Thoughts On Forming An Improv Team
What are some of the things to think about when you form an improv team?
Latest Podcast Episode
In the delicate dance of life's minor dramas, improvisers find a canvas rich with comedic potential. But how does one transform the everyday into an engaging slice-of-life scene on stage? In this episode of The Improv Chronicle Podcast, we delve into the artistry required to elevate the mundane to the extraordinary. Join us as we explore the subtle craft of finding humour in the smallest moments with New York City's seasoned improviser and teacher, Louis Kornfeld, and the UK's own Jenny Rowe of The Maydays and Impromptu Shakespeare. Discover the power of microdramas, the allure of authenticity, and the delicate balance between reality and performance.
Hear it here: https://podfollow.com/improvchronicle
Forming a team
How do you form a team and make it last? I co-founded Rhymes Against Humanity - The Improvised Musical eight years ago last month. The past few weeks I’ve been reflecting on what we did, how it’s worked out and what I’ve learned from it all.
Some teams are formed by improv theatres, but I’m not writing about those so much today. I’m writing about an improviser or group of improvisers who want to form a team.
Firstly, there’s no one right way to do it, so take any of this with a pinch of salt. You know your local scene better than me and that knowledge is incredibly important.
So how do you go about it? I think a key part of it is knowing what you want to get from it both in the short term and the long term. For example, Rhymes Against Humanity’s long term aim was to perform really fun, improvised musicals. The short term aim was to have fun exploring musical improv until we felt confident enough to do shows. We spent nearly a year rehearsing every week before we did a show.
Rhymes Against Humanity performing an improvised musical in Nottingham, UK
The other thing to do is have a clear idea what the commitment will be. This one is super tricky because no one is getting paid, and people have busy lives. If you already have a group of folks who want to play together, do they all have the same idea of how much time commitment is going to be required? If you are holding auditions, are you being up-front about commitments with people during the rehearsal calls?
Being an improv team that lasts is hard. Rhymes Against Humanity nearly didn’t continue past nine months. It’s important to know when to quit and also when you push through tricky moments. Nine months into the Rhymes journey, we were a bit stuck. I decided to reach out for help to see if we could get over that bump. I made a deal with myself that if it didn’t get easier in three months, I’d call it a day. Thankfully, the help we got was invaluable. We carried on. We continue to carry on.
My biggest takeaway might be a small case of confirmation bias, but I’ve always believed most success comes from commitment and consistency. I think the incredible cast members past and present for Rhymes have given lots of dedication over a long period of time. That is such a key factor in the team having so many successful years.
If you’re setting up a team at the moment, I’d love to know how it’s going, what challenges you’re facing and how you’re feeling about the whole process. Jump in below in the comments section or send me an email. I’d love to hear from you.
Workshops
Torch Songs
Come learn how to sing your heart out in New York with this one-off elective I’m teaching at The Magnet Theater on Saturday 16th March. This emotion-filled workshop looks at songs of unrequited love. A torch song in musical theatre (and beyond) is a song about a someone you can’t be with or something you can’t have. Picture yourself lying across a grand piano in an underground bar at 2am with a scotch in your hand and a picture of your unrequited love in the other! https://magnettheater.com/class/electives/11380/
Weekend Intensive
In Nottingham The Total History of Improv: Abridged is A weekend intensive with David Escobedo on the weekend of 17th and 18th Feb. This intensive will go over the basics of improv and end up with more complex, contemporary practice.
Get your ticket to this weekend here: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/robinhoodinternationalimprovfestival/1123259#
Got something exciting happening? A festival? A new format you’re putting on? A big bit of news you want to share with the improv community? Email newsdesk@improvchronicle.com