#improvcamp

[theadventurepro]

It’s almost summer camp season! That means improv with the kiddos is coming back! 🎉 There’s two opportunities for your Northeast Florida kids - ages 10 - 17 - to join The Adventure Project’s improv camps. * June 6-10 @firstcoastcc_ in Jacksonville * July 11-15 @limelightstaug in St. Augustine For more info + to register, visit www.adventure-project.com . . . #improv #summertime #camp #kids #improvcamp #fun #theater #comedy #findyouradventure (at Limelight Theatre) https://www.instagram.com/p/Cd7fEZbO0II/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

[theadventurepro]

It’s a wrap! Teen Improv Camp @limelightstaug wrapped up today with a spectacular camper showcase! We’ve had so much fun this week becoming an ensemble! @kidzfactory . . . #improv #yesand #camp #improvcamp #showcase #ensemble #webeforeme #staugustine #stalocal #summertime #adventure #improvstaugustine #improvadventure #findyouradventure (at Limelight Theatre)

[theadventurepro]

Improv Summer Camp @limelightstaug means it’s the perfect time to break out the Brag Bags! Campers write notes bragging about each other and leave them in the Brag Bags! @kidzfactory . . . #improv #bragbags #camp #summercamp #summer #improvcamp #summertime #webeforeme #adventure #staugustine #stalocal #improvstaugustine #improvadventure #findyouradventure (at Limelight Theatre)

[theadventurepro]

What does the human mirror teach us? These kids are finding out at Summer Improv Camp @limelightstaug this week! @kidzfactory . . . #improv #mirror #camp #human #improvcamp #summer #summertime #staugustine #stalocal #florida #summercamp #improvstaugustine #improvadventure #findyouradventure (at Limelight Theatre)

[jessampersand]

Improv Utopia East

I can't believe I was able to do both west and east this year. So amazing. The instructors were fabulous! Simply amazing. 

Paul Valliancourt - still on my mind's Mount Olympus and the highest pedestal, ruling over all. His workshop on the triangle of a scene was great. Super meta and theological. As if some equation is going to bad scenes from happening. Also had a great conversation with him at the local bar, Dimmick's Inn, about the types of radishes. He even wiki'ed to see how many species of them there are. We high fived about that and not eating meat!

Craig Cackowski - living legend. During the picture of all of camp, I plopped next to him in the 3rd row and asked about where I was living now in Chicago, I told him and he proceeded to let me know that that might be Tina Fey's old apartment building. I was to send him a map of it for him to double check - I did and it is. WHA.. Also his workshop on selling it, improved with time.

Rick Andrews - Magnet theatre. Calls scene like a game show host. Amazing funny and allowed all of us to be vulnerable. Fucking scary. I confessed that although I live in Chicago I'm having a hard time saying that's where I'm from. I know it's only been a month, but I think it's more along the lines of me not wanting to let go of Detroit and CSz and DIF, then me being part of this awesome community in a huge setting. I also confessed that I just want to be the best at improv. And I do. If I could make a living creating random stories and having a great time doing it, that'd be the dream. I also said I wanted to win at improv. Everyone laughed. There's my book title.

Will Luera - his workshop broke down a scene and made each part a subscene. It was interesting to take giant breaks in between and then to pick up emotionally charged where you left off. I think this is what acting is all about.

Comparatively to Improv Utopia West, the amenities were not pretty. Showering was scary. None of the toilets had doors. My bunkmates were overwhelmingly selfish and rude. I was sleep deprived from the moment I arrived and was never allowed to actually get a some rest. 

And I'm still in that plateau/rut.

[jessampersand]

ImprovUtopia

A 4-day, 3-night camp wrapped up in one blog post.

How do I even explain how amazing this camp was? From the sunsets:

to the food from Chef Rick:

To the warm-ups at 7am (THUNDERDOME):

to the daylight scenes:

This was the most put-together and amazing all improv holiday weekend one could ask for.

It was over memorial day weekend, 2013, that I traveled up the Pacific Coast Highway to Cambria, CA to Camp Ocean Pines and the 3rd annual Improv Utopia!

We arrived on Friday afternoon where we got a overview of the upcoming weekend, an introduction to the facility's staff and a fabulous dinner. Afterwards, we broke out into groups that was termed The Summit. I represented on behalf of the Detroit Improv Fest and met people who put on festivals in Phoenix, Cedar City (UT), and San Fran. 

I took two workshops on Saturday and two more on Sunday. All with fabulous instructors. 

Sell It with Craig Cackowski

Starting a Scene with Rich Talarico

Genres with Nick Armstrong

Characters with Dave Hill

So many wonderful insights into improv! So many fun times playing with people I never had before/didn't know anything about. The best part about ImprovUtopia was the range of people that came from the range of places. There was a college student who knew nothing of improv and the seasoned veteran who was in his 60s, and the aspiring golden child of many teams.

And the best part about it was, no cliques. There were not many inside joke-y jokes even though there were quite a bit of 3rd timers. It was very welcoming and I can not wait for next year. 

[jessampersand]

IMPROV + TRAVEL

So travel and improvisational comedy and the combination. That I think is what this blog has become. Boom! Theme!

So my travels to Los Angeles today, had me pinned next to a weird old guy that reminded me of every old man substitute teacher I ever had, you know the type. His neighbor was a really pretty girl who had a pair of jeans on that had those holes in them. He then proceeded to inquire about the natures of the holes. Well, the gentleman soon found out that this is now the style and he went on about high school fashion – from when he attended high school.

I put my headphones in, and watched Side Effects with Jude Law.

Fast forward 4 hours and we are touching down and then taxiing 20 miles to the gate. The process of picking up my checked bag and renting a car from Hertz was super painless. Being a Gold Member, my car was ready to go. I didn’t actually have to talk to anyone until I loaded everything in and began to drive away. I headed right to the hostel, but the room wasn’t ready so I left the car with them and decided to walk over and get a pedicure and then see all of Hollywood Blvd.

I stopped in Twenty-Five Degrees adjacent to the Roosevelt Hotel and had a beet salad. Nothing spectacular but I guess they are known for their burgers and adult milk shakes. I had neither. Grabbed some trashy souvenirs for my family, finally checked in to the hostel, cleaned up and went over to iO West. 

There I met up with Nick Armstrong, the director/co-founder of Improv Utopia and a cast member of wildly entertaining Harold Team: King Ten, who was so wonderful and comp'd my ticket for the night. 

So there was SNL auditions going on, and ALL I could recall was this article I read right after I bombed my first ever audition. The article said that most people who choke has the most to lose. Which really resinated with me, because honestly, what do you have to lose when you're goofing around with your friends? Nothing. But What do you have to lose in that audition in front of Lorne Michaels? Trick Question. It is nothing.

I should also mention that Lorne Michaels was not present. But here are some pics of fabulous Harold Teams.

Spirit Cats

Local 132

Bandit

King Ten

And maybe the best picture of Nick Armstrong and Josh DuBose of King Ten ever. 

[improvutopia-blog]

Planes, Trains and Automobiles Part 7: All Stop!

It's over! Man it's been a great adventure for the last 6 months. It all started in my hometown of Sacramento with The Blacktop Comedy Theatre, then we went to The Detroit Improv Festival, had a camp show at IO West, then off to San Francisco for the San Francisco Improv Festival, then to The Ventura Improv Festival, Cedar City, Utah for the Red Rocks Improv Festival, then to the Mile High City and The Denver Improv Festival...oh there's more, Fullerton, CA for the Improv Cup and Finest City Improv in San Diego is where we finished our tour! WHEW!

I have to say I am one lucky person to have been able to have met so many great people, improvisers and their communities. These places all felt like home to me and everyone was absolutely wonderful and made me feel so welcome.

Things I learned on the road...

Improvisers are the best and most positive people in the world.

I do get tired.

We can have a national improv scene! Let's do it!

My workshop students amazed me and I learned a ton from them!

Improv in other cities is just as good as what's happening in LA and Chicago. 

Jill Bernard and I lost in the lottery but won in friendship!

The Group Mind Foundation has an amazing mission!

The improv scene is bigger than it's ever been

Performer clauses that don't let improvisers play anywhere else are silly. Sharing community only makes the improv scene grow. LA is prime example of that. 

I love my campers that I got to see all over the country and looking forward to seeing them again! 

I can't wait for next year! If you'd like to invite us to visit your community, theatre or festival give us a shout out at [email protected]. We will also help promote you and your fest etc. So get in touch with us!

Nick Armstrong

Founder/Camp Director Improv Utopia

www.improvutopia.com