EXiT 185 Improv Comedy at Phoenix Improv Festival 2011

We bring  special family friendly fun to BlackBox Theatre with our very own EXiT 185 Improv Comedy Troupe now celebrating 4 years of performing in and around Casa Grande.

Saturday November 19. 7:00pm. ALL tickets $5.50, tax included!

7PM *doors open at 6:30     Ages 8 and Up.

Casa Grande’s 1st and ONLY professional comedy troupe! Always family friendly and never the same show twice!

Perfect for a date, family night, and get away from family night!

You provide the suggestions and we take it from there.

POPCORN, CANDY, WATER & SODA available.

ABOUT EXiT 185 Improv Comedy

EXiT 185 Improv Comedy has been performing in and around Casa Grande for over 3 years and consists of local residents devoted to the art form of improv comedy. Formed by Ken Ferguson EXiT 185 Improv Comedy has been accepted for the 3rd year in a row to Family Friendly Showcase of the Phoenix Improv Festival at Herberger Center. EXiT 185 Improv Comedy performs every 1st & 3rd Saturday at BlackBox Theatre in Casa Grande, AZ.

EXiT 185 is Directed By Stacey Seaman.

Current Cast:

Ken Jeffers, Troy Row, Jean Kolder, Jennie Lee Voyce, Rob Williams, Jessica Duran, Robert Marsh, Stacey Seaman, Patrick Ferguson, Ken Ferguson

BlackBox Theatre is owned and operated by BlackBox Productions, LLC

BlackBox Productions, LLC. was formed in 2010 as a local leading producer and educational organization of the Creative Performing Arts in the community of Casa Grande, Pinal County AZ, and for the purpose of advancing and advocating for the Arts in the state, region and nation.

TICKETS:
https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/203155

7PM *Doors open at 6:30PM

BlackBox Theatre

$10 / $7 for students and seniors (+tax)

Concessions available!

SODA $1

POPCORN, WATER & CANDY! $2

It starts from the time you walk in the door. Lively music is playing, friendly faces greet you, and the popcorn is fresh (and cheap!)

In the spirit of “Whose Line Is It Anyway”, EXiT 185 Improv Comedy gets inspiration from the audience and then we take it from there.  Favorite games such as “Dating Game”, “Good Cop Bad Cop”, “Shift Left”, etc.  Sounds interesting?  It is and we have a whole lot more.

Directed By Stacey Seaman our shows are always FAMILY FRIENDLY!  Delivering a high energy 90 minute show that is sure to give laughs.

Great for date nights, friends, family or just to have a fun night out!

Don’t miss our show!

http://phoeniximprovfestival.com/events/performances/family/

EXiT 185 Improv Comedy

blackboxaz.com

BlackBox Theatre is located at 1334 E. Florence Blvd. Casa Grande, AZ 85122.

EXiT 185 Improv Comedy will be performing twice a month, every 1st and 3rd Saturday.

Same family friendly show…Now a FULL 90 minutes and much more!

We will be making special offers to our Facebook Fans and Twitter followers so make sure to get onboard!

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?

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.

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.