How Will Improv Teaching In LA Change?

a merging of ideas will create a leap forward

Photo by 冬城 on Unsplash

There are about 10,000 improv schools in LA right now. I wonder how the next generation will teach improv. I wonder which techniques, terms and principles from all these places will stick.

Reps Over Notes

One change might be: reps over notes.

Jake Jabbour at WE Improv has created a model where there are simply a ton of stage time to go with classes. 4 classes, 4 shows is a common class model. What I hear from students is there is less notes, more reps. It has created a happy, confident and grateful community of nice people.

This dovetails with the “Bitness” classes done at MY school, WGIS (pronounced, begrugdingly by many - '“Weegis”). “Bitness” (a pun on “Fitness,” and a relaunched version of the old “Boot Camp” classes) runs 3-4 times a week during the day. The focus is on reps rather than lectures. Get on your feet do improv. These classes, despite being during working hours, tend to sell out.

We might be moving towards a “yoga studio” model of improv classes. There are open rehearsal slots and you sign up for ones that fit your schedule and experienece level.

New Terms

There also might be new mantras and terms.

James Mastraieni at Shared Experience runs drop-in classes which many of the best improv students in LA swear by. What I hear second hand (and also from him in some improv nerd conversations he and I have had over the years) is all these cool terms he likes to use. I hear “pop a wheelie” for “demonstrating your game/trait” or “twisted logic” for justifying yourself. I hear about things like “4 types of initiations after an opening” and suggested formulas for attacking second beats.

Of course, none of these terms are hard rules. They’re tools to jump start your thinking when you’re learning stuff. But a good mantra/term/tool is really powerful. When I was coming up I relied on “go to the environment,” “don’t be coy,” “match energy level”, “play the game” to give me a plan when I was too green to really have my own instincts yet.

At my school, we like Jim Woods’ term “gentle yes” and my own personal favorite “join team fool.”

Which of these will stick? The real verdict will be if other people use them when they coach/teach.

The Rise Of The Clowns

I have written before about the rise of clown in LA indie comedy. More than ever, I hear UCB people turning to clown classes and clown teachers to inspire their comedy. The term “work in progress” (something I’ve seen more in clown than Chicago-style improv theaters) is everywhere. Physical work, absurd/surreal play, crowd work — these factors are showing up in greater amounts.

Future long-form improvisers may incorporate what they’re learning in clown classes/shows into their teaching.

Merging of iO and UCB

iO West and UCB were always very separate before lockdowns. You could be at UCB every night but have no idea of the teachers/shows at iO. Since lockdowns, there’s been a lot more cross pollination of teachers. My school, which is largely comprised of UCB teachers, is proud to feature classes from Craig Cackowski and Bob Dassie. Up at The Glendale room, there are UCB and Second City trained folks teaching and performing together.

What this means is a mixture of what I call “discovery improv” and “game improv.” There’s a bit less emphasis on LAY OUT A PREMISE RIGHT AWAY. But the UCB influence discourages too much meandering. We might be headed to a really nice melding of the two sensibilities. Remember, the UCB met and studied THEIR improv at iO Chicago. They’ve never been that far apart.

Holy Shit improv, curated by Casey Feigh, continues to be an extremely popular show where performers from many different improv backgrounds play together. I wonder what kind of play will be done by the many students who watch that show all the time!

The Vets Are Gone

Most of the improv veterans do not perform at traditional improv theaters anymore. This is because of podcasts and livestream. If have any amount of celebrity, you are doing improv for decent ticket prices at either Largo, Dynasty Typewriter or maybe The Elysian. There’s a livestream ticket and possibly a Patreon podcast. These shows and performers are great and deserve to monetize their ability.

I’m talking shows like: Dinosaur Improv, Last Improv Show and the multitude of “Famous Person and Friends” improv sets you see.

An unintended consequence is: these folks are not mixing it up with the young players anymore. Gone are the times when UCB Cagematch would have some of the heaviest improv hitters. Those folks are doing $40 shows somewhere. You don’t see CBB stars at small black box indie shows.

What this does mean is there is room for younger teams at the theaters. UCB Cagematch is being dominated by a young exciting team called Gunk. Not sure they would have a chance if the more famous improv luminaries were fighting to get in Cagematch.

This is, in my opinion, good! Before the pandemic, there was a logjam at the top of the big theaters. Paid opportunities have lured them away. Even though there is a loss of quality veteran shows, it gives more chances for younger players to step up.

UCBT: Best Stages

When I wrote about the state of LA indie improv a year ago, UCB was still coming back to full strength.

Well, make no mistake: it’s back. The economy of improv classes in LA is completely set by when the next UCB Harold auditions are. Meaning you can sell 100 classes in January before the auditions, and you can’t sell any in early April right after teams are announced).

Besides its hugely popular brand, what the UCB has that I didn’t predict is the best stages. UCB Franklin is the best stage on which to do improv in Los Angeles. But the new UCB Annex is also a really nice black box stage.

There are many more places to study improv, but not too many places where the shows consistently feel electric. The UCB is still the king of this.

My ranking of best improv stages are: UCB Franklin, Clubhouse downstairs, followed closely by UCB Annex.

More Changes Coming

I know the Pack and the Ledge theater are big players too. I know less about them so I can’t speak too much. I know The Pack’s sketch teams are a huge player in the scene, and their improv teams are a happy community of devoted people.

The Ledge has moved into a huge space next to the Clubhouse and has one really nice stage with another one coming. They also are the only place to put an overy priority on giving space to diverse voices. They’ll have an impact, it just remains to be seen in what way.

Conclusion

There’s a young generation, being fed more ideas than ever, which come from multiple theaters, whose players are all working together. Reps will be valued. We’ll have a new batch of mantras/terms to use. And stages will get better and better.

I predict a huge leap forward in the teaching of improv comedy within 5 years. I’m excited!

Plugs, Ongoing

• High Functioning - Ian Roberts and I do an hour of improv EVERY SATURDAY 7pm at the UCB Annex. See this video for Ian and I showing you where the UCB Annex is.

• Screw It, We’re Just Gonna Talk About Comics - Comic book podcast, hosted by my brother Kevin and I. We are going over some John Byrne-created issues of Fantastic Four from the 1980s.

• Clubhouse Fridays - WGIS’ weekly improv show. Fridays 7pm at The Clubhouse. Free!

• The World’s Greatest Improv School: The improv school I run with Jim Woods and Sarah Claspell. We’ve got classes online, in LA and even a few in NYC!

• How to Be The Greatest Improviser On Earth - My improv book, available at Amazon. Kindle or print. It’s a hodge-podge of advice I wrote in 2016 about doing improv. If you’re broke and want a free PDF version just email me and I’ll send it over.