Improv by the numbers 2014 or I'm a google docs nerd.
Hey folks! BACK AGAIN WITH ANOTHER IMPROV BY THE NUMBERS POST! For interested parties you can see my 2013 post here and my 2012 post here. Ok here we go!
157 shows performed at 24 different spaces 8 consistent or defined teams teams, 65 other teams mostly mash up or random throw together groups. 1 show in another country (Canada, first time for me!)
By Team (or show)
Pizza Party - 35
11/22 - 30
American Standard - 17
The Grrr - 5
The Experts - 3
Mad Contender - 3
Bass Mountain - 3
Wine Eyes - 2
By Space
iO - 59 (Kingsbury 33, Clark St 26)
Upstairs Gallery - 33
Annoyance Theatre - 13
Den Theatre - 9
Playground Theatre - 7
CIC - 5
MCL (Studio Be) - 6 (pre MCL 4, post MCL 2)
Peoples Improv Theater - 4
Shithole Select - 3
Public House - 3
Lincoln Loft - 3
Brit Pack - 2
By Month
January - 15
February - 10
March - 22
April - 12
May - 12
June - 8
July - 8
August - 12
September - 13
October - 18
November - 14
December - 13
Additional things/reflections -
Average shows per month this year was 13.08, up from 11.4 last year.
For the second year in a row March had the most performances, this years total was 22, last years was 20.
This was a big time transition year! We closed the Upstairs Gallery, Bass Mountain was cut EARLY in 2014 (on my birthday,) the Grrr sadly tappered off into non existence with a sputter, 11/22 really came into its own as an idea and entity, and my new harold team "American Standard" has had several lineup/coaching fluctuations since we started playing in February 2014.
If any folks out there are on teams that were regularly performing and rehearsing but then stopped rehearsing and reduced the number of shows, maybe just pack it up. The Grrr really should have ended when we started to lose some of our core members over a year ago. Would have been so much better then this sad sputtering dissolution that went down. That team in its prime was super fun to perform with! SO BASICALLY KNOW WHEN TO HANG IT UP!
Pizza Party performed our least amount of shows in a full year this year, 35 ( 2012 - 48, 2013 - 52) It makes total sense. As a team we've sort of moved past the hustle phase where we are booking as many shows ass possible. We have had regular shows provided by the runs at iO and Annoyance and so we really searched stuff out less. Also, PP is coming to an end as a regular entity in mid January 2015 when Walt moves to LA. Brian is planning to move out there in April as well. It will be very very strange not to play with those guys regularly anymore. It's been the bulk of improv i have done with one single team. There are so many times on stage that this unique experience and chemistry will carry us through things. I love them both and will miss them and the team so much.
The Upstairs Gallery All Stars is now an established idea. Basically a mash up team of former Gallery people, different team every time.
Wine eyes was a short lived dream of mine which was Brian McGovern, Ingrid Walla, and Allison Ringhand. It never really came to fruition and then Ingrid moved. Would have been such a cool team!
Goals 2014 - Did i make good?
I have no idea if its even possible but i’d love to get up to 150 shows a year.
Hooray! Hit this goal with 7 shows to spare! This year might be my high water mark in terms of improv performances.
Add some sort of “quality” score indication to the spreadsheet to track how i’m feeling about shows
Started the year doing this, but i stopped in april and only wrote 5's next to my favorite shows and one 1 for one of the worst shows i've ever done (the 11/22 cagematch show.) The average for my ratings this year was 3.11, which feels pretty good! Right around i'm feeling OK after most shows.
Play WAY more at the Annoyance, i think with the new theater featuring a second smaller stage that there is a much greater possibility.
Deff did this one! Between the pizza party/dead$$$/DMNK run and the Tuesday night show we've been producing at the annoyance i am performing and producing their much more. I hope i can do even more with them.
Produce/peform in more shows on the west side of chicago.
I will be generous and say we deff did this! Continuing to produce at The Den Theatre in addition to putting up some Sick Adventures around the west side. Hopefully we'll continue this in the new year.
If schedule allows i would love to audition for a CIC team.
I did audition and make one! Was added to Mad Contender in November. Very excited and very lucky to be on this team. Am already so impressed by them.
In general i feel like i hit my 2014 goals! Way to go me!
Goals 2015
Would like to focus on producing/direction more this year in addition to regular performance commitments.
Was very inspired by the mission theatre's new sketch revue "Trap." They basically showed me that second city doesn't own the revue model. Cait and I are talking about creating some sort of rotating revue idea where we create a new cast every two months and produce a mid length sketch revue. Just to see what it looks like and if it would work. Am very excited to start working on that.
With the Gallery closing we've taken to producing SA at a different location every month. I want that to keep on going and EXPAND! Am going to keep on looking for ways to keep that idea vibrant. More productions at different spots around the city. We are performing the Charleston Comedy Festival in a few weeks, would like to book Upstairs Gallery All Stars spots at other festivals as well.
Am at 458 performances since i started keeping track in August of 2011. So i'll hit 500 performances this year. Which is nuts and i'm excited about!
Would like to continue to seek out younger teams with lots of potential and help get them stage time, a la the UG house team program. Am going to think on ways to do this.
Am curious to see if not running a space will mean i perform less or more. On one hand i can't create oppurtunities for myself to play as often, but on the other i'm free to go perform more nights.
As a final note, this isn't so much a goal or prediction. If there are any folks out there who want to talk about logistics for producing independent shows or running independent spaces let me know! I want to help the community foster as many spots as possible around the city. Will be happy to meet with you for a drink or food and talk shop, even if it's not something you want me to be directly involved in. By all means reach out! Let's keep the improv scene vibrant and exciting!
K thats it! HAPPY 2015!
