A Note to the Austin Improv Community

[shando]

I have chosen after much contemplation over the past several months that at the end of the 2012 season, this season, Gnap! is going to be stepping away from the weekly production of improv shows. I would like to start this note by giving a big thank you to the discretion of the handful of people I confided in when I was weighing my decision.

There are a lot of reasons for this, but foremost in my mind is the realization that the improv game in Austin has changed significantly since we began producing shows almost five years ago. These changes have been very much for the better—better shows, more professional level of production and marketing, better houses, more people involved at all levels and an increased profile in and respect from the wider Austin arts community. We’re very happy to have played a role in many of these changes. One side effect, though, has been an increased demand on my time as a producer and administrator, to the point that every moment of my free time has been dedicated to behind the scenes production chores. As a person with professional and personal commitments beyond the theater, as well as other artistic pursuits, this arrangement has become increasingly untenable in recent months. Were my life and commitments different from what they are, I’d probably be content to toil along in a role that is, often as not, one where you try to manage and minimize how much you disappoint others. A life, though, where I can be all-in on theater production is not the one I’ve made for myself, and I’m very much fine with that. Rather than continuing a situation where all aspects of my life suffer as a result of me not having the resources to give my best to every single facet, I have opted to change the focus of Gnap! to one that will strike a better balance of where I am as the company’s founder.

To that end, Gnap! is not going away. Our devised work shows have been very successful, including a recent Critics’ Table win for Best Ensemble in a theatrical production, and starting in 2013 the plan for Gnap! is to present two devised, scripted shows a year, one in the mainstage at SVT and one in the studio as a work in progress, in preparation to remount it as a full production in the mainstage the following year (like we did with 69 Love Scenes). Depending how any new studio schedule at SVT shakes out, we are still very much interested in No Shame continuing on a regular bi-weekly basis, and we might also be spearheading a new monthly or bi-monthly story telling showcase, a la The Moth.

I realize most of you reading this won’t be all that interested in the mental path I took to reach this point. Most of you will be most interested in knowing how this change will affect the future of improvisational theater programming at SVT and your access to stage time there. The short answer is we don’t really know yet. Jenny Larson is still very much interested in there being some kind of ongoing improv presence in the studio theater at SVT. There is still going to be room for improv at SVT, but neither Gnap! nor Merlin Works will be spearheading its production. I and Shana will, however, be of assistance should any entity want to take on some kind of booking capacity at SVT and to partner with Merlin Works' class offerings. I would say this note from me is your first notice should any of you have the aspirations and the drive to see shows continue on at SVT. It need not be a single entity, either; an old-school AIC cooperative model might suffice.

As we wind down the remaining six months of our weekly shows, I’d like to take a moment to toot our own horn for just a bit. When we started production at SVT, improv in Austin was a much smaller entity, and we were concerned that the kinds of shows we wanted to see were soon not going to have a home. The future of the Hideout was still very much in doubt in late 2007, and that uncertainty played a significant part in our decision to make our home at SVT. In these past five years, as I said earlier, I am glad we were able to play our part in making Austin improv what it is today. At our best, we produced shows unlike anything being done anywhere else, with shows like Showdown, Dusk, False Matters, This American LIVE, One More Night, and many more bringing to the fore some artistic component not usually seen in improv. I’m confident we pushed the art form forward in our own small way. It makes me very happy to know that we’ve been able to influence and play with so many people from different schools and different theaters here in town that even when we pack up shop, that spirit will not be missing from Austin improv in the future.

I would also be remiss if I did not extend some thanks to you in the community. To anyone who has ever played in a Gnap! show or volunteered your time to make our shows happen, I thank you very much from the bottom of my heart. We could not have accomplished what we have were it not for you. To all the members, past and present of the Gnap! company, I truly appreciate the gift of your time and labor. To my family, thank you for your patience and support. To Jenny and Salavage Vanguard Theater and the other consortium companies there, thank you for allowing us to hog so much stage time. First and foremost, I should also thank Shana Merlin, my business and artistic partner for these past several years, through thick and thin. I very much look forward to continuing Get Up’s journey and world travels with you. To Courtney Hopkin, for being our design guru for most of our run, for the many now standard marketing innovations you introduced to Austin improv, and for taking some of the production burden off of me when you did; to Kyle Traughber for countless late nights painting the stage; to Julie Gillis for being our go to party person and making sure our casts feel like family; to Kerri Lendo for running No Shame so well for the past couple years; to Avimaan Syam for being a champion during our 2011 season; to Andreas Fabis for taking care of PR so well; to Elizabeth Brammer and Audrey Sansom and Michael Joplin for sage advice and friendship; to Jastroch for fellow producer kvetch sessions; to Topping, Sara Farr, Eric Heiberg, Kevin Miller, Deano, Lauren, Lubu, Ben and Caitlin, Kristin, Clay and Stephanie, Madi, and to so many more, I cannot express how much you have enriched my life over the past several years.

Thanks for reading, and feel free to chime in if you have any questions, concerns, or other thoughts. It’s been an honor.

[Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell]

wow...this is sad news indeed, but i can totally understand and respect your reasoning. you've always been a fantastic friend and patron to the improv, theatre and arts community in this town, Shando, and GNAP! was a fantastic fusion of all of that (and will continue to be so, i'm certain, in its newly evolved form!). i had a blast both performing in and watching the incredible shows GNAP! has produced over the last few years and your impact on the way improv is produced, performed, viewed and marketed is immeasurable. thank you for all you've done and brought us, and here's to whatever awesome and bold new frontiers the company will explore in the future! much love, brother!

[scott.hearne]

This is a bummer.

Nevertheless, I understand your decision.

[AmyA]

Shannon,

SVT was my home away from home when I first started improv. I was in a big life transition and on nights when I didn't know what to do with myself, I would wander over to SVT to catch a Gnap show and meet new (awesome) people. It made a huge difference for me during a tough time.

Thank you so much for all of your hard work and thanks to Lacey, Emmett, and Leo for sharing you so much with all of us.

You are a rock star! I'm excited to see what you do next!

Love,
Amy

[Pdyx]

Good on you Shannon for taking the necessary steps for your life to be in balance, and thanks for all your work behind the scenes (and on stage) in the shows I was a part of and saw.

[sara farr]

Without Shannon, Gnap Theater Projects and No Shame Theater, I would not have had the courage to start my own puppet improv company.

Since early 2009 through today, No Shame Theater has given me the opportunity to explore improvising with puppets in front of an audience. In the early years, I was able to grow my skill by performing in solo segments, and later, had the opportunity to share my love of performing with others who jumped on stage with me.

Shannon supported and produced the first full Puppet Improv Project show at SVT -- "Crack! The Improvised Puppet Musical". The show got a standing ovation our first night, and the success drove me to continue to develop the PIP into its own company. Since then, PIP has partnered with Gnap to produce 3 other shows -- Crack [2nd run], Puppet Fever, and Elf Employment. We're now an Austin Creative Alliance sponsored non-profit and continuing to grow.

Thanks, Shannon! Thank you Gnap!!

[Ruby W.]

Shannon took such a leap of faith with me last year, and has since given me amazing opportunities, supported me with an open heart and without judgement, and has always been a clear role model for me. I received chances and opportunities I would never have received elsewhere and both Shannon and Shana have put so much trust in me. Their trust and love and compassion has allowed for me to reach my potential within the improv community.

Thank you so much to both of you. You both are the epitome of love, compassion and community.

Ruby

[LuBu McJohnson]

I would have been in bad shape today had it not been for Shannon and No Shame.

[beardedlamb]

Few people can really understand what its like to produce shows every week of their life... as a hobby. Think about that for a second. Every week there's something else to promote, tweet, print, cast, manage, paint, or generally pour yourself into. its hard enough for people to do it as a full-time job when you've got 40+ hours a week.

This dude deserves a collective handshake from all of us after 5 years of making it happen.

Onward into the Great Devised! This is a great call for sanity and it can only mean the 69 Love Song type shows are going to be that much better.

[Jastroch]

Shannon is a saint for the work he's done growing the Austin improv and comedy scene. I wouldn't be here if not for his energy and generosity. He is awesome. Gnap! is awesome. I'm excited to see what comes next.

Ditto what Jeremy said. Everyone hug a producer.

[mdalonzo]

*slow clap*

Shannon McCormick is seriously one of the pillars of the Austin Improv Community, and one of the great production entities I've ever had the fortune of working with. Jeremy's right. Think about how grueling it is to produce like that as a second, mostly unpaid job.

When you see this man, this man who I know loves you all so very much, thank him. He, Jeremy, Roy, Andy, Shana, and a handful of others are the reason you all have the great good fortune to be able to play whenever you like.

[Marc Majcher]

Shannon is the best dude. Gnap! has been awesome, and I'm eager to see what kind of awesome the new incarnation rolls out!

[Ryan Hill]

Thanks to Shannon for all the awesome opportunities he's provided us newbies.

[smerlin]

Few people can really understand what its like to produce shows every week of their life... as a hobby. Think about that for a second. Every week there's something else to promote, tweet, print, cast, manage, paint, or generally pour yourself into. its hard enough for people to do it as a full-time job when you've got 40+ hours a week.

This dude deserves a collective handshake from all of us after 5 years of making it happen.

Well said, Jeremy! So true...

[Brad Hawkins]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoqVv5UiTTY[/youtube]