Mark Snacker wrote:I'm embarrassed for what this thread has become and I deeply appreciate the outpouring of love and respect for the New Movement in Andy's thread: http://forum.austinimprov.com/viewtopic.php?t=12899
I admit that the New Movement purposefully fosters a kind of a rogue spirit, but in no way does it encourage martyrdom, exclusion, or the slander of other programs. I apologize to the AIC for any of our students or alumni that have ever given that impression.
I feel very fortunate that other theaters have been so accepting and have opened their stages to our troupes even though the New Movement doesn't do the same. In its defense the New Movement is dedicated to its students and part of the educational process is to give as much stage time as possible to student and alumni shows. Unfortunately, the number of shows we produce doesn't leave room for much else. Similarly, I believe that the ImprovWins conference wasn't widely advertised to the community at large because there just wasn't room. It was a small conference meant primarily as a family reunion of TNM students in Austin, Dallas, Houston, and New Orleans, though I was pleased to see a handful of others from outside of TNM attend.
Those of us at the New Movement recognize and deeply appreciate all the support that we've been given by the entire improv community here in Austin. I hope that misunderstandings like this will be forgiven and we can all get back to doing what we enjoy.
Just excellent, Mark. TNM has great drive and hustle, and no one should begrudge them for succeeding and growing improv in their own way, on their own dime, etc.
That said, I've been to multiple TNM shootaround jams and have always been welcomed and had a lot of fun. And (as I repeat ad nauseum on these boards) my troupe runs the ColdTowne sunday jam. I personally guarantee that all improvisers are welcome and will have a hoot, including any TNMers who care to venture our way.
AaronWalther wrote:For anybody who doubts, let me guarantee you that everybody is welcome to everything all the time.
I feel good about some of the progress these posts seem to make. I personally want there to be no lines in the sand.
In all seriousness I would like to go to shows at TNM. Does the above quoted statement go for those of us who were defriended/blocked by the owners on FaceBook and Gmail?
Also, in response to the idea that the ONLY reason that other performers aren't invited to play at TNM is because there is only room for the TNM students/performers...I was wondering about that in relation to the moontower festival with its 600 performances that were just announced? As far as I know, other Austin improv acts weren't invited to perform. Was there not any room for any other non TNM improv acts in this festival? I could be mistaken, and there could be other non TNM improv acts in this festival. If not though, I would question whether it has something to do with the owners' bias that supposedly does not exist.
AustinImproviser wrote:In all seriousness I would like to go to shows at TNM. Does the above quoted statement go for those of us who were defriended/blocked by the owners on FaceBook and Gmail?
That's a crappy situation to be in. It's hard for me to get excited about a TNM visit when I hear about the bitterness that exists between some of the people running the place, and people that I love and respect. I have to actively remind myself how awesome TNM improvisers are, and try to separate the two in my mind.
AustinImproviser wrote:
Also, in response to the idea that the ONLY reason that other performers aren't invited to play at TNM is because there is only room for the TNM students/performers...I was wondering about that in relation to the moontower festival with its 600 performances that were just announced? As far as I know, other Austin improv acts weren't invited to perform. Was there not any room for any other non TNM improv acts in this festival? I could be mistaken, and there could be other non TNM improv acts in this festival. If not though, I would question whether it has something to do with the owners' bias that supposedly does not exist.
I think the jury's still out on how the non-TNM-affiliated improv community will be incorporated into the Moontower Festival. I would find it *extremely* uncool if the improv arm of the fest were basically a TNM party. That's certainly Chris's right under the capitalist society we live in, but I don't think anyone else in the AIC views improv as a cutthroat competition for attention/money. I've been rooting for the Sci-Fi Double Feature @ Hideout even as I've been encouraging people to come see Steam @ SVT, and so on.
But again, the improv lineup hasn't been announced yet, so I'm withholding that judgment for the moment.
My name is Shyla I’m the director of TNM Houston and I co-produced the Improv Wins conference & run the Improv Wins website. I just wanted to answer some things, to thank Jesse for the video, and thank Aaron, Mark, Patrick, and Alex for what they've said here too!
Oh, I also just came across the sweet thread saying nice things about TNM – how lovely! Thank you everyone.
I accept total responsibility for the fact that the conference wasn’t more publicized in Austin. I really wanted folks in Austin to know about Improv Wins because it is totally inclusive and open. I sent out an email to over 700 improvisers specifically informing folks about the conference, made a website, put things on 5 twitter accounts, and raved about it on FB but at the end of the day a couple things got in the way of mass publicity. 1) The conference sold out. Most of my students from Houston came, and they alone were 1/3 of the capacity we had for the event. We couldn’t have had room for more improvisers in the classes —they got full. 2) I just did a bad job trumpeting it in Austin because I don’t live there anymore and neither does Chris. We didn’t even get posters up. Next year that is one thing to fix. PS! Next year is March in New Orleans and you’re all totally invited. Come! We plan on heightening!
I wanted to address the one thing somebody said about it being the same weekend as the Institution opening: that was a bummer! I am really glad we were able to send a troupe over for their cool 5 families show and I had wanted to invite some folks from other theaters to play in our closing Improv Wins show—I shelved that when I found out about the Institution grand opening. We didn’t have any flexibility on the date because we started planning IW Conference in March, in May I found out that I was expecting a child, and by January 7th I was nine months pregnant. I couldn’t switch dates ‘cause my belly said so. My tiny son was born 11 days after the conference. Yay!
Someone asked about Moontower booking. I know that it is not yet complete. The majority of acts will be headliners from out of town, but none of the in town improv and sketch groups have been finalized yet. So that’s what’s up there.
I believe that Austin is a really unique place for comedy and improv in particular. The New Movement was actually named after a conversation Tami was having in the month before she and Chris were removed from Cold Towne about Austin becoming the next amazing comedy city in the world (NY, LA, Chicago, & Austin). Everybody at TNM has always believed strongly in that idea and it is a profoundly non-competitive one: all the theaters in Austin are working toward the same goal. If you don’t feel welcome at The New Movement, please do feel welcome! I know there are some people who were friends with Tami or Chris when they were at Cold Towne and no longer feel like they’re friends. That is sad and is its own complicated situation. I personally believe that two of my best friends were hurt badly by the dissolution of their troupe & theater in 2008 and that they felt unsupported by many people. I’m not sure this gets said to the wider community often enough, although goodness knows folks @ TNM Austin, Houston, & Nola know it, but Chris Trew is one of the most giving, loyal, and devoted people I know and Tami Nelson breaks her back for her students and loves improv and improvisers more than anyone I’ve ever met. Tami and Chris have only grown in goodness and generosity since I’ve known them. I’m sorry for anyone who isn’t friends with them, because you’re missing out on amazing friends. I also remember Chris and Tami, and us as the New Movement, performing at the Hideout numerous times before our own theater opened for shows in 2009 and people being super cool to us. However, none of this has any bearing on whether someone is welcome at the theater: the theater is for everybody and it is a place of great love and inclusion!
Oh, one last thing. Houston is growing a lot. If you’d be interested in teaching or performing out of town please feel free to get in touch. By summer we are hoping to have a space of our own and be able to host folks.
I also remember Chris and Tami, and us as the New Movement, performing at the Hideout numerous times before our own theater opened for shows in 2009 and people being super cool to us. However, none of this has any bearing on whether someone is welcome at the theater: the theater is for everybody and it is a place of great love and inclusion!
Thanks for the generous and kind message. I won't respond to it all, except to say thank you.
I do want to say that the Hideout would love to have Chris and Tami play any time they feel like putting in for the schedule. Please let them know that if you see them. And that goes for the other troupes, too. (3 TNM troupes are playing at the hideout in Feb).
As a TNM alum (alumn?) I want to echo the sentiments expressed by Mark, Patrick, Aaron and Shyla (who are all lovely, lovely people, btw) - please do feel welcome to come out to TNM anytime. I promise you'll enjoy it!
I for one am going to more make an effort to visit and play with more of you fine people as well. Have always really wanted to, but, as I am sure many of you do can relate to, I often suffer from a deficit of time and a surfeit of obligations. but, pah to that!
I was able to attend two sessions of the conference:
One was a very informative and fun class on dialects taught by Cris Skelton, of TNM Houston. Great guy, smart, terrific performer.
I also had the great pleasure of taking a workshop in the Bat from Joe Bill. I find it hard to put the experience in words w/o resorting to metaphor, but suffice to say, it blew my fucking mind.
Anyway, hope to see more of the people I met at the recent happy hour, and to meet the ones I haven't yet, very soon!
