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Has anyone else had any experience with high school / college / professional comedy troupes, whether improvised or scripted?

My favorite show growing up was "Whose Line Is It Anyway.." and I had the pleasure of being on an improv team both in high school and in college. My thoughts on the quality of the shows' improvisers have changed drastically since, but I have it to thank for opening doors for me. It has been the most pleasant aspect of my college career so far and provides both an extreme challenge and sense of reward. In time, I'd love to incorporate freestyle rapping & beatboxing (not be mistaken with mainstream rap) in our routine here at IU.

There's a place in downtown Indy (and allover the US, for that matter) called Comedy Sportz, where visitors get a family-friendly improv show and good food for pretty cheap. At least, so I hear. Anyone ever been there?

Sketch or Improv? Standup? Ventriloquism? Ideas? Thoughts?

Discuss!

I saw ComedySportz peform (for free) at the Relay for Life in Greenfield. They're pretty good; just as you described it: an all-around clean show for the family.

I act in the plays at school, (or used to; unofficially retired) so acting has always been fun for me. I love "Whose Line," and I'll watch reruns 100s of times because they are still good. I've always wanted to be in an improv group, mainly because of my acting skill and how my humor is often on the fly.

I'm just interested on how you got started, Shammers. I'm not saying "recroot me lolz," but I'm interested in a similar path. At one point, my dream job was stand-up comedian, but that is a dying art with the likes of Dane Cook and all...-_-

My high school was tiny (graduated with 150) but had a pretty strong theater program. After being in a few plays, I really knew that what I wanted was to improvise (thanks to WLiiA). Basically, I just asked a few friends / fellow theater people if they were interested in starting a group, and so we did. We would practice for an hour or so in the theater after school using the gamelist from Whose Line that I found online, and eventually there became a following of students who would come in and watch us practice. Granted, all we did were shortform games, which is contrary to what I'm in now, but it was an outstanding learning experience. We never actually had a standalone show, but the support from classmates was enough for us to call it a success. Since that ball didn't get rolling 'til I was a senior, I was left in the dark after graduation.

Full Frontal is IU's longest-standing improv group, and one of the oldest in the US. I wanted to try out all of last year but couldn't find the time, and I feel like it was pure luck to make the troupe last year. Their improv is a hybrid of short form games and long form, which is extreeeemely fun and challenging - but rewarding. Most campuses have groups, and if they don't already, it's easy as pie to get one going. Everyone at college loves improv, whether they're performing it or watching it. There is a book by Del Close called "Truth In Comedy" that is both an easy read and an improvisers bible; read that, and you're in like flinn. Erin/Ian Flynn.

As far as Dane Cook.... That guy seems like he has one or two good jokes written per performance, but has audiences roaring with his constant / awkward mannerisms. He has the "Look around really fast and raise eyebrows" move, and the "Yell really loudly" move. He was good in "Employee of the Month", but lord are his standups lame. I do like his hair, though.

Dane Cook could do some excellent vaudvillian type stuff, but I agree that his standup is somewhat weak. He's a decent actor though, both in comedies and serious roles.

If you want to take a cue from WLiiA I'd recommend the game where each person can only speak in x number of words (one has 3 words, one 4, one 5, one 1, etc) it seems like it'd be easy to catch onto.

haha... my speech team in middle school used to do improv all the time

not that anyone was anygood but its REALLY fun ^^





and questions only is probably the hardest game on the face of the earth.

In Theatre Arts at my school we do a lot of improv games.
Questions only is always fun =]

Comedy Sportz? I've considered going but never actually gone. I need to do that soon because I love stand up

We're actually going to Morty's Comedy Joint on the north side next weekend and they're usually pretty good although a bit pricey ($16). They are hosting Damon Wayans this weekend and the tickets were $38 and we were like nope ~_~

Have also been to the Laugh Factory in LA twice, but overall my favorite comedy venue is Bears in bloomington. I always die laughing and it's cheap, I think like 7 to 10 dollars. Too bad it's 21+ or I'd go more often.

Oh and there's a "new" (shot in 2005) comedy documentary out: "Vince Vaughn's Wild West Comedy Tour" not sure if it'll be good though cuz the only review I bothered to read was like "well.. maybe it was funny live".

I love improv. I wish I really did it, but never have had the chance to try it. I took an acting class, and I was always driving the class nuts.

danc1005 wrote:In Theatre Arts at my school we do a lot of improv games.
Questions only is always fun =]

My sister and I loved Whose Line is it Anyway, especially the British version. When we sat down for dinner, my sister and I drove our parents crazy by talking in Questions Only. It was HILARIOUS.

ImuyumI wrote:... especially the British version...

Say WAT!?!? Where can i find this o-o

I have Seasons 6-9 on my computer. They did, I think, 10 or 11 seasons in Britian (The last actually filmed in the United States) and then transfered the show to America. If they had the shows on DVD, I'd definately buy them. Some of the greatest stuff is in the British shows. I'm sure they're somewhere out there on the web, I can't remember where I got my videos, sadly.

ImuyumI wrote:I have Seasons 6-9 on my computer. They did, I think, 10 or 11 seasons in Britian (The last actually filmed in the United States) and then transfered the show to America. If they had the shows on DVD, I'd definately buy them. Some of the greatest stuff is in the British shows. I'm sure they're somewhere out there on the web, I can't remember where I got my videos, sadly.

I thought you were all talking about the British stuff. The American show is much less funny. Mostly because Drew Carry(sp?) is a hack.

Fluffyumpkins wrote:

ImuyumI wrote:I have Seasons 6-9 on my computer. They did, I think, 10 or 11 seasons in Britian (The last actually filmed in the United States) and then transfered the show to America. If they had the shows on DVD, I'd definately buy them. Some of the greatest stuff is in the British shows. I'm sure they're somewhere out there on the web, I can't remember where I got my videos, sadly.

I thought you were all talking about the British stuff. The American show is much less funny. Mostly because Drew Carey is a hack.

That, and in the British version, they didn't stick w/ the same people every week, changing the 4th person now and again (albiet, in later seasons, Colin & Ryan were staples in the British shows).

ImuyumI wrote:(albiet, in later seasons, Colin & Ryan were staples in the British shows).

As they should have been. Wayne Brady and Brad Whoever got on my nerves.

Jeff Jeff Revolution wrote:

ImuyumI wrote:(albiet, in later seasons, Colin & Ryan were staples in the British shows).

As they should have been. Wayne Brady and Brad Whoever got on my nerves.

Wayne was gone for awile, and the 4 spot was filled in by random people... ?



anyway, the british version was on bbc once and i didn't like it as much for some reason.

there's a comedy sports team at my school, they're pretty good.