Sucking pipe

arclight · Post by **arclight** » April 9th, 2009, 9:49 pm

Posit: If you learn improv in Chicago first, your life is golden. If you learn it elsewhere and move to Chicago, the world sucks a burning jagged pipe of K basin sludge.

Discuss.

TexasImprovMassacre · April 9th, 2009, 10:25 pm

I'm thankful to have gotten stage time in Austin before I came here. I feel like that experience was the most valuable asset. There are people up here who's first show was in our level 4b show a month or so ago. Nothing really compares to the kind of reinforcement you get from doing improv for an audience. Its immediate. It jumps you levels. Rehearsals are great and all, but running shows for a full house is an entirely different learning experience.

Also, I feel like I get a ton out of shows here. I could have started improv in chicago, I suppose...but I'm not sure everyone is getting the same stuff out of classes. There's a dude here who is constantly complaining about how he isn't getting what he wants out of IO classes. He wants to do more two person scenework, but we're getting to run shows. People give his scenes breathing room. I think what he's really getting used to is performing...beyond that, having more time to have thought about improv I feel like I can thin more critically about the improv I see and do. Maybe that goes without saying, but I take a lot from seeing both good and bad shows up here. I'll talk to steph for an hour about them, and we'll both get more knowledge in a week than people who aren't going to shows, or aren't watching them with the same set of eyes.

On some level, it seems that you get out of it what you put into it.

Also in austin I wasn't seeing the same style of improv I was up here. I developed certain habits I wanted to break after moving here. So, for me, it felt more eye opening and glorious than shit slidey...that's just me though.

What specifically did you have in mind, Bob, when you said it sucks?

Mo Daviau · Post by **Mo Daviau** » April 9th, 2009, 10:45 pm

PLEASE AGREE WITH BOB SO HE'LL WANT TO MOVE BACK TO AUSTIN.

I WANT TO COME HOME.

IT'S COLD HERE AND THE BUILDINGS ARE FALLING APART. I SAW A BLACK DUDE GET STABBED. IRA GLASS DOESN'T EVEN LIVE HERE ANYMORE. THE STREETS SMELL LIKE PEE.

ALSO: POLISH SIGNAGE VOWEL DEFICIT. TOO MANY CONSECUTIVE CONSONANTS!!!!!!!!! TOO MANY!!!

HELP!

arclight · Post by **arclight** » April 9th, 2009, 10:56 pm

Let me qualify my situation a bit: I did not move to Chicago for improv so our expectations and experiences are necessarily different. I'm not in it to win it and getting downtown and back costs me three hours and $4.50 on the El. The El shuts down long before bar time and I am up every weekday at 6:30am so it's not generally possible for me to rock the house party in an old school way. Just sayin'.

The pipeline system is immoral and destructive. Community can only be purchased and it isn't necessarily delivered.

I'm feeling neither the love nor the magic.

Inflection exercise: "Yes. And?"

Matt · Post by **Matt** » April 9th, 2009, 11:13 pm

I love Bob and Mo. They are good people.

scook · Post by **scook** » April 10th, 2009, 12:54 am

I second everything Cody said. Though it's not really a reflection of either the Chicago or Austin improv scenes, it's probably more a reflection of where I am in my own improv development. But I feel like I'm seeing things up here with eyes wide open. And to be fair, there is a lot more to see up here. So I feel like I'm getting more just by watching. And thanks to doing improv in Austin, I understand more what I'm learning (or re-learning) up here.

With regards to community, it has taken me awhile to find my own improv magic with it. I didn't find it til I had my first show a few weeks ago. I knew people in classes and were friends with people, but I'll be honest, until I had my first show and saw friends' shows and afterwards we said "good show," had a drink, and talked, I wasn't feeling the firsthand improv community magic. So it sucks that classes and doing shows are disconnected up here. But I think when the community is this large, it's hard for older improvisers to get to know everyone in classes and understand where they're at. All my teachers have been more than nice and willing to talk at shows. But there's still a disconnect because most of them haven't taken classes in 15 years and have seen hundreds of students go through. Fair enough.

I will say, though, that I'm constantly amazed at how many shows with newer improvisers that veterans do each week. I see people like TJ and Rachael Mason and Jorin Garguilo do shows with people in or barely out of classes. Why? What's in it for them? Just love of improv, probably.

I just wanna party dicks off.

Ha, sorry, long post. In conclusion, I don't disagree with what you're saying, but I think there's more out there that's different than the experience you've gotten so far. But it might take awhile to find what you like.

DollarBill · Post by **DollarBill** » April 10th, 2009, 11:14 am

I think I've said this to anyone who would listen... I am SOOOO glad I did improv before I came here to Chicago. I learned so much by being on stage for years before iO classes, that I actually had a frame of reference for what they were talking about. That fact made class infinitely more understandable. If you started by taking classes here it would be like a physics class without labs.

As far as community, Bob's right. You have to really work or pay your way in. It's NOT a welcome-you-with-open-arms type of place. I know of a couple back doors, but I've been here for 5 years and just lucked into some connections with some "open mic" nights and the like.

Unfortunately, it's not the place for the casual improviser to set up shop. If you aren't gonna take classes or audition for stuff, you have to go to the jams every week. It's cliquish, and making friends takes dedication to showing up all the time. At least that's my experience.

valetoile · Post by **valetoile** » April 10th, 2009, 3:11 pm

There's also the option of bypassing chicago entirely.

COME BACK TO AUSTIN!

mcnichol · Post by **mcnichol** » April 10th, 2009, 3:23 pm

arclight wrote:If you learn improv in Chicago first, your life is golden. If you learn it elsewhere and move to Chicago, the world sucks a burning jagged pipe of K basin sludge.

The pipeline system is immoral and destructive. Community can only be purchased and it isn't necessarily delivered.

I'm feeling neither the love nor the magic.

Sorry to hear of your experiences Bob. It seems it would be tough in a city where there a few thousand improvisors. What is the pipeline system? Is that classes? Maybe try starting something on your own -- bringing together a team of like-minded folks from classes for shows -- or approaching people in shows you watch that you liked? I can only speak from own experiences there and what worked for me, but I think those can get you pretty far.

And Austin is still here too.

Mo Daviau · Post by **Mo Daviau** » April 10th, 2009, 3:55 pm

Part of the problem is that we live 1 hour+ away from all the theaters. Bob works long days and has a 45 minute car commute home and can't get home in time to make the long train ride to wherever to show up for an 8pm show or call or anything else. We have to bail on everything by midnight in order to get the train home. Bob's job is out in the burbs, 30 miles from downtown Chicago. So where we live, Oak Park, as far out as it is, is about as good as it's going to get in terms of proximity. Making connections and showing up 5 nights a week is pretty dang hard, if not impossible.

I've been really unhappy here. I wonder if we had moved to a community with a smaller, Austin-esque improv scene (Minneapolis, Boston, Chapel Hill, and Seattle spring to mind), if I'd feel the same way.

Neither Bob nor I have the patience, energy, or ambition for the demands of the Chicago scene. We want our improv friendly, welcoming, and fun. And less than 20 minutes away.

This doesn't indicate any lack of passion for improv or appreciation for what Chicago has to offer. It's immense. We really like what we've learned at Annoyance and we like the people we've met in our classes. It just feels like unless you live in town and are here to devote your life to improv, you're kind of screwed.

All I know is, the Austin scene is really special. Thank you to everyone for being so awesome.

arthursimone · Post by **arthursimone** » April 11th, 2009, 1:58 am

Hmm, let's break this down into:
a) stage time
b) inspiration from state-of-the-art
c) community
d) quality of instruction

Chicago has Austin beat hands-down in terms of B. If nothing else it's sheer volume, so if you put the time in you're going to see some incredible work by some real crackerjack masters.

Austin most certainly has Chicago beat in terms of A. Lots of people here don't realize how lucky they are to be performing for smart and savvy crowds on a regular basis.

C is kind of conditional; in Austin you're welcomed with open arms, and in Chicago you definitely have to put in the time and effort to feel equally welcome. Once you're 'in' it kind of doesn't matter. But what kind of quality are you really looking for in your 'in'. very subjective there.

D for years has been in Chicago's favor, but Austin has benefited greatly from the spread of some really kick-ass teachers. Factor in stage time and class size and you might have a decent argument both ways.

dirty baby · Post by **dirty baby** » April 11th, 2009, 4:41 am

I'll be t-shirting my English Setter along a tributary of the Colorado River tomorrow afternoon
when Chicago reaches its blustery high of forty-five degrees fahrenheit

so suck it

spantell · Post by **spantell** » April 12th, 2009, 5:49 pm

Mo Daviau wrote: All I know is, the Austin scene is really special. Thank you to everyone for being so awesome.

- Thanks for saying this Mo. I agree.
- We just got to see TJ & Dave down here and OOB brings in some great shows, and hopefully we'll have some more come in. It would be nice to see some more, but I don't need to see it every week.
- VISIT MORE. We miss you guys. I know it's a haul.

Mo Daviau · Post by **Mo Daviau** » April 12th, 2009, 7:50 pm

spantell wrote:
Mo Daviau wrote: All I know is, the Austin scene is really special. Thank you to everyone for being so awesome.
- VISIT MORE. We miss you guys. I know it's a haul.

Thanks, Susan. We're hoping to eventually do ya one better than a visit.

ratliff · Post by **ratliff** » April 14th, 2009, 1:04 pm

dirty baby wrote:I'll be t-shirting my English Setter along a tributary of the Colorado River tomorrow afternoon
when Chicago reaches its blustery high of forty-five degrees fahrenheit

so suck it

If I'm going to be really honest about it, this is one of the main reasons I've never moved to Chicago, though I've been tempted many times: I'm a weather wuss.