EXiT 185 Improv Comedy

Humor can be sarcastic, a little angry, smug, etc.

Sometimes that is fun to both play and watch. However, I think “using a little joy” can also be rewarding and fun to watch.

I first heard “use a little joy” during a Phoenix Improv Festival workshop in 2008 with T.J. Jagodowski who is a well known improviser out of Chicago.  You may know him best as the guy on the left when you watch those Sonic Commercials (Pete Grosz is the guy on the right, he is an improvisor  and a writer on the Colbert Report).

T.J. Jagodowski and Pete Grosz

It was a very small note that he gave the class but it seemed to hold a lot of weight.

“Use a little joy” seems kind of simple but sometimes we get caught up in our own selfishness; our own space where we are really wanting to direct our ideas or lead the scene.

I see that with players who can’t play low status or rarely chose to play low status.

What a great a place to explore low status and vulnerability then on a stage with people who you hopefully trust.  Sometimes not knowing can be joyous.  We don’t know everything in life so what makes us assume we should know everything in improv?

Perhaps it’s the misconception that we must assume we know everything to really agree with our scene partner.  You are not denying your scene partner if your character doesn’t know that “Madonna was married to Sean Penn”.

Whether you are playing straight or absurd, you can be unaware. If you find yourself playing high status or dominating the stage more often than not, use a little joy, try it and then buy a Sonic Burrito to celebrate.

What a journey this has been.  From trying to offer a kid’s improv class 4 years ago through parks and recreation, to taking days off from work to teach middle school drama students, workshops offered at the Paramount, then classes, etc.

It has been a wonderful experience but like many worthwhile endeavors it has been rough going at times.

Over a year ago my classes reached a height that demanded the formation of an improv troupe.

EXiT 185 Improv Comedy Troupe’s name stems from a couple things.

1.  I have had a comedy central sketch show in my memory from many years ago called “EXIT 57″.  Turns out years later I discovered that some of the cast and the director would be improvisors that I would admire and respect.

2.  Having so many talented friends who volunteered in nearly every case to come down and perform over the last few years I was constantly giving directions from Phoenix and repeatedly gave directions to take “Exit 185″.

That is how the name came to be. It wasn’t until afterwords that I was reminded that there is a short form improv comedy game called “185″.  It is more of a warm up and quick thinking, jokey game…e.g. 185 doctors walk in a bar and ask for a glass of water. The bartender says “we don’t have any water” and the 185 doctors says “that’s okay, we don’t believe in giving anything away for free either”….ba da bing…rim shot and thank you Cleveland.

Having performed for a number of years it has been difficult to simply direct the troupe.  After performing in the Phoenix Improv Festival at the Herberger West Stage I knew that it was time to start thinking of new directions.

At the same time some of the troupe members were going through different life events and losing interest in improv.  Sometimes that happens, people go through cycles.  So we lost a few players.

In an effort to re-invigorate our troupe I started sharing some of the directing duties with cast members and joining the players on stage.  What a blast that has been.  I never intended to be solely in control of all directing but it just took time to get there.  Starting with virtually brand new improvisors (except for Stacey Seaman) I felt it necessary to stay in that role until the right time.

Well, now is the time.  The core of EXiT 185 are improvisors who have stuck with me for 1 to 3 years and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Now I am performing more regularly with EXiT 185 Improv Comedy, Valley Fever Improv, and The Remainders….whew.  That doesn’t count all the various one off shows I do when I can with friends.

Two weeks ago we held our very first open auditions for the troupe and what a treat that has been.  It is a new process and I still have a lot to learn BUT we have 6 new players who have started to practice with us.

My goal is to continue to keep things fresh and will invite respected friends to workshop with the troupe and keep bringing their own unique take on improv as an art form.

EXiT 185 exists and yet it is a place I will always be on my way too.  It is a great journey and I am glad to be on it.