May 2013
18 posts
1 tag
Why I love improv (pt. 1 of many):
margoretandimprov:
it’s the only art form that recognizes that every single moment of our lives will never happen again, and celebrates it.
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Hey TEENS! iO West wants YOU!!!
iO West is offering TWO 5-day improv workshops - JUST FOR TEENS!!! AWESOME!
Are you a high school student between the ages of 13 & 18? Are you the funniest person in class? Do you love the stage? Do you love IMPROV??? Then check out our summertime Teen Improv Workshop!!!
More info when you read below!
Teen Improv Workshop (5 days) – $250
iO West’s Teens classes introduce the...
“With improv, it’s a combination of listening and not trying to be funny.”
– Kristen Wiig
Harold Night! Wednesday, May 22nd 8:30-11:30pm
iO West’s HAROLD NIGHT! Wednesday, May 22nd 8:30-11:30pm
WHAT IS A HAROLD?
Harold is a structure used in longform theatrical improvisation. Developed by Del Close and brought to fruition through Close’s collaboration with Charna Halpern, the Harold has become the signature form of Chicago’s iO and the Upright Citizens Brigade Theaterin New York and Los Angeles. It is now performed...
“Many people have the idea that to improvise you have to get up on a stage and...”
– Jeff Catanese, Improv Review
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Brian James O'Connell's Level 4 Notes
iO’s Craig Cackowski (Quartet) normally teaches the bulk of Level 4 classes. Right now, he’s off being awesome in film and tv. So we had even more instructors to choose from! One of the Level 4 classes is being taught by iO Performer and Instructor Brian O’Connell (Dr. God). I have the pleasure of taking this class, and bringing you as much as I can interpret from my last...
“The truth is you can acquire any quality you want by acting as though you...”
– Joseph Murphy
“If it feels weird, do it more”
– Liz Allen
"The Lampshades" return May 10th!
Friday May 10th join us for a full night of comedy starting with:
The Lampshades
The Lampshades are a fake lounge act starring iO alums Kate Flannery and Scot Robinson. They play the first Saturday of every month, but they used to play almost every Saturday night in Hollywood for over 5 years, sometimes to rooms barely half-full (like the real off-the-strip lounge act they pay tribute to). Now...
Others have seen what is and asked why. I have seen what could be and asked why not.. ~ Pablo Picasso
“When I started doing improv at iO West, is when I got out of my head as an actor and it started being fun.” - Reed Diamond
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Tonight at IO West!!!
Hey guys come and check the fancy things happening at IO West!!!
07:00 PM
Performer Showcase
08:30 PM
Elevator and Hill Jones present: Double Standard
10:00 PM
Quartet
The Reckoning
You’re missing out if you’re not here tonight!!!
This Friday, May 3rd is the deadline for... →
The 11th Annual LA Improv Fest will feature hundreds of performers, sketches, stories & shows June 2nd - 8th, 2013.
NOW is the time.
Apply Yourself.
April 2013
20 posts
“Listening is more important than talking. Just hit your mark and believe what...”
– Jimmy Fallon
Karaoke Friday at iO followed by "Opening Night;...
Opening Night: The Improvised Musical!®
OPENING NIGHT: THE IMPROVISED MUSICAL!® is exactly that: a Broadway-style musical that is made up on the spot, based on audience suggestion. So every night is the `Opening Night’ of a musical that has never been seen! Now in it’s fourteenth year, Opening Night: The Improvised Musical!® is thrilled to continue the show LAWeekly called, “almost too slick to...
5 tags
Sayings & Thoughts About Improv
“Surrender unto the loss of control. Give up; it’s ok to be confused.”
“If you are completely lost on stage, you should be. So do a scene about being lost.”
“The rule of threes is inflexible. If something is done twice, it must be done a third time. A scene can be something said or done three times. One old lady breaks her leg and it’s sad. Two old ladies break...
“You have the ability to be naturally funny, without even trying. So don’t...”
– unknown
10 tags
“The more you know, the more you can make fun of.”
– Del Close
iO West's HAROLD NIGHT! Wed, April 24th...
WHAT IS A HAROLD?
Harold is a structure used in longform theatrical improvisation. Developed by Del Close and brought to fruition through Close’s collaboration with Charna Halpern, the Harold has become the signature form of Chicago’s iO and the Upright Citizens Brigade Theaterin New York and Los Angeles. It is now performed by improvisational theatre troupes and teams across the...
Matthew Lillard Plays with Dr. God Tonight at iO!
This is Matthew Lillard.
He will be at iO tonight for a 4/20 Dr. God Revival.
This is you.
Will you be joining in on the fun? We hope the answer is YES.
P.S. In addition to Mr. Lillard’s appearance, tonight’s celebrating includes Justin Ware’s birthday AND (if you stay past midnight) Sean Cowhig’s birthday!
The Dr. God Revival takes the stories of the guest...
“While we stop to think, we often miss our opportunity.”
– Publilius Syrus
12 tags
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GLEE Creator Ian Brennan joins the cast of...
Glee Creator Ian Brennan will be joining the cast of “Opening Night: The Improvised Musical” Friday May 3rd at 9pm!
Opening Night: The Improvised Musical!®
OPENING NIGHT: THE IMPROVISED MUSICAL!® is exactly that: a Broadway-style musical that is made up on the spot, based on audience suggestion. So every night is the `Opening Night’ of a musical that has never been seen! Now in...
12 tags
FREEEEEE IMPROV CLASS!!!!!
YES! FREEEEE!!
****iO West is offering a FREE (one day) Intro to Improv Class****
Saturday April 6th 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM @ iO West!
The first taste is free….
This is a great opportunity to see first hand what our improv training is like! In this class you will experience some of the exercises from our Level 1 class, Introduction to Improv.
Hurry & sign up SOON! Space is...
Wha?!?!
Thanks Critical Mob. Opening Night is an amazing show!!
TONIGHT it’s Less Hot Dog presents: One With Everything with Delicious Moments at 9pm, followed by ever amazing Cherry After School Special at 10pm! Don’t waste another Monday Night!
March 2013
32 posts
iO is Full of GLEE Tonight with Creator Ian...
Your Armando tonight is none other than the creator of the hit show Glee: Ian Brennan! Come check him out!
The Armando Show is a 90-minute long improvised comedy show inspired by an audience suggestion, which the celebrity hosts interpret through a personal and truthful improvised monologue. Inspired by that monologue, a cast composed of veteran Chicago and Los Angeles alumni perform scenes...
“Where do the really best laughs come from? Terrific connections made...”
– Del Close and Charna Halpern
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Improv Olympic Creates a Comedy Festival...That's... →
Over the weekend, Improv Olympic became a Scripted Olympic. From Thursday through Sunday, Hollywood’s iO West Theater hosted its first annual L.A. Scripted Comedy Festival, featuring a collection of talent from across the country showcasing sketch, variety, storytelling, stand up and short films.
The event marked a departure from the improvised comedy that defines iO. According to James...
5 tags
This is Your Scripted Comedy Festival Weekend....
2 days of the sketchiest fun you ever experienced down, 2 days of the sketchiest fun you ever will experience to go!
There are 12 more workshops left for you to get the goods for your writing, including “Writing for SNL” with Cindy Caponera (SNL, My Boys, Shameless, Second City), “Something From Nothing” with Jean Villepique (Up All Night, iO’s own Quartet),...
Night 2 at iO West!
Join us as the laughs continue tonight, for night two of the iO West 1st Annual Scripted Fest! A star studded stage reading of MOOCH kicks off at 8pm, the amazing improv musical Opening Night at 9pm and Douche Bag: A Love Story at 10pm. And that’s just on the main stage!
For a list of all the other great shows in The Loft and Del Close Theater and more information visit...
13 tags
Steam Punk Burger + iO West
Thank you to SteamPunkBurger for fueling our performers and staff on Day 1 of our Scripted Festival! We’re having this food, and this festival all weekend, so either way, you’re pretty compelled to come. Show line ups available at west.ioimprov.com
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Solo Performance Class Week 4 - 03/20/2013
Discuss “Into the Belly” and all the M’s including:
Mission, methods, motives, message, medium, masks, milieu, mood, meter, motifs…
Share your work so far
Discuss how the work marries all the M’s
Create alternate conceits for your story just for the sake of experimentation
HOMEWORK: Write more. Send me a photo of you for the iO West Solo Showcase page. If you...
