Improv vs. Standup

KathyRose · Post by **KathyRose** » January 4th, 2009, 8:09 am

After last night's Maestro, David Z reported that the top row of audience members thought it was going to be a standup comedy show. While it's easy to scoff at the "ignorance" of the general public regarding improv vs. standup, some of the blame must fall on marketing. If memory serves, I think the photo on the sandwich board outside The Hideout shows an old-timey standup microphone. Isn't that adding to the confusion?

Maybe the sandwich board should have a simple "live theater" style graphic, like this:

kaci_beeler · Post by **kaci_beeler** » January 4th, 2009, 11:28 am

The photo is of a kitchen sink under a spotlight. You know, like the sink in the top left corner of these forums. It's the AIC logo. "everything but the kitchen sink"

There are a multitude of problems why "improv" and "stand-up" are confused by some of the general public, including a national chain of stand-up venues across the country poorly named "The Improv".

I'm not sure that the blame falls directly on "us" for this confusion, though Out of Bounds had a stand-up contingent this past year, and ColdTowne has a weekly stand-up show at their theater. So to some degree even improv people do put them together.
It falls under the "live comedy" umbrella.

I'd personally prefer they stay apart, but that's just my own tastes. The Hideout's branding in the coming year will be geared more towards the idea of "theatre" than "comedy club". And marketing, signage, decor, and presentation will eventually reflect that.

sara farr · Post by **sara farr** » January 4th, 2009, 12:06 pm

Hey, if/when you guys get your own marketing materials and replace the AIC sign I made, I'd like to get it back.

KathyRose · Post by **KathyRose** » January 4th, 2009, 12:14 pm

I'm wondering ... where did I see that old broadcast-style microphone image that is stuck in my head ...?

kaci_beeler · Post by **kaci_beeler** » January 4th, 2009, 12:53 pm

Kathy Rose Center wrote:I'm wondering ... where did I see that old broadcast-style microphone image that is stuck in my head ...?

There are open mics in the downstairs of the Hideout...maybe there is a flyer or something down there for that?

Post by **bradisntclever** » January 4th, 2009, 1:27 pm

kaci_beeler wrote:
Kathy Rose Center wrote:I'm wondering ... where did I see that old broadcast-style microphone image that is stuck in my head ...?
There are open mics in the downstairs of the Hideout...maybe there is a flyer or something down there for that?

It could have been for a play or something, too. But I've never seen anything I can recall like that at the Hideout.

It seems like 80% of the people I talk to about improv think it is stand-up. It takes a good five minutes to sort them out, but who knows how long that even lasts.

Jastroch · Post by **Jastroch** » January 4th, 2009, 3:23 pm

kaci_beeler wrote: The Hideout's branding in the coming year will be geared more towards the idea of "theatre" than "comedy club". And marketing, signage, decor, and presentation will eventually reflect that.

This is as good a place as any to mention that ColdTowne Theater will be changing its branding from "Free Parking and Live Comedy" to "Live Fuck Show" starting this March.

Munga · Post by **Munga** » January 4th, 2009, 3:27 pm

I emceed the UT business school holiday party. I was asked because the Dean's Office heard that I do improv. They thought that "improv" was the same thing as "stand-up".

TexasImprovMassacre · January 4th, 2009, 4:57 pm

what's the difference between stand-up and improv?

kbadr · Post by **kbadr** » January 4th, 2009, 8:40 pm

TexasImprovMassacre wrote:what's the difference between stand-up and improv?

Improv is unscripted theatre that often skews towards being funny, but can also have moments of high tension and drama. Stand up is generally performed by one person, telling comedic anecdotes that may or may not have a narrative through-line.

Sorry for the confusion.

ChrisTrew.Com · Post by **ChrisTrew.Com** » January 4th, 2009, 9:10 pm

what are high tensions and drama?

TexasImprovMassacre · January 4th, 2009, 9:27 pm

ChrisTrew.Com wrote:what are high tensions and drama?

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cR4xdLOBsxo[/youtube]

acrouch · Post by **acrouch** » January 5th, 2009, 3:55 am

Jastroch wrote:"Live Fuck Show"

Game changer.

Lants · Post by **Lants** » January 6th, 2009, 11:10 am

Jastroch wrote: This is as good a place as any to mention that ColdTowne Theater will be changing its branding from "Free Parking and Live Comedy" to "Live Fuck Show" starting this March.

I'm concerned that people will think the show is still stand-up, could you either take the picture of me with a microphone off the poster or write "this show is not stand-up, but in fact actual people having sex or "fucking" on stage, I understand the confusion as these things are so incredibly similar." somewhere on the poster?

TexasImprovMassacre · January 6th, 2009, 1:13 pm

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RviYo3WsqjU[/youtube]