EXiT 185 Improv Comedy

Ken Ferguson & Stacey Reed Hanlon share the Herberger Stage.

A recent article shared by Derek Neighbors of Gangplank got me to thinking about my current progress towards the dream of having my own small black box type theatre.  Having been involved with producing shows in a historic theatre that was restored but not necessarily for theatre (another story altogether) I started to question as to the “why” I think it would be a success in my own little community of Casa Grande. 

Of course, this could be applied to any small town with little to no performing arts activity being offered on a consistent basis.

Although I live in Casa Grande I have worked in the Phoenix Metro Area for the past 6 years.  I have been to and driven by numerous newly constructed performing arts centers in Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, and Queen Creek.  Most of the time my thought is “this is too big” which is really my own assessment as to what I need vs. what that particular community needs.  However, it does seem pretty odd that in those particular locations it may be just that.

Using Chandler’s performing arts center as an example, and oh, by the way, this is simply my opinion and I am certainly prepared to be proven wrong, I never got the sense that it is actually cultivating local artists, which is really a shame. 

I understand the financial draw of a nationally known act being scheduled for a run but the balance doesn’t appear to be there to grow local artists. I’m sure this can be applied to many places and is not intended to call out a particular venue. 

Why is that my perception?  I think that organizations focus too much on funding to build structures and bring acts in and not the education and performance opportunity for local talent. 

There are exceptions to this of course.  Valley Youth Theatre has built a solid reputation for cultivating young talent; Space 55 Theatre Ensemble continues to bring original works, often developed in house and The Torch Theatre has been cultivating long form improvisation for the past few years and opening their own space this summer.

Another article shared by Carrie Vargas and written by Lauren Gunderson defines theater as a simple system:

Actor + Audience + Story = Theater. 

There is nothing else like that live experience, nothing. 

I love the internet and what it provides as far as connecting and information; social media fascinates me but nothing does it more for me than that connection made between actors and audience in a live performance. 

Here is a sad truth, at least in my mind. 

Those organizations that build beautiful new spaces, get or have access to funding are run by people that somehow forgot, never knew or have complicated that simple system: Actor + Audience + Story = Theater. 

I have had tremendous anxiety and frustration with the “powers that be” regarding that formula.  It always gets skewed and twisted and overridden because some egg head accountant type says “this doesn’t wash” or whatever jerky summation they have that says “you can’t do this”. 

Well, I am here to say, if I believe in that simple system then nothing should stand in the way of cultivating the arts in my community, with quality and integrity as critical ingredients. 

I love to work with the actor, helping them get to that place that transforms them, even on the smallest scale.  When the light bulbs come on I get rewarded.  When someone says “I never thought I could do this” and then they do, that is what drives me.  I love to connect as an actor, to challenge myself to see stories and characters from a different perspective. 

I believe that regular everyday people have the right to exercise their creative muscles on a regular basis.  Not to be satisfied with the occasional small part in the annual Christmas Play but to grow and to stretch those muscles; this brings life to so many other areas of our community. 

With the launch of BlackBox Productions, LLC my partner JJ Freyermuth and I hope to build on those ideas. 

What drives you?

Tags: Art, Artists, Casa Grande, Derek Neighbors, education, Ken Ferguson, Space 55, Stacey Reed Hanlon, Torch Theatre, Valley Youth Theatre

If you are like me and have the perpetual ADD that accompanies many daily corporate type jobs, then you probably spend a good amount of time day dreaming of doing what you really want to do with your life. 

Hey, over here, I don’t want to lose you on this.  I am an artist dude and actually care about what you want to do.  I can only hope you will reciprocate.

Bare with me on this, I am doing this for me more than anything but figured I am not alone.  So here goes.

1. Rome was not built in a day!  Sure, some great sketches of buildings, aqueducts, and fall toga fashions may have been drawn up but the actual execution and follow through was more than one person getting excited about the sculpture they are working on.  It really comes down to vision, right?  I know, I know, we all have a vision of sorts but if you take a hard look at it you will notice it is floating on air.  We must build a foundation for which our vision will stand!
2. We don’t have time to plan! Really?  So when you are lounging and reading the graphic novel you borrowed or watching “Zoolander” for the umpteenth time you can’t really find the time to plan?  Let’s face it, planning sucks for many of us; it’s boring, uninteresting, it is not your strength.  Well, guess what neither was your “space work” or your ability to launch into an interpretive dance of Queen’s “We Are the Champions” but that never stopped you.  You have to try, right?
3. I don’t know where to start or how to do it? Jeez, if only there was a way to search for information on how to create a business plan?  Where could I look for that?  Maybe tweet the question? Nah, no one would bother.  Or perhaps a google search or heck maybe even asking people who are in the business you want to enter?  Suck it up buttercup and ask for help. Use your resources.
4. Artists aren’t serious? Karate chop to the gloin!  This is a huge problem. How many artists out there get asked the question “what do you really do for a living”?  Why? Because it’s fun?  Because not everyone can do what you do?  You can’t change perception about your career unless you treat it as such.  We must get real with this my people.  Reminds me of an old saying “My job finances my journey, it is not my journey.”  That is the sacrifice but don’t let that keep you down.  Keep at it.
5. Not enough people care about the Arts!  I refuse to believe that and if I did believe it I still wouldn’t believe it.  Look, we don’t have to live in New York, Chicago, L.A. or any other major city.  We don’t have to live in a city at all.  I happen to live in one of the poorest rural counties in the country and I find people with a like mind all the time.  We have to reach out and make ourselves available and yes, vulnerable.  The risk is worth it.

Tags: Art, Artists, Business Plan, Excuses

Ken Ferguson - EXiT 185 Improv Comedy

There is a surge in improv all over the country and rightly so.  It seems that improv is a way to slip artistic creativity “under the door” without pretension and intimidation.

Here are 5 simple reasons why you should take a class!

1.  There are “no rules” in improv.

This is a big one and comes with some debate.  Are there guidelines to increase the quality of improvisation?  Yes, but since you start with usually nothing more than a suggestion of some sort, you are limited only by your imagination.  You can’t break improv.  What a relief!

You are encouraged to be spontaneous without logic.

Say the first, second, or maybe third thing that comes to mind without judgment.  You are not crazy and it is a safe environment since everyone agrees there are no rules.

You are not alone.

Improv is not stand up. You don’t have to be “funny”.  You have other classmates that you create with and because there is no script you simply add your part “brick by brick”. 

You get to play and have fun.

Is there a valley girl dying to get out of you?  Ever want to be a grumpy old man who walked to school in the snow uphill, both ways?  The exercises and games that come with taking a class provide a way to explore some of the characters you have inside you. Come on, you CAN do it.

You practice active listening in a creative way.

Remember the mention of “no script”? Well, since there isn’t a script you are encouraged to listen to your classmates and they in turn listen to you.  Listening skills are so essential yet we don’t seem to have a steady practice of it in our regular lives; at least not without some sort of agenda. 

Improv has become more and more accessible and there are many dedicated and knowledgeable instructors out there ready to get you started.  If you are in my neck of the woods, give me a holler…or just post a comment.

Tags: class, imagination, Improv, Improv comedy

The world of improv has given me the gift of making some wonderfully talented friends. This is the first of what hope will be a series of interviews with friends in improv.

Ashley Nugent is a performer with Coldtowne Theater in Austin, TX.

Ashley and I met through the Jester’Z improv comedy troupe in Scottsdale, AZ. I remember the first time we did any scenework together, it was during a class and we played a game called “Hitch-Hiker”. We have been friends ever since.

Ashley and I went on to be original cast members of The Remainders, a musical improv troupe. We even went on to workshop a 2 person show deconstruction show called “K some A” but never got around to putting it up live. She moved to L.A. and is now in Austin. Enjoy.

Ken: Can you tell us a little about your background in acting and improv?

Ashley: I have always done theater, as far back as I can remember. I majored in Acting in college and have a BFA. I moved to Phoenix from Ohio because I hate winter, and it was there that I discovered improv.

I was taking an acting for commercials class. As an actor, you constantly need to be in some sort of class, be it scene study, monologues, or genre (such as commercials). The teacher mentioned all commercial auditions were turning to improv, so it would behoove us to take an improv class. I did and fell in love! I started doing short form but after about a year also studied the musical format. While touring with the musical troupe, we ended up in Austin for a week. I fell in love with the amazing supportive improv scene out there and decided that’s where I wanted to settle down. But I also wanted to get better training, so I moved to Los Angeles and studied at the world famous iO Theater. I can also honestly say that Elayne Stein was right. All of the auditions I went on in LA were improvised. I had certain “beats” I had to hit, but it was up to me to fill in the rest. I think I only went on one or two auditions that were scripted.

Ken: You have had an opportunity to take your career in various directions; scripted stage, t.v., film and improv. What is it about “improv” that wins out for you?

Ashley: I feel very fortunate to have been able to hit all of the mediums of performance. About a year after I found improv, I did a scripted play. And I hated it. Which was weird, because I grew up on plays! But the main difference was how BORING it was, now. Every day we had to say the same lines and hit the same marks. For 2 months. Then we did the same show 3 times in one weekend. There was no variation; no surprise. Film and television are amazing and very similar to improv. Yes, it’s scripted, but you do it so fast and then you’re done. However, film and TV work are very sparse. Improv you can do every weekend.

Another reason I love improv so much is the people. Stage actors are big and play to the back of the house. Film actors are very self centered–your personal performance is the only thing that matters. But improv is always about the other person. A good improviser is constantly thinking of ways to make their scene partner look better, how to set them up for jokes, and really listen to what they’re saying. It’s all about the other person. You create something together on stage. In film and even theater, it’s very much what you do for yourself.

Ken: Having been through extensive training at IO West and other places; do you have any particular instructors/directors that had an extraordinary impact on you? And perhaps share some of what you got from them?

Ashley: Shulie Cowan was my level 3 teacher. She was the right mix of soft and hard. She would call you out on bad scene work, but not in a way that would make you want to jump out of a window. She also gave copious, detailed notes. In my own teachings, I find I do the same. She was encouraging and serious, and wouldn’t let people get away with stuff. I love her. I also had Craig Cackowski for Level 6. This man has been doing improv for so long and has such a wonderful childlike quality to his play. He’s real and honest and observant and witty. He notices everything. He was my last improv teacher at iO, and he’s the one who sticks out in my head the most. He always had a smile on his face and some amazing insight to pass along. Whenever I go to a festival, if he’s teaching a workshop, I definitely sign up.

Ken: You mentioned that the majority of auditions have elements of improvisation in them. Given your background/experience in stage, commercial TV, and film, what skills or practices do you wish more improvisational actors would learn or practice?

Ashley: It’s funny because I have a background in acting. I feel that my acting has improved my improv, and my improv has improved my acting. If one is strictly an improviser, looking to break into film/tv/commercials, I would say, take an acting class. If one is strictly an actor and is having a lot of auditions but little booking success, take an improv class! The two really go hand in hand. Acting helps you access your emotions. Improv helps you use them. Acting gives you the tools to create good characters, improv gives you a setting to develop them. There are technical things an improviser needs to know when acting. Such as hitting your mark, memorizing your lines, not looking into the camera, etc. But once you’re in a scene, if you really know that character and can see the world through her point of view (a technique improvisers develop), you can improvise lines. I have a friend who has worked on Scrubs as Turk’s stand in for several years. The way that particular set works is they do a scene by the script twice, then they let the actors improvise the lines. In fact, sometimes for Neil Flynn’s character, it simply says, “Neil says something funny.” My stand in friend took classes at iO. Occasionally he would have speaking lines on the show, since he also did background work. As he got farther into the iO levels, he was getting more speaking lines. The writers and directors noticed something was different. They asked him about it, and when he told them he was taking improv classes, they started giving him even more work. They trusted him as an improviser, and knew he would be able to be true to the scene when going off script. So, to answer your question, I think there is so much to learn from both crafts that an actor/improviser needs to constantly be learning more. Even after you graduate from a program, take master classes when offered. Go to festivals. Take workshops. Learn as much as you can from as many people as you can. Everyone has a different take on improv. Become a sponge.

Ken: Thanks Ashley for taking the time to chat; on a lighter note, do you have a film actor or actress that amazes you? In what films? Why?

Ashley: The most recent one I can think of is Jeremy Renner. The first time I saw him was on a Bravo show called The IT Factor. He was by far the most talented actor on that show. The reality program followed 6 actors trying to make it in the business. I remember thinking, this kid is going places. I hope he gets his break. And he did. Now he’s in a little Oscar-nominated film called The Hurt Locker. The other person who has really struck me with his amazing acting was Enver Gjokaj. He was on the television show Dollhouse. His job was very much like an improviser’s. Each week, he played a new character. And he was so spot on. I really hope someone figures out that he’s one of the most talented people on television today and gives him more work. That is a career I will follow. As far as women go, I’m a big Sandra Bullock fan. I think she’s incredibly charming and I’ll watch her in just about anything. Kristen Bell is also a ball of talent. She’s so cute and tiny and funny. I loved her on Veronica Mars. And she was the reason I stuck around with Heroes as long as I did. I stopped watching after they killed her off.

Tags: Ashley Nugent, Improv comedy, Interview

The disclaimers at the end of emails really annoy me. Here is theirs, and mine.

Typical tough guy email notification:

This message is intended only for the individual or entity to which it is addressed and contains information that is proprietary to Guzzie Farnwankle Corporation and/or its affiliates, or may be otherwise confidential. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or the employee agent responsible for delivering the message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify the sender immediately by return e-mail and delete this message from your computer. Thank you.

My reply:

This message was received by me by no act or force of will of my own. Regardless of who the sender intended it for, and whether or not it contains what you think is proprietary information, and whether or not that information is confidential, this reader assumes no responsibility whatsoever for the dissemination, distribution or copying of this information. You have no right to prohibit, strictly or otherwise, any use of this information by me. I will not be bound to notify you if this information was received in error nor to delete it from my computer.

Furthermore, the original sender needs to understand that Email is not a secure message medium. And I am not bound to pick up your dirty socks. I may have been checking my email on the video game console owned by my neighbor’s kid, a public library computer, or a smart phone somebody at the company picnic loaned me after a few beers. The message might still be there or on some 13 year old’s Facebook account by now.

The sender needs to further understand that half of your employees send jokes and pictures containing this boring, heavy-handed disclaimer and warning, with their full intent being that the information contained therein is to be shared with everybody I can think of!

Finally, lighten up and get a life. Who are you to demand anything? If you have important information you had better institute better controls and policies than that which allows a copy of it to get to wankerboy at jellydonut.com. If you are stupid enough that it gets sent to me, I might send a copy to the Pope, Hells Angels, PeeWee Herman, Saturday Night Live, Improv Olympic, the joint chiefs, Dennis Miller, Jon Stewart, Howard Stern, the Second Amendment Sisters, the DAR, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. Not sure yet on the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.

By the way, I received nothing of value from you. As a matter of fact I received an unwanted email with your lousy attempt at intimidation. So we have no exchange of value, no implied contract and you have no right to demand ANYTHING of me. EVER. Got it?

HOWEVER… If you are willing to get off of your high horse and actually treat a person like a person, here is a solution. Just ask politely. Really. I would gladly delete a message, protect your interests and do you a favor with a reply, if you just ask nicely.
We all make mistakes. I would be glad to help you avoid embarrassment. But if you try to bully me with overpaid-lawyer braggadocio, I will give your message to the geekiest computer nerds I know, with an offer of free energy drinks to the person who can send it the farthest around the web, fastest.

Thank you.

See you at the footlights!

EXiT 185 Director Ken Ferguson was part of this production! Check it out.

Tags: Film Noir, Musical

Your first night of Improv performance and you are actually, good old fashioned nervous. You have not felt this way in a long time. Definitely out of the comfort zone, now!

Wait. This is something you wanted to do. It seemed like a good decision a few weeks ago. What will you do? How can you ensure your success?

When you first looked at Improv, you picked a troupe that you liked, and would be comfortable with. You got with a teacher or coach you had some respect for and got some training. Sure you do not know everything that will happen, but you do know a basic framework of how it should work. So what is it you need to do?

COMMIT! That’s right. This is something you can do, and you can control. Decide it will work. Focus on doing your part and rely on your fellow cast members to do their parts. They too, are committed to that show, to that time, to that group.

Suddenly everything is clearer. All you need to do is commit to this. And sure enough, as you meet for the curtain call, your warm-up coach has selected some exercises that help prepare you. Your peers are encouraging and you really are in this thing together.

You get in tune with the cast, get pumped up and run to the stage as the group is introduced, throwing your self in. And lo and behold … it works! The show was fun, the audience enjoyed it and your peers talk about all the unexpected twists and turns. Yeah, this is really fun!

Each show will be different. You will grow and learn many things. But you always return to the basics. And one of the most basic elements for a successful show or rehearsal is, commit to it.

See you at the footlights!

I am an eighth grade English teacher. In the past year, I attended two different conferences on two different subjects in which the presenter recommended the book Mindset by Carol Dweck. It was available at my local library, so I thought I’d give it a try.

I started reading with an educator’s eye, but the further I got, the more my mind started drawing comparisons to my interest in improvisation. The author explains that there are two basic mindsets—fixed and growth. If you have a fixed mindset, you see your skills and intelligence as things you can’t change. If you have a growth mindset, you believe you can improve your skills and intelligence, and you see criticism is an opportunity to better yourself.

How does this apply to improv? I completed a four-course improvisational theater program through The Torch Theatre in Phoenix. After graduation I joined several troupes, with whom I rehearse and perform regularly. I’ve had some awful shows and some great ones, but I feel that ever since I took my final Torch class my skills have steadily declined. I need feedback to know that I am learning and growing as an improviser.

Will there ever be a point at which I can’t learn anything more from an improv class? Maybe, but I have a growth mindset, so the more classes I take and the more feedback I get, the more I learn about life. Taking these classes improved my acting, public speaking, and job skills; how can I ever have too much of that?

My suggestions to you are: One, read this book. Two, take an(other) improv class. At the very least, you’ll learn some things about yourself. At the most, you’ll fall in love with it and become a life-long student of improv.

Tags: education, Improv

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.

Tags: Casa Grande, Improv comedy