Improv in the B. Iden Payne Awards

acrouch · Post by **acrouch** » September 13th, 2006, 4:00 pm

Latifah has offered to include an improv award in the B. Iden Payne awards that are given in October. We must act quickly.

They only have space and resources to give one improv award. We're basically in charge of deciding what the award will be (best troupe, best improviser, best community building troupe or individual, etc.) and distributing ballots amongst ourselves.

So, what should the award be?

And who would be willing to take this on and make it happen in a classy way? Coming up with a fair and legitimate voting system, distributing and collecting the ballots, etc.

Again, we must act quickly.

Mo Daviau · Post by **Mo Daviau** » September 13th, 2006, 4:08 pm

All the Payne awards are for "Outstanding Director" or "Outstanding Lead Actor," so I guess in keeping with uniformity, we'd have to go with "Outstanding Improv Troupe or Performer," instead of "Outstanding Contribution to Improv in Austin."

That said, I am not able to make this happen in a classy way. I'd get the Mafia involved, and someone would end up in the back of a van. A bad van.

kbadr · Post by **kbadr** » September 13th, 2006, 4:14 pm

I would have no problem just doing a "Outstanding Troupe" award, and then make everyone vote who they think the best troupe in town is (i.e., don't fucking vote for your own troupe just coz you want an award)

Wesley · Post by **Wesley** » September 13th, 2006, 4:18 pm

Agreed with Kareem on both points.

Chron was kind of a jokey PR contest, but I think we should honestly vote for who we think should win for this.

kaci_beeler · Post by **kaci_beeler** » September 13th, 2006, 5:25 pm

I agree as well.

beardedlamb · Post by **beardedlamb** » September 13th, 2006, 5:39 pm

this is a great opportunity to "legitimize" our existance in the arts community. i agree that it must be done classily and soon. i cannot, due to other commitments and moral hangups about awards.

nadine · Post by **nadine** » September 13th, 2006, 5:43 pm

wow. this is great!

valetoile · Post by **valetoile** » September 13th, 2006, 11:32 pm

hm. Rachel and I might be able to do this, since we are doing the AIC awards anyways, bt let me talk to her before I committ.

valetoile · Post by **valetoile** » September 14th, 2006, 9:41 am

Yes, we will do this. What do you want the award to be? Best troupe?

shando · Post by **shando** » September 14th, 2006, 10:12 am

I would first like to say that this is great and will, let's hope, do a lot for Austin improv.

I'd like to follow up by saying I'm a little surprised by most of the reactions, even Jeremey's (kind of), to this news. A few months ago the idea of having self-genereted awards was pretty much shot down as being divissive. Now, when asked to do the VERY SAME THING by an outside organization in a less comprehensive and therefore less inclusive way, we're all atwitter. Makes it seem like we have some self-esteem issues.

Make no mistake, getting a Payne is an honor and we should move ahead with this. But we're kidding ourselves if we think this is going to lead to more respect and audience from those folks who go see "legitimate theater," at least for the foreseeable future. This is the first of very many steps that we'll need to take to educate Austin about the value and quality of what we do.

For my two cents, I think the award should be titled "Outstanding Improv Ensemble" rather than "Best." I think it sounds classier and also imputes a level of professionalism and production value to the group beyond just that they are the "best" (read "funniest" to lay audience) at doing improv.

In a separate thread I will explain why I will be casting my ballot for the group for whom I will be voting.

kbadr · Post by **kbadr** » September 14th, 2006, 10:22 am

shando wrote:A few months ago the idea of having self-genereted awards was pretty much shot down as being divissive. Now, when asked to do the VERY SAME THING by an outside organization in a less comprehensive and therefore less inclusive way, we're all atwitter. Makes it seem like we have some self-esteem issues.

Except that the awards show we were discussing before was going to be totally internal, which would serve no marketing/awareness purpose for the general public. It seemed to me (and still does, actually) like masturbation. This award is more akin to having improv get listed as a category in the Chronicle's Best Of Austin awards.

I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm just excited about the prospect of Improv being thrust into the public's eye. The more improv is listed, in any capacity, the more people might think "I should go check out this im-prov stuff."

shando · Post by **shando** » September 14th, 2006, 10:53 am

kbadr wrote:Except that the awards show we were discussing before was going to be totally internal, which would serve no marketing/awareness purpose for the general public.

This assumes that an internal set of awards wouldn't be publicized. Why assume that? I know for certain, based on discussions I've had, that the Chronicle would run something if we did an awards ceremony. Even if it were just a list of recipients, which is essentially what they do with the B. Iden Payne recipients. Except in the former case, we'd be our own story as opposed to one mention out of fifty.

And I'm not saying the B. Iden's idea is a bad one at all. I'm just musing on the wildly disparate reactions to an award genreated by the exact same internal and potentially divisive mechanisms.

kbadr wrote:I can't speak for anyone else, but I'm just excited about the prospect of Improv being thrust into the public's eye. The more improv is listed, in any capacity, the more people might think "I should go check out this im-prov stuff."

Again, I'm all for this. But we shouldn't be labor under any illusions about what this is going to do for improv in Austin. It's a step, and one that provides some "legitimizing" force to the scene, but how many theater company's shows have you rushed out to becuase you heard they won a B. Iden Payne? Can anyone tell me off the top of their heads a single award winner from last year? See what I'm saying?

Wesley · Post by **Wesley** » September 14th, 2006, 11:02 am

I was all a-twitter when it was internal.

I can take this on, I guess. What really needs to be done other than determining the name and purpose of the award and collecting ballots?

beardedlamb · Post by **beardedlamb** » September 14th, 2006, 11:17 am

shando wrote:I'd like to follow up by saying I'm a little surprised by most of the reactions, even Jeremey's (kind of), to this news.

kbadr wrote: Except that the awards show we were discussing before was going to be totally internal. It seemed to me (and still does, actually) like masturbation.

Rachel · Post by **Rachel** » September 14th, 2006, 11:21 am

Wes - Join Val and me if you like â€“ or may we join you?
We have thoughts and plans regarding fair & relatively-efficient voting.
Who has the info on the details of who needs to know what by when - is that you Andy?
If so Please post or email Val, Wes and myself.
We will make this happen.

shando wrote:
I think the award should be titled "Outstanding Improv Ensemble"

I like this idea - Do other people - does this work for the peoples?

Lets go!