Things I Like About The New Movement

dirty baby · Post by **dirty baby** » January 24th, 2012, 10:11 am

I've played two or three shows with Spirit Desire from the New Movement and in addition to being friendly and supportive dudes, they're fearless and creative improvisers. I'm really looking forward to their run of shows in March. Nothing about the success of TNM surprises me because the people that started it are the most energetic and creative go-getters on the block. Chris and Tami in some way inspired every outside-the-box move I've made as a show producer. I always assumed TNM would succeed and continue to wish the best for them.

valetoile · Post by **valetoile** » January 24th, 2012, 11:00 am

Chris and Tami are amazing performers and teachers and have created an awesome thing.
Aaron Walther is fun and hilarious to work with, and always brings something perfect and unexpected.
Amy Pacheco is sweet and confident and energetic and always a delight. I should know, I spent many many hours with her in a van.
Jesse Spots is passionate, supportive, and works hard to put himself and The New Movement out there in the community.
Every other student and performer I've met has been gracious, enthusiastic, and super friendly. They have something pretty amazing going on over there.

arthursimone · Post by **arthursimone** » January 24th, 2012, 11:37 am

They're driven artists and ravenous for more improv and their own unique voice in it, and the vast majority of them won't give a damn who it is that's complimenting them

Post by **Jon Bolden** » January 24th, 2012, 2:46 pm

I've been to the Shootaround jam several times and always had a good time. The only thing I hate about it is that it's on Weds and that's the standard rehearsal day for shows I'm in. I can't wait to see more shows and get to know more folks. My acupuncturist took classes there and spoke very highly of it. Kudos!

ejbrammer · Post by **ejbrammer** » January 24th, 2012, 3:40 pm

I third what Marc said about the folks in Steam and I look forward to playing with both those guys again, hopefully soon (I mean, in addition to our last four shows). The brief times I've gotten to work with Dan Grimm, Jay Bird and Mark Carpenter have also been very positive and exciting. Also, I've been likewise impressed with Control Group and Spirit Desire, who are the only groups I've seen from TNM, for doing shows where I can see their support and fun onstage that endeared me to them, and that also made me laugh quite a bit.

A thing I've always loved about the Austin improv community is how many chances we have to interact with each other across theaters and styles and groups. So many opportunities here, so many different awesome things happening all the time. Let's play.

LisaJackson · Post by **LisaJackson** » January 24th, 2012, 10:53 pm

I loooove playing with Dan Grimm in Strategery. He is an awesome improviser.

TexasImprovMassacre · January 25th, 2012, 9:24 am

brady james
JPR
Milo
Shyla
Michael
studio 8
shyla
Alex berry
bare moxie
christie grace
Dan Grimm
...to name a few
also, shyla

sara farr · Post by **sara farr** » January 25th, 2012, 11:17 am

I'm lucky enough to get to work with Patrick Knisley and Chad Smith in the Puppet Improv Project. These guys are awesome - committed to their art, committed to the effort to put on a good show, and committed to their scene partners! Also, I recently got to be the a storyteller for TNM's Megaphone Show and the cast was very fast and funny, super supportive and hilarious. It was a delight!

P.S. The Wednesday night Megaphone show is FREE!

Chris_Nicholas · Post by **Chris_Nicholas** » February 9th, 2012, 11:52 pm

i love hearing y'all say all this nice stuff about these people that i love.

TNM is a pretty sweet family i must say.

i also like the space itself a lot. looks awesome, very intimate and great to perform and see shows in. Dan Grimm has done an amazing job of fixing and building things in there. not much that dude can't do, really.

i am constantly amazed and humbled by the things i see happening there.

Andy Crouch - really nice meeting you the other night. you are cool, man.

Chris_Nicholas · Post by **Chris_Nicholas** » February 10th, 2012, 8:36 am

sara farr wrote:I'm lucky enough to get to work with Patrick Knisley and Chad Smith in the Puppet Improv Project. These guys are awesome - committed to their art, committed to the effort to put on a good show, and committed to their scene partners! Also, I recently got to be the a storyteller for TNM's Megaphone Show and the cast was very fast and funny, super supportive and hilarious. It was a delight!

P.S. The Wednesday night Megaphone show is FREE!

Chadwick's my dawg! we graduated together, we're both in Ripken (TNM house Bat troupe) and share a love of the heavy metal music. \m/

Patrick taught some of my level 4 class - super awesome guy and great teacher and improviser!

Chris_Nicholas · Post by **Chris_Nicholas** » February 10th, 2012, 8:40 am

LisaJackson wrote:I loooove playing with Dan Grimm in Strategery. He is an awesome improviser.

he is one of the most consistently solid improvisers i've yet seen. i recommend his two-man troupe "Bros" he's in with Chadwick Smith.

Dan also taught part of my level four, which was awesome. can't say enough good things about the guy.

acrouch · Post by **acrouch** » February 10th, 2012, 2:40 pm

Chris_Nicholas wrote:really nice meeting you the other night.

Nice to meet you, too, Chris! I'm looking forward to seeing Ripken sometime in the near future!

Chris_Nicholas · Post by **Chris_Nicholas** » February 11th, 2012, 8:07 pm

acrouch wrote:
Chris_Nicholas wrote:really nice meeting you the other night.
Nice to meet you, too, Chris! I'm looking forward to seeing Ripken sometime in the near future!

the thing about being in a Bat troupe is that no one has ever seen us perform. (and i'm sure nobody ever made that joke before either).

anyway, i will be sure to post on here next time we have a show!

EmilyBee · Post by **EmilyBee** » February 14th, 2012, 3:28 pm

I've had the chance to play with Patrick Knisely, Mark Carpenter, and, most recently, Brady James and Aaron Walther -- both in Steam and now in The Cherry Orchard. Solid folks, playful, fun. So pleased to know them!

Spots · Post by **Spots** » February 15th, 2012, 6:35 am

Thank you for such a wonderful thread, Andy.

In the past month, some New Movement people approached me and said things to the effect of "Jesse. I enjoy visiting with the other theaters. There's obviously tension but I keep quiet about it. Consider this a responsibility we share."

I want to apologize to those folks. It was a dick move. But being friends with so many people in the community I also feel like the time was ripe.

It used to be that the words "New Movement" could suck the air out of the room. People would quietly look around in silent agreement.

Having a unique perspective from inside out, I'll summarize that everything falls simply into the category of risk versus reward. Everyone feels fairly neutral so nobody wants to take the risk alone.

Except Val. Because she's a bad ass.

Come to the Shootaround & the Megaphone tonight. I saw some of you at Fancy Pants, IT grand opening, and the Improv Mixer. I'll see more of you guys this weekend at the Derby!!! :)

Here are my 6 favorite TNM things:

Chris &Tami's hands-on approach to the community, Tami's straight-absurd teachings, Chris's pattern teachings, Dan Grimm's legendary support, a class that focuses almost entirely on listening, and THIS:

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nba46P77Sm8
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