This is an archive of our old website. Please go to our new website at:
ChicagoImprovFestival.org
|
ARCHIVES: CIF 11 The Funniest Week in Chicago!
Update: September 22, 2008 CIF congratulates Scott Adsit, Tina Fey, Peter Grosz, Peter Gwinn, John Lutz, Jack McBrayer, and Jeff Richmond, on winning Emmy Awards for their tv work on 30 Rock and The Colbert Report. Besides winning national awards for their acting, writing and musical direction, they have all performed here in Chicago at previous CIFs. CIF 2008: Festival Wrap-Up
This year's 11th annual Chicago Improv Festival was dedicated to Paul Sills who passed away on 6/2/08 (the first day of this year's fest). Paul was the co-founder of the Playwrights Theater Club, The Compass, The Second City and the New Actors Workshop. He also created and directed Sills & Company and Story Theatre. Five years ago, CIF presented Paul with its Lifetime Acheivement Award. Without his work and without his life, there would be no improvisational theatre to celebrate. During the opening night of this year's festival, CIF's Executive Director Jonathan Pitts spoke to its sold-out crowd about the life and work of Paul Sills. Then CIF briefly dimmed the lights of the Lakeshore Theater in Paul's honor. CIF 2008
CIF READY TO "30 ROCK" AND ROLL!!!
CIF proudly presents 30 Rock cast members, Jack McBrayer, Scott Adsit, John Lutz, and Paul Scheer, from the hit Emmy, Golden Globe, Screen Actors Guild, Peabody, Producers Guild, and Writers Guild award-winning NBC-TV show, as they perform in three different shows during the 11th annual Chicago Improv Festival week.
Once again, CIF proves itself to be at the center of the improv-comedy zeitgeist by showcasing to Chicago audiences the finest and funniest improv acts and ensembles. This year's festival proudly presents 60 shows from 20 North American cities. 32 shows are making their CIF debut. 30 Rock Headliners @ CIF 2008: MONDAY, JUNE 2ND, 8PM @ LAKESHORE THEATER
Please Note: SCHEER & McBRAYER SHOW IS SOLD-OUT! The festival opens with a headlining performance by 30 Rock's duo SCHEER & McBRAYER. This duo stars Jack McBrayer ("Kenneth", the young, obedient, southern, NBC page; other credits include Forgetting Sarah Marshall, Walk Hard, Talladega Nights, Arrested Development, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, funnyordie.com, and he's the co-star of Mariah Carey's video "Touch My Body" and Paul Scheer ("Donny Lawson", NBC's Head Page and Kenneth's rival; other credits are MTV's The Human Giant, VH-1's Best Week Ever, Comedy Central's Crossballs, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, David Letterman and The Today Show).Virgin Daiquiri, a 13 member, all-female, super-group from Chicago is the opening act. TUESDAY, JUNE 3RD, 8PM @ LAKESHORE THEATER
Please Note: MESSING WITH A FRIEND/BASSPROV SHOW IS SOLD-OUT! The 30 Rock parade continues with 30 Rock's Scott Adsit ("Pete Hornberger", the quick-witted producer of TGS; other credits The Office, Mr. Show, Law & Order, and Adult Swim's award winning animated show Moral Orel) performs with local improv goddess Susan Messing and Annoyance Theater's Mick Napier in MESSING WITH A FRIEND. BASSPROV co-headlines the evening with special guest TJ Jagodowski. SATURDAY, JUNE 7TH, 10:30PM @ LAKESHORE THEATER
Please Note: JTS BROWN SHOW IS SOLD-OUT! CIF's third main stage show featuring a 30 Rock cast member is the highly anticipated JTS Brown reunion featuring 30 Rock's John Lutz ("JD Lutz", a food loving sketch comedy writer; other credits include Saturday Night Live), MADtv alum Ike Barinholtz, The Colbert Report's Peter Grosz, local improv hero TJ Jagodowski, and seven other original cast members from the legendary IO Comedy Theater team. Children of a Less God, a 4-women ensemble from IO Comedy Theater is the opening act. CIF 2008 Main Stage Headliners Also Include: THURSDAY, JUNE 5TH, 8PM @ LAKESHORE THEATER
MILLER & MIDDLEDITCH, a two-man duo featuring TJ Miller ("Hud" from the hit movie Cloverfield; and ABC-TV's Carpoolers) and Thomas Middleditch (youtube writer/director). FRIDAY, JUNE 6TH, 8PM @ LAKESHORE THEATER
DITKA, a four-person Los Angeles ensemble featuring Frank Caeti (MADtv alum), Maribeth Monroe (ABC-TV's According To Jim, NBC-TV's Thank God You're Here, and Oprah), and Second City alums Brian Gallivan and Marc Warzecha, throw out an actual Ditka quote and see what the audience makes of it. SATURDAY, JUNE 7TH, 7:30PM @ LAKESHORE THEATER
Please Note: 313 SHOW IS SOLD-OUT! 313, a six person Los Angeles ensemble originally from Detroit, featuring MADtv's Keegan-Michael Key, ABC-TV's According To Jim's Larry Joe Campbell, Nyima Funk (MTV's Wild 'n Out, NBC-TV's Thank God You?e Here, Oprah), Josh Funk (MTV's Wild 'n Out, MTV's Shortcircutz), Marc Evan Jackson (Comedy Central's The Showbiz Show with David Spade), and Andy Cobb (writer/director of the viral video sensation "John.He.Is."). SUNDAY, JUNE 8TH, 8PM @ LAKESHORE THEATER
The entire cast of SPORTS ACTION TEAM, (Kevin Fleming, Steven Fleming, Niki Lindgren, Antoine McKay, Katie Nahnsen, Al Samuels, and their producer Jeff Griggs), the hit nationally-syndicated improvised sports docu-comedy show will improvise together for their first time ever on-stage as an ensemble, with help from a special guest Chicago pro athlete/monologist TBA. Other Notable CIF 2008 Performances: WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4TH, 8:30PM @ THE SECOND CITY ETC
FRIDAY, JUNE 6TH, 7:30PM @ THE PLAYGROUND
Please Note: IRISH MUTTS SHOW IS SOLD-OUT! The Irish Mutts an improv duo from San Francisco and LA, with Shaun Landry, co-star of Sean Penn's upcoming film Milk, and Kevin McShane. This is a homecoming show for Shaun, a former south-side Chicago native. FRIDAY, JUNE 6TH, 9PM @ THE PLAYGROUND
Please Note: Ay DIEGO SHOW IS SOLD-OUT! Ay Diego, an improv duo from LA and Boston, with Zabeth Russell from the Academy Award nominated movie Mystic River, and Will Luera, a former Chicago Pilsen neighborhood native in a homecoming performance. FRIDAY, JUNE 6TH, MIDNIGHT @ IO COMEDY THEATER
Please Note: 3 SQUARE SHOW IS SOLD-OUT! 3 Square, an improv trio from New York and Chicago with Saturday Night Live writer John Lutz, The Colbert Report writer Peter Grosz, and IO/Second City alum Rob Janus. SATURDAY, JUNE 7TH, 8PM @ THE SECOND CITY SKYBOX
SATURDAY, JUNE 7TH, 9PM @ THE PLAYGROUND
SATURDAY, JUNE 7TH, MIDNIGHT @ COMEDYSPORTZ CHICAGO
SUNDAY, JUNE 8TH, 9PM @ MARTYRS
It's two generations on-stage, as The Titanic Player's Old Tom Jar, from Northwestern University, and also the winners of CIF's College Comedy Championship 2007, share the bill with the classic and retired IO Comedy Theater team, Georgia Pacific. Update: 3/26/08
Today, CIF Artistic Director Mark Sutton announced CIF's roster of non-mainstage headlining acts and ensembles. Said Sutton, "On behalf of the Chicago Improv Festival, I am pleased to announce the selected groups for CIF 11. This year we received well over 120 submissions and the quality of work was the best I have seen in my 3 years as Artistic Director which made the decisions very difficult." This year's festival roster features 99% all improvisation with talent from 20 North American cities. The acts showcase classic forms to those stretching the art of improv with music, film, history and media. CIF welcomes back favorite acts from past festivals and is pleased to present over 30 groups making their CIF debuts. CIF 2008: SHOWS For a CIF 2008 Venue Map, please click: CIF Venues MAIN STAGE @ LAKESHORE THEATER
MONDAY, JUNE 2 @ 8PM, $20
TUESDAY, JUNE 3 @ 8PM, $20
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 4 @ 7:30PM, $20 (Chicago Night)
THURSDAY, JUNE 5 @ 8PM, $20
FRIDAY, JUNE 6 @ 8PM, $20
SATURDAY, JUNE 7 @ 7:30PM, $20
SATURDAY, June 7 @ 10:30PM, $25
SUNDAY, JUNE 8 @ 8PM, $20
SHOWCASE @ THE PLAYGROUND
Friday, June 6 @7:30pm, $15
Friday, June 6 @ 9pm, $15
Friday, June 6 @ 10:30pm, $15
Friday, June 7 @ Midnight, $10
Saturday, June 7 @ 7:30pm, $15
Saturday, June 7 @ 9pm, $15
Saturday, June 7 @ 10:30pm, $15
SHOWCASE @ THE SECOND CITY SKYBOX
Saturday, June 7, 7pm-Midnight
SPECIAL EVENTS @ VARIOUS LOCATIONS Wednesday, June 4, 8:30pm @ The Second City, ETC, $15
Thursday, June 5, 8pm @ Chemically Imbalanced Comedy, $10
Friday, June 6, 5pm @ IO Comedy Theater, Free
Friday, June 6, 8pm @ Chemically Imbalanced Comedy, $10
Friday, June 6, 10:30pm @ Apollo Theater, $15
Friday, June 6, Midnight @ Annoyance Theater, $10
Friday, June 6, Midnight @ IO Comedy Theater, $10
Saturday, June 7, Midnight @ ComedySportz, $10
Sunday, June 8, 9pm @ Martyrs, $10
APPRENTICE TEAMS @ GORILLA TANGO THEATER Saturday, June 7 @ 7pm, 9pm, and 11pm, $5
Bearded Men
CIF 2008: ACTS & ENSEMBLES 313 - Los Angeles
3 Square - Chicago/New York
4 Track - New York
Ay Diego - Boston/Los Angeles
Babies Mit Bearden - Atlanta
Baby Wants Candy (with guest Thomas Middleditch)
Barinholtz and Belushi - Chicago
BASSPROV - Chicago
Big in Japan - Toronto
Caveat - Washington D.C.
Children of a Lesser God - Chicago
Code Duello: Hamilton and Burr - Boston
Coldtowne - Austin
Chemically Imbalanced Comedy's Cornwallis - Chicago
Dirty Water - Chicago
Ditka - Los Angeles
Drum Machine - Minneapolis
Election Show - Seattle
FrankenMatt - Los Angeles
Brian Gallivan - Los Angeles
Gillett and Sutton - Seattle/Chicago
Georgia Pacific
Holy Moly - New York
ComedySportz Chicago's The Hot Karl (with guest Frank Caeti)
Hot Lawyer - Toronto
HUGE Improv - Minneapolis
Improsia - Seattle
Improv Boston - Boston
Improv Cabaret - Orlando
Improvised Shakespeare Co.
The Irish Mutts - San Francisco
Jackie - Washington D.C.
Johnny Lunchpail - New York
The Missing Ensembles Will Be Re-Posted Soon! CIF 2008: WORKSHOPS Friday Improv Forum:
Friday, June 6 @ IO Comedy Theater, 4pm-7pm, Free 4pm-5pm Author's Corner
The Friday Improv Forum kicks off with CIF's Artistic Director Mark Sutton who will interview Kim "Howard" Johnson, author of "The Funniest One in the Room", his new book about the life of Del Close. Kim is also the co-author, along with Del Close and Charna Halpren, of Truth in Comedy, and the author of a book about Monty Python, Spam-a-Lot. Mark will also interview The Second City Training Center Faculty Head's Michael Gellman and The Second City Training Center's Head of the Writing Program, Mary Scruggs about their new book, "Process: An Improviser's Journey". Then Michael Gellman and Saturday Night Live alum Tim Kazurinsky will perform a 12 minute play written by Del Close about himself and John Brent in 1963. This is only the second time this play has ever been performed and it will be directed by Kim "Howard" Johnson. 5:15pm-5:45pm Performance
6pm-7pm JTS Brown Panel
This panel, co-presented by CIF & IO Training Center, celebrates and honors CIF's reunion of the legendary IO Comedy Theater improv team JTS Brown. The panel will talk about the origins, process, and methods of this unique team. The Reckoning's Jet Eveleth will moderate and she will provide some IO historical context on JTS Brown, such as what shows became their off-shoots (4 Square, Zumpf) and how a lot of new groups use JTS Brown as one of the styles or aims they shoot for. JTS Brown's original coach, Craig Cackowski, will be on the panel to provide insight and stories, as will several of the original cast members. Saturday Improv Workshops:
Saturday, June 7, 11am-1pm & 1:30pm-3:30pm, $50 per workshop
These two-hour improv workshops are open and available for either Chicago improvisers or visiting improvisers in town for CIF. These workshops are not normally available in Chicago on a weekly basis, so take advantage of this great opportunity to learn from some of the best! Frank Caeti, Susan Messing and Dave Razowksi's workshops will be taught twice on Saturday. Josh's workshop will only be available in the 1:30pm-3:30pm slot. This is the first time in CIF's history that the workshops are being offered "ala carte" rather than in a weekend package. CIF's Artistic Director Mark Sutton explains, "I wanted to present some great teachers that you don't always get a chance to learn from, and I wanted to make it easy for any improviser to take a workshop. They can sign up for one workshop or two, with whomever they like, it's their choice." To read the workshop descriptions and the teacher bios, please scroll further down this page. Sunday Improv Workshops:
Sunday, June 8, 12pm-2pm, $25 per workshop
CIF is proud to partner up with the Chicago Women's Improv Forum to co-present these "women only" two-hour long improv workshops taught by accomplished women in the field of improvisation. Each workshop will be taught once, and they will be taught at the same time from 12pm-2pm on Sunday, June 8. To read the workshop descriptions and the teacher bios, please scroll further down this page. Workshop Descriptions & Teacher Bios: Improvise Like A Lady - Nyima Funk Ladies, learn to hold your own in the competitive world of improvisation! Feel lost in the boy's club of improvisation? Feel like the funny cards are stacked against you as a woman? Feel like you only play female stereotypes? Gain the skills to keep the playing field level. Learn to develop strong characters with realistic portrayals of women. Nyima Funk will help you explore and heighten being lady in the (sometimes) male dominated art of improvisation. Learn to hold your own on stage!
Nyima Funk is an Improvisational TV actress who can be seen on MTV's Wild 'n Out with Nick Cannon, and NBC's Thank God You're Here. Nyima is a member of The 313 Improv, along with Larry Joe Campbell, Keegan-Michael Key, Joshua Funk, Andy Cobb, and Marc Evan Jackson. Nyima is an alumna of The Second City Mainstage and ETC stages (Chicago, IL and Detroit, MI) She was awarded the Joseph Jefferson Award for Best Actress in a Comedic Revue. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Joshua Funk Improvising For The Camera - Maribeth Monroe Since moving to Los Angeles in 2006, Maribeth Monroe has auditioned and been hired for numerous projects where she has been asked to improvise off a script and sometimes in front of live studio audiences. Such projects have included: NBC's "Thank God You're Here", where she had the pleasure to both improvise and act with such esteemed performers as David Alan Grier, Kevin Nealon, Jason Alexander, and Wayne Knight. She was cast in a pilot for CBS called "Craig Fergusen's Really Big Game Show" where contestants guessed for points as she and her ensemble improvised competitive games and monologues. These experiences, countless improvised auditions later, and realizing few to no workshops offered actors skills and guidance in this arena, Maribeth created this workshop: "Improvising for the Camera". In this workshop, Maribeth will share not only her on-camera and "in the room" experiences with you, but she will also give you a variety of helpful tips inluding: what to expect when you are asked to improvise in front of producers, how to make quick, simple improvisational choices that will help you embellish an already existing script, and tricks to help you stand out in a room full of improvisers when only one spot is on the line. She'll talk to you about the advantages and disadvantages of being an improviser at an audition (versus being simply an actor or stand-up comedian) and how to take advantage of those strengths as well as be aware of what the industry might consider a weakness. With improvisation consistently being used in both film and television and with skilled improvisers being such a hot commodity in Hollywood these days, you don't want to miss this workshop!
Maribeth Monroe began her career in comedy as a resident cast member of The Second City-Detroit mainstage. After co-writing and performing in five original revues, she moved to Chicago in 2001, where she not only joined The Second City National Touring Company, but enjoyed a year-long, national tour of her two-person romantic comedy My Cousin's Wedding that she proudly co-wrote. Besides her work with The Second City, Maribeth also had the pleasure of performing in other prominent theatrical productions such as The Vagina Monologues at The Apollo Theatre and Revenge of The Space Pandas at Chicago's esteemed Goodman Theatre. Maribeth also made her television debut in Chicago as a recurring player on three episodes of The Jamie Kennedy Experiment. Then in 2003, Maribeth was hired onto The Second City mainstage, where she co-wrote and performed in four original revues and received a Joseph Jefferson nomination for her work in the critically acclaimed revue Red Scare. In 2006, Maribeth packed her bags and moved to Los Angeles, where she was quickly cast on NBC's Thank God You're Here, and had guest appearances on ABC's According to Jim and Andy Barker P.I., just to name a few. Maribeth currently lives in Venice, CA. Musical Improv - Josh Funk This workshop will focus on improvising songs. We will explore the use of song structure, thematic line, chorus, rhyme scheme, and performance in an improvisational scenario. No music training required to participate.
Joshua Funk has worked for The Second City since 1994. He received his B.F.A. in Musical Theatre from the University of Michigan and shortly after became one of the founding members of The Second City Detroit touring company. In Chicago, Joshua won The Joseph Jefferson Awards for Best Director for Holy War Batman, and Best Production for Pants On Fire. Now in LA, Joshua works as the improv director for MTV's Wild 'n Out and performs weekly at IO West in Hollywood with the improv troupes Opening Night: The Musical and The 313. He is also a long standing member of Baby Wants Candy, Chicago's premiere musical improv group. Recently, Joshua wrote and appeared in the viral video sensation "John.He.Is." Visit youtube.com/Election08 to check out his latest project and to see more videos also featured on CNN. Organic Choices - Dave Razowsky David Razowsky's workshop, Organic Choices, will concentrate on making organic, intentional and deliberate choices to create compelling, surprising and focused scenes. He will work with actors on how to catch all offers thrown at them to get the most out of their scenes without thinking or resorting to "invention."
David Razowsky is a teacher at The Second City Training Center - Los Angeles and, as an actor, has written and performed in ten Second City Chicago revues. He directed Second City Chicago Mainstage's No, Seriously, We're All Gonna Die, Second City Los Angeles Training Center's Encino Evil, The Second City Untitled Project, The Second City Detroit's acclaimed 19th Nervous Breakdown, and The Second City National Touring Company. He directed two of Amsterdam's Boom Chicago productions, and is credited with creating Boom Chicago's signature live on-stage video production. David has worked with animators at Dreamworks, and has taught for Steppenwolf West's Training Center. David directed Brendan Hunt's Five Years in Amsterdam which performed at the US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, and for the third year in a row, will be performing at the Chicago Improv Festival with Carrie Clifford in Razowsky & Clifford. David's background in theatre influences his improv style both in his acting and in his teaching. David believes that emotional truths lead to great performances, that emotional offers lead to solid connections, and honest reactions equals simple but strong scenes. Physicality + Characters - Frank Caeti The workshop focuses on how physical choices can be built upon to inform other details of a sketch comedy or improv character. The goal is to develop full and interesting characters using physicality as a basis to explore vocal quality, demographic information, disposition, etc.
Frank Caeti is an actor/improvisor originally from Chicago, but currently lives in Los Angeles. At CIF, Frank is performing in FrankenMatt, DITKA, and The Hot Karl. He is an alumnus of The Second City e.t.c. He also toured for the The Second City National Touring Company and performed at Second City Las Vegas. Frank was a series regular on the FOX television show MADtv for two seasons. Other Film/TV credits include: Reno 911, Stranger than Fiction, and The Lakehouse. Other Improv Credits include: ComedySportz Chicago, The Hot Karl, IO, and IO West. Sell Yourself While Not Selling Out - Shaun Landry You got the improv. You got the funny. You got the skills. Do you have a headshot and resume? Are you online? Do you have your mailers? You don? know what a mailer is? Do you think SAG means getting plastic surgery? This workshop is for taking yourself to the next level of entertainment and being prepared to market yourself to major markets in the entertainment world. Taught by improviser and producer of The San Francisco Improv Alliance Shaun Landry, learn to make your mark not only onstage but to casting agents around the country. Be prepared to take notes and get a bunch of useful resources when you walk out the door!
Shaun Landry is Co-Founder and Artistic Director of the critically acclaimed, and original African American sketch comedy and improvisational company Oui Be Negroes. She is also the founder of The San Francisco Improv Alliance and producer of The San Francisco Improv Festival. Ms. Landry is also in the improvisational duo The Irish Mutts, and part of the ensemble Storytellers Unplugged. A CIF Artistic Associate, she has been seen doing Improv and Sketch with the National Touring Company of The Second City Chicago, Child's Play Touring Theatre Company, Geese Theatre Company and Playback Theatre Midwest. Her movie Read You Like A Book with Danny Glover, Karen Black comes out on DVD June 24 2008 from Vanguard Cinema, and the film Milk starring Sean Penn (with Landry playing Gwenn Craig) opens late fall 2008. Shaun is a contributing writer with The Red Room Wankery 101: Specificity - Susan Messing Making the same tiresome choices on stage again and again? Time to shake your shit up. This workshop will give you the tools and self-permission to let loose with awesome choices for you, your world, and your partner that will empower you big time. You deserve to get off.
Susan Messing, a New Jersey native, is a graduate of Northwestern University. She has performed for over twenty years with Chicago's iO Theatre, and created and teaches their Level Two Curriculum which is used in Chicago and LA's iO West. At the legendary Second City, Susan wrote and performed in two mainstage revues and directed their National Touring Company. Susan is a founding member of the infamous Annoyance Theatre where she has created roles in over thirty original productions, including Co-Ed Prison Sluts, The Miss Vagina Pageant, and Your Butt. In addition, she conceived, co-adapted (with Mary Scruggs) and directed the critically acclaimed What Every Girl Should Know...An Ode to Judy Blume for the Annoyance stage, where she also continues to teach. Susan is an adjunct professor for Loyola University, DePaul University's Theatre School, and The University of Chicago. Her standup act with her puppet, Jolly, was featured at the HBO/US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, and on Comedy Central's Premium Blend and NBC's Late Fridays. You can hear her voice on radio and tv ads. Susan has been cut from several blockbuster films, but her recent movie role in Let's Go to Prison! as a bad stripper in a halo brace is sure to be a crowd pleaser if it doesn't end up on the cutting room floor. Her daughter, Sofia Mia, is very five, very ridiculous, and very awesome. www.myspace.com/susanmessing CIF 2008: PARTIES The parties are free and everyone's invited! Wednesday, June 4 @ ComedySportz of Chicago, 10pm
* * * * * * Thursday, June 5 @ Lincoln Tap Room, 10pm
* * * * * * Friday, June 6 @ Annoyance Theater, Midnight
* * * * * * Saturday, June 7 @ IO Comedy Theatre, Midnight
* * * * * * Sunday, June 8 @ Martyrs, 10pm
CIF 2008: STAR SPONSOR, SPONSORS, CO-PRESENTERS, & FUNDERS STAR SPONSOR SPONSORS Chipotle * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Onion * * * * * * * * * Resolution Digital Studios * * * * * * * * * RooftopComedy.com CO-PRESENTERS Annoyance Productions * * * * * * Chemically Imbalanced Comedy * * * * * * ComedySportz of Chicago * * * * * * Gorilla Tango Theater * * * * * * IO Comedy Theatre * * * * * * Lakeshore Theater * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * The Second City FUNDERS
City Arts Grant * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * |
Productions