I really went high on improv this weekend. I liked that there were troupes of different schools, and thank you for the workshops, and the the mini-golf (that i didn't sufficiently cheat on). And I think the Austin scene has a lot to be proud of.
I had a great great time. But I did receive an observation which I think is important enough to pass along: I was having dinner with a non-improviser yesterday, and she mentioned that it would've been nice to see a woman on the Sunday shows.
And that's when I realized that there were 11 men and no girls on the headline shows I'm assuming that's just how the schedule worked out this year, and it may be more a reflection of how the community is But it would've been nice to have a successful and funny woman on stage to look up to.
Well, I have to say, I find this comment surprising. We had a ton of female artists across the board from the first day of the festival through last night. In fact Sunday night was the only night that didn't have a woman in the show, and trust me, that wasn't by design. Frankly, the Cupholders are the only local troupe able to bring in as many audience members as we had on Sunday (trust me, most of the people who bought seats had no idea who Dasariski or 3 For All were). The two headlining troupes were those troupes we were able to arrange through the kindness of both their members and people like Dave Buckman who put us in contact with Dasariski and the troupes just happened to have no ladies. Now that we know Bob Dassie, we're going to be talking to him about bringing in WeirDass.
If there are troupes with women that you would like to see headline, let me know or get them in touch with me. But trust me, this wasn't a deliberate choice. Nor would we, though, stick a troupe with female members on Sunday night ONLY to acheive some kind of parity.
I think this festival was filled with female energy, the ratio of female performers at the festival was probably higher than holds for improv in general across the country, almost half of our teachers were women. Frankly I'm a little hurt by the insinuation that we're discrimiating or being sexist because there were no ladies on Sunday night.
I don't think I could second this move with any more speed or energy. This would be the awesome-ist.
shando wrote:Frankly I'm a little hurt by the insinuation that we're discrimiating or being sexist because there were no ladies on Sunday night.
No one seems to be insinuating any of that in the least, brother. I think it's merely a call for future stuff.
Jeremy wrote:as we know, these two absences are an ongoing problem in improv. we all just need to be aware of it and work sensitively when dealing with representation issues. we can get there, but it might be a while.
This is spot-on. I imagine that it is difficult to program the festival while keeping an eye on diversity, when diversity is generally lacking in improv already. I think it starts at a personal level -- how can we continue to make improv even more interesting and open for people of differing backgrounds (read: anyone who's not a white dude) to be interested in learning & performing?
That's right, I quoted someone below me!
Last edited by mcnichol on September 5th, 2006, 2:34 pm, edited 1 time in total.
i don't think there was meant to be any insinuation.
i, too, realized this monday night while watching double feature. i'm not sure what we can do about it other than encourage more women to submit. the members of all the groups were also almost completely caucasion. jon b. being the only one of color, and he's only half hispanic.
as we know, these two absences are an ongoing problem in improv. we all just need to be aware of it and work sensitively when dealing with representation issues. we can get there, but it might be a while.
the lady thing didnt cross my mind until my friend molly mentioned it, personally. i think its something to keep in mind for next year, but in no way a comment on the festival or you guys AT ALL.
ladykind represented strongly in the fest, and i were pleased.
steph weir at OoB would be excellent.
"I suspect what we're doing is performance art, but I'm not going to tell the public that."
-- Del Close
mcnichol wrote:No one seems to be insinuating any of that in the least, brother. I think it's merely a call for future stuff.
Yeah... the festival was awesome overall with many female improvisors, even an all asian troupe!
I definitely wasn't thinking that you guys actively plotted to not have females on the main stage. I didn't even notice (bad feminist!) until a non-improvisor made the observation.
mcnichol wrote:
No one seems to be insinuating any of that in the least, brother. I think it's merely a call for future stuff.
Fair enough, but here's where I take issue. There have been meagre threads about what people saw that they liked. Nothing about Saturday's shows. Nothing about Sunday's show. This is the issue talked about? This is what people care about after all the great shows we saw, filled with men and women doing good work alike?
I mean, c'mon, we're a small festival. We depend upon the kindness of our professional visitors to come in for less than they might make elsewhere, etc. We're going to take who we can get for those Sunday night shows who we feel are excellent. The gender make-up is of secondary consideration to us at this point in our hstory. I understand that this is an issue that people care about and one that I am sympathetic with--as is evinced by the lineup we put together for the rest of the festival. To have THIS be the topic of discussion the day after is what hurts. Where are the people saying, man that 3 For All show was awesome, I can learn a lot about space work and stage picture from those dudes, even though they're dudes. Where are the people raving about Dasariski's ensemble energy, regardless of what's between their legs? This is what people care to talk about? Boring.
beardedlamb wrote:
as we know, these two absences are an ongoing problem in improv. we all just need to be aware of it and work sensitively when dealing with representation issues. we can get there, but it might be a while.
This is a much more thoughtful response and reflection of my own thinking by my fellow producer than I made on my own behalf.
Also, know that I like sparring on the Internet. I don't get to have heated discussions in bars as much anymore now that I am a father so this is my substitute, and I don't take anything all that personally even when I say I'm hurt, and I hope you don't either.
And please note the question "Where the ladies at?" is a rhetorical question not an actual one, one the rhetoric of which does, in fact, insinuate that something prevented said ladies from being there other than chance. Had someone actually asked me authentically "where the ladies at?" I would have answered them honestly about how Sunday's show was arrived at. That question wasn't actually asked of me.
mcnichol wrote:
No one seems to be insinuating any of that in the least, brother. I think it's merely a call for future stuff.
Nothing about Saturday's shows. Nothing about Sunday's show. This is the issue talked about? This is what people care about after all the great shows we saw, filled with men and women doing good work alike?
......Where are the people raving about Dasariski's ensemble energy, regardless of what's between their legs? This is what people care to talk about? Boring.
I was about to get your back on this, but you got your own. If there was a total lack of diversity at the festival, if the gentlemen had retired to the green room for post show Brandy and darts or if there were special "negro workshops," I'd be concerned. But seriously, folks.
I've been to six or seven festivals this year, and this is the ONLY ONE that makes any attempt at diversity, both stylistically, culturally and genderly. So, three cheers to Shannon and Jeremy for putting on one heck of a show.
--Jastroch
"Racewater dishtrack. Finese red dirt warfs. Media my volumn swiftly" - Arrogant.
shando wrote: Where are the people saying, man that 3 For All show was awesome
The people raving about 3 for all, was hanging out with 3 for all last night at the Stephen F Austin bar. I was raving about it to Shana (who's prob tired of hearing me praise the troupe). I raved about it on my blog. I personally kept asking them how they like Austin (which they love, they feel so taken care of). I was so happy with Jeremy for making friends with them at CIF. I actively asked the out of town folks I hanged out with (Jo from Jokyr and Jester) and Asaf how they like Austin and stuff, and they all praised Austin. They all praised Out of Bounds.
I apologize if I should not have posted the observation of gender the day right after the festival. It was definitely not meant as a malicious attack to the OOB festival people. It's just that women issues are dear to my heart.
It makes it hard for people to write in the forums if the default assumption is that they're being mean.
Can we still be friends please?
Nadine.
Last edited by nadine on September 5th, 2006, 6:16 pm, edited 1 time in total.
This would actually be really funny.
We can decorate the upstairs stage like a walk-in humidor.
Screw that, let's just turn it into a functional humidor.
You work your life away and what do they give?
You're only killing yourself to live
I'm assuming that's just how the schedule worked out this year, and it may be more a reflection of how the community is 
