Since joining Washington Improv Theater's One-Sixty-One in 2003, he has been a part of several of WIT's biggest productions, including; the one-of-a-kind improvised movie Neutrino, the recently sold-out Seasonal Disorder, the political-spoof POTUS, the festival-crushing Dr. Fantastic and the improv "Titans" of D.C., Superbest.
That is what Mike likes to do. He keeps his audience guessing on what he will do next. You may swoon at his relaxed and easy going approach to the stage, but don't let your guard down. His quickness to the punch is lighting fast, it is up their with the city's best.
Outside of improv Mike is also heavily involved with some of the city's best film making, which includes production, editing, and performance work in several award-winning 48HFP projects. He also continues to work with his buddies from college, The Big Honkin', who produce web shorts - Jesus Christ Supercop, and currently, The Defenders of Stan.
The Defenders of Stan is the longest running series in the history of Channel 102 and on Feb. 4 in New York the latest episode will be screen (and will become available online at Channel 102 and The Defenders of Stan Website).
Whether it is on stage, behind or in front of the camera, Mike continues to have success. He'll be back onstage beginning Feb 19th, 2008 when his team "Polygamy" enters into Washington Improv Theater's 2nd Annual F.I.S.T Tournament.
When did you realize that you wanted to do comedy?
Well I've always been a performer of sorts – I was the ham as a kid and always liked making people laugh. I figured out in college that comedy really was a skill that one could study and hone. I found that I enjoyed thinking about what was funny and why.
[Hit the jump for the rest of Mike's interview, plus the latest "The Defenders of Stan" video.]
Who were some of your earliest influences? What about them captivated you?
I discovered late night TV in 7th grade and started quoting Sandler, Meyers, Farley movies with my friends. It was edgier comedy than I'd seen. A lot of it was just silliness, but it showed me a new way of being funny, I guess.
Where did you first start doing improv?
I first started doing improv in college – at James Madison University. The first troupe we put together was specifically for a run of shows at an on-campus restaurant attempting a dinner theater. We rehearsed a bunch of games and the crowds dug it. I actually remember doing a game called "emotional symphony" and I was assigned "elation". So my first big laugh was essentially channeling Meg Ryan's fake orgasm from When Harry Met Sally. It was hacky, but I was assigned "elation" every night of the run.
What do you enjoy bringing onstage?
I think my style is pretty relaxed. I've learned to not try so hard in scenes but rather let scenes develop naturally and assist the comedy of any given situation to come out naturally. I also find that I'm very reality-based.
Do you enjoy the process of writing? How do you think your improv training has effected your writing style/process?
I don't really. Improv has really developed my skills as a storyteller and given me a great understanding of HOW to write – even though I don't. Improv teaches me how to establish patterns and when to break them. It teaches the importance of pacing, scene dynamics, and believability. At the same time, I think improv has made me lazy. Why take the time to write something when I can just make it up? I've never been good at motivating myself to write.
What about performing live do you enjoy? Do you ever want to convey a message?
The energy from a live audience is the best. It's a shared artistic experience between performer and audience. One does not exist without the other.
Convey a message? That there's more to improv than "Whose Line is it Anyway?" And that there's more to the DC comedy scene than Capitol Steps.
What's hacky to you?
I think that not playing to the highest level of your intelligence is hacky. OR taking advantage of an unintelligent audience is hacky too. See "Blue Collar Comedy Tour". And by "unintelligent", I really mean "uninformed". Telling a bunch of fart jokes to an audience that's never been exposed to anything better than fart jokes is hacky.
Credibility is key.
It's relative to the individual. Anything that makes you feel dirty or guilty is hacky – and we're all guilty of that from time to time.
How do you feel about doing comedy in Washington DC?
DC is an awesome and unique city. The Arts community here is really supportive and does quality stuff in dance, theater, and comedy. I like doing comedy here. It's a big city, but has that small pond kind of feel. Besides, it's our nation's capital for crying out loud. I think it'll be even better when the rest of the country realizes that DC is more than just a bed of corruption and politics. And I think it's getting there.
What is your day job?
I do video production. I work for the cable company, putting commercials up on TV and producing PSAs, etc. Not a bad gig at all.
Were your parents supportive of you doing comedy?
I've been really blessed to have supportive parents. They never dissuaded me from pursuing comedy or performance opportunities. Thank God they didn't want me to be a doctor or take over the family business, etc.
Where do you plan on moving next?
Probably NYC, but I'm not sure when. I'm a NOVA native, so I'm feeling the itch to change my scenery. My wife is a dancer and would love to pursue the dance world of New York too. It's tough though - the older I get the less energy I have to really "hit the pavement" of a new city. We'll see what happens.
I want to state, however, that I wish DC was not such a transitive town. There are plenty of wonderful reasons to stay here. And if we continue to build the arts/comedy communities here, I think we'll start attracting more positive attention to DC.
THE DEFENDERS OF STAN- The Gift Of The Magi(c Cards)
When it comes to personal favorites, few top my list higher than today's Comedy Spotlight. Mikael Johnson is one of DC's most unique comedians, known most notably through his incredible character-driven improvisational work with The Comedy Pigs, Comedy Sportz and currently WIT's Jackie. He also is an experienced sketch writer, director and stage actor having been a ensemble member of Maryland's MET for several years. He is also a past producer of the Mid-Atlantic Comedy Smörgåsbord, which featured the area's best stand-up and improv talent.
This guy produces more "you had to be there" moments than any DC performer I know. He has a way of capturing an audience's attention, without deterring from what others are doing onstage. He also has one of the most twisted senses of humor I have ever witnessed. Try to turn away...you can't. Audiences outside DC love him as well. As a member of WIT Mikael has performed at several of the east coast's biggest comedy festivals including the Charleston Improv Fest, Dirty South Improv Fest, Chicago Improv Fest, DC Comedy Fest and the Philadelphia Improv Festival.
Mikael also is a established teacher and is currently instructing a long-form improv class through Washington Improv Theater. If you have performed improv in the past and would like to learn more from one of the masters, then definitely sign up for his class.
[Hit the jump for an interview and videos from Mikael!]
When did you realize that you wanted to do comedy? When I was 14 I was Bill Cosby in my English Class for this project. It got a huge response. I think I have been chasing that ever since. Who were some of your earliest influences? My two older brothers and my parents. They f'd with me all the time—lie to me with a straight face sort of thing. I could never get a straight answer out of anyone. I know that definitely rubbed off. Also: Bill Cosby, George Carlin, Kids In The Hall, South Park, Monty Python, and Mel Brooks (Spaceballs).
What about them captivated you? If I could make someone in my family really laugh, who were all older, it was a good feeling. South Park, Kids In The Hall, and Monty Python have always been my favorite. I like anything that is silly and smart, plus KITH had nudity in their first few seasons on HBO.
Where was your first performance? First student class showcase at Comedy Sportz in Arlington, VA was my first show in front of a paying audience. I was mortified. I remember sweating a lot but eventually relaxed. I really don't remember my first gig with the Pigs, I remember thinking, "I got through it".
What would you say is your improv-comedy style? I like to find a character or an emotion and just go with it. I just hope I'm having fun and not sitting inside my own head. If I'm taking things too seriously, then I need to find something else to do. Do you enjoy the process of writing? Yes and no, I love writing, what I find difficult is revising and editing. I hate it when I don't hit it out of the park on the first try, which is all the time. Basically, with writing, and improving on any discipline, the toughest part for me is any act that involves "follow through".
How do you think your improv training has affected your writing style/process? I am more open to take chances on stage with just an idea or exploring something through a character. Also, there are other things to do on stage other than premise-set-up-punch. What about performing live do you enjoy? All the sex you get after the shows.
Do you ever want to convey a message? I really don't care enough about anything. The late great, Richard Jeni, has a great bit on this concept, you can find it on Youtube.
What's hacky to you? Anybody who doesn't respect their craft, a paying audience, or their fellow artists.
How do you feel about doing comedy in Washington DC? I love it most of the time but you have to make your opportunities. It sometimes feels like a way station, people come through here with great talent but if you're going to work you have to move to NY, LA or Chicago.
Were your parents supportive of you doing comedy?From day one, though my mother would harp on the, "This is your ______ year in a row without medical insurance, you just can't keep gambling with your future like this". And I was like, "Mom, I'm drinking vodka every day, and I continue to feel as if I am being swallowed--I'm fine".
We hear[Grammar King!] at DCC4N would like to thank everyone who reads our blog for making 2007 a incredible year. Never had we though[GK!] that things would take off as they have, but more importantly we are just happy to see comedians, of all sorts, coming together in this city.
Here is to a even better 2008 for everyone!! Check back next week for announcemets regarding...
More SHOWS! More ROOMS! and more great local, DC COMEDY!!
Also, don't forget about DCC4N's New Year Bustin' "Clash of the Titans". Friday Jan. 4th @ 8pm DC Improv Comedy Lounge!
UPTOWN TAVERN in Cleveland Park, DC. Every other Friday @ 9pm
SATURDAYS
DC Open Mics
SUNDAYS
PALACE OF WONDERS in H-Street District NE, DC. Every other Sunday at 8. Sign-up is in advance by e-mailing Robb Loving robbloving@gmail.com or on site by 7:30.
MONDAYS
SPY LOUNGE in Adams Morgan. 8:00pm. Sign-up is on premises. For more info you can e-mail elisairs@gmail.com. Hosted by Eli Sairs. (this is temporarily on hold)
TUESDAYS
ALL STARS COMEDY CLUB in Arlington, Virginia. Located in Listrani's restaurant. Sign up by 8 pm. Anyone that brings 2 guests is guaranteed a spot, also if a comic shows up an hour early to help promote they will be guaranteed the 3 spot or 6 spot. E-mail allstarscomedy@aol.com for more information.
OPEN MIC MOUTH (Variety) @ Solly's Tavern in U-Street District, DC. Sign-up begins at 7:30. Show starts at 8. Runs the 1st, 3rd, and 4th Tuesdays of the month.
JOJO'S in U-Street District, DC. Show runs 9-12pm. Email "the Hossman" @ hossman[at]yahoo.com.
WEDNESDAYS
ALL STARS COMEDY CLUB in Arlington, Virginia. Located in Listrani's restaurant. Sign up by 8 pm. Anyone that brings 2 guests is guaranteed a spot, also if a comic shows up an hour early to help promote they will be guaranteed the 3 spot or 6 spot. E-mail allstarscomedy@aol.com for more information.
RI-RA IRISH PUB in Arlington, Virginia. Shows run 8 - 10. 3 to 10 minutes stage time. Newbies welcome! Free beer for comics. $25 cash prize joke contest for non-coms after the show! Metro friendly. Sign-up: e-mail CurtShackelford(at) verizon.net.
MAD HATTER in downtown DC. Sign-up as early as 5:30, Open Mic starts at 9. Runs from 9-11pm. Email benlong10(at)yahoo.com.
THURSDAYS
COLLEGE PERK COFFEEHOUSE in College Park, Maryland. Hosted by Sariel Lehyani.Every other week at 9pm.To sign up e-mail sloopyjoe@palindromestudios.net.
DC IMPROV on Connecticut, NW. IMPROVISATIONAL OPEN MIC JAM. Hosted by Allyson Jaffe. 8pm. For more info contact her @ allyson [at] dcimprov.com (monthly)
HOT BROTH COMEDY in Arlington, Virginia. At the Comedy Spot in Ballston Mall (off Ballston stop on Metro). All-ages open mic. Sign-up is on location at 7:00pm or by emailing arlingtoncomedy@gmail.com. Hosted by Tyler Sonnichsen and Jake Young.
JAXX NIGHTCLUB in Springfield, Virginia The first and third Thursday of each month. Doors open at 7, show at 8. All levels of comedians are welcome. To sign-up e-mail Justin Kincaid at jkincaidcomedy@gmail.com (do not contact the venue).
THE ISLANDER on U St. Sign up is 8:30 on premises, show starts at 9:00. 1201 U St. NW. Call Hossman at (240) 605-8972.
TOPAZ HOTEL in Dupont Circle, DC. 8pm in lower room. Sign-up: e-mail CurtShackelford@verizon.net.
FRIDAYS
SATURDAYS
OLD ARLINGTON GRILL in Arlington, VA. 10:30pm. Email andykline[at]gmail.com.
