Volunteers Needed for the Moontower Comedy Festival!

[Pdyx]

I'd also note that there's at least one improv event outside of the HYF portion. Theme Park Improv. I can't link directly to it due to the way the website works, but they're doing shows at the Scottish Rite.

EDIT- I found a way: http://www.moontowercomedyfestival.com/ ... ers/?id=68

[kbadr]

I'd also note that there's at least one improv event outside of the HYF portion. Theme Park Improv. I can't link directly to it due to the way the website works, but they're doing shows at the Scottish Rite.

That's cool.

I don't resent or begrudge any of the improv that's involved in the festival at all. Honestly. It just comes off as rude on the part of the festival producers to be suddenly waving the flag of community and inclusion when they need help.

[shando]

http://www.moontowercomedyfestival.com/ ... ers/?id=68

Laraine Newman! She never had the career that the rest of her orignal cast peers did, but I always thought she was great.

[bradisntclever]

While I certainly understand the frustration that Kareem and Shannon have over the seeming lack of outreach from this festival to the Austin improv community, I am reserving judgment until I see the actual list of improv acts scheduled. I haven't been able to find any indication of what that portion of the fest will look like.

I believe there's a list up at: http://www.hellyesfest.com/schedule/

Of note, as mentioned by Steph Cook earlier, is her Harold team The Late 90's. I believe they were just voted Best Harold Team at iO Chicago.

Personally I think that's a pretty strong lineup, and fairly diverse as far as that goes. Some of the TNM house troupes I'm not familiar with, but that's on me. There's Waldo and Marshall from Rooster Teeth's projects are good inclusions.

Oh, I wasn't trying to say there's only one group worth seeing. I was just saying Steph's team just won Best Harold Team. That's what I wanted to note.

[Spots]

There's Waldo and Marshall from Rooster Teeth's projects are good inclusions.

thank you. Thursday is the night I'm most pumped about.

[shando]

Oh sorry Brad, wasn't trying to allege anything in your post. Just piggybacking off your link to the schedule to say that I thought it looked pretty strong and varied.

[Spots]

I don't resent or begrudge any of the improv that's involved in the festival at all. Honestly. It just comes off as rude on the part of the festival producers to be suddenly waving the flag of community and inclusion when they need help.

This is the second time I've heard you refer to this forum as a community. This forum is one of many tools at the community's disposal. But I can't imagine how stifled a community would become if it became reliant on an internet forum for its sense of inclusion.

In the same regard that community members are discouraged from calling out Maestro or the Hideout on this forum, I would advise the same practice regarding Moontower. Take your qualms to the person in question.


jessespots@gmail.com

[kbadr]

This is the second time I've heard you refer to this forum as a community. This forum is one of many tools at the community's disposal. But I can't imagine how stifled a community would become if it became reliant on an internet forum for its sense of inclusion.

No it isn't. I have never referred to or thought of the improv forum as being the improv community. You have misunderstood me.

In the same regard that community members are discouraged from calling out Maestro or the Hideout on this forum, I would advise the same practice regarding Moontower. Take your qualms to the person in question.

I don't think calling out Maestro or The Hideout by improvisers participating in the forum where the owners of The Hideout participate can be compared to someone calling out a single anonymous post made by an outside organization that has shown its disinterest in the community represented on the forum. We clearly disagree on that point.

I don't relish the semantic debate to follow.

But you know what? If anyone would like to call me or my theater out on anything in a public forum, be my guest. I stand by everything I have ever done or said and consider my actions unimpeachable. I know from where I operate.

[happywaffle]

Jesse might be referring, in part, to the Hideout marquee discussion from last week. As one of those who participated in that discussion, I think there's a big stinking difference.

The marquee issue was a tiny gripe about a tiny aspect of theater operations that affected precisely no one. Given that, they were right to encourage us to keep such things off the public forum, since it might give the (unfair, wrong) impression that the Hideout is disorganized.

The Hell Yes Fest, meanwhile, is a large-scale event whose improv curator made a very specific choice to cast with troupes and improvisers affiliated with his theater. It's impossible to deny that the organizers totally failed to engage with the larger AIC in organizing this event. There was no call for submissions, no outreach whatsoever AFAIK. TNM-affiliated troupes from other cities were favored over Austin's own talent.

Now don't get me wrong: from a competitive point of view, hey, good for them. If they're looking to capture dollars and improv "market share" for the New Movement Theater, they scored quite a coup. But they damn well shouldn't ask the AIC for volunteers if they're going to behave in that way. Especially since the rest of the AIC doesn't operate in such a cutthroat manner (quite the opposite in fact).

I always feel obligated to mention, at the end of these posts, how incredibly nice and talented I think TNM improvisers and troupes are. That includes you, Jesse. I'm just not a fan of how its upper management chooses to operate. And this call for volunteers is a pristine example. It's annoying, since I wish I were as excited about attending the festival as I should be, given the onstage talent.

[kbadr]

The marquee issue was a tiny gripe about a tiny aspect of theater operations that affected precisely no one. Given that, they were right to encourage us to keep such things off the public forum, since it might give the (unfair, wrong) impression that the Hideout is disorganized.

Mainly it was the Era of Social Networking Ask The Ether "Hey what gives ?" tone when, as previously mentioned, the owners of the Theatre are *right here*. Got a question about something I operate? Just ask me directly, rather than whisper it on the wind.

[Spots]

Kevin: As Associate Producer of this festival you'd have to include me in "upper management."

Which Moontower troupes have you personally seen perform? Which specific troupe are you enraged didn't make it in?

With regards to the double standard - I'm referring to a PM I received in the past. The nature of the PM was "in general its thought to be disrespectful to call out casting decisions on this forum. Instead email any concerns privately." This was in response to Maestro being cast on three hour notice.


I understand people's concerns. The difference here is that you guys haven't responded to or shown disrespect directly to Chris Trew. Or myself.


You're replying to Shandra or one of her employees who has absolutely no connections or ties to your qualms. You are responding to Shandra, who no doubt is attempting to be inclusive and offering opportunities to get on the ground floor of the future of the festival.

Believe me, folks who responded to the volunteer call are being treated royally. Yep, volunteers get to see shows for free. And they're being offered positions as house managers & the possibility for growth next year and the year after that. In my eyes that's damned honorable. Not to mention -- Cap City & Paramount created this huge amazing thing out of thin air.


So attempt to treat Shandra with the same respect you treat others on this forum. I generally don't welcome strangers with a torch in hand.

[chicocarlucci]

Kevin: I generally don't welcome strangers with a torch in hand.

That sounds fair as hell.

Uh, I usually am never involved in forum matters like this, because in my mind it mostly falls into the category of "Internet comments".

Just chalk it up to my ignorance if I got the moral of this thread wrong. This is what I've come up with so far. Kareem, Shannon, Kevin, (??) please feel free to correct it because I've probably got it wrong.

"Don't come around here asking for volunteers for something the community might want to be involved in, unless you're already involved in the community."

Is that right? Please don't take offense if my reading comprehension was (honestly) poor.

-e

[Spots]

"Don't come around here asking for volunteers for something the community might want to be involved in, unless you're already involved in the community."

Seconded. I also need clarification on this.

[Chuy!]

Urg. That is all. Just urg. I look forward to not being able to park my car during the "first comedy festival ever" in Austin... Everyone enjoy your mistakes...

[kbadr]

I can't believe I have explain this but I will.

Moontower comedy chose to ignore the greater improv community in Austin and instead made the improv portion by invitation only. Fine. That's the perogative of the producers I get it. By doing so, they sent the implied message of "we do not need the Austin Improv Community."

But now, when it is time to solicit volunteers, it is convenient for them to reach out to the Austin Improv Community at large. When they need something (the aspect of a festival less fun than performing), they are more vocal and reach out to us.

That is rude. To me at least. So I said as much. Because I was replying to an account created solely to ask for volunteers from the community (or forum that is the internet presence of said community), I was a little brusk.

Point is, if you were selective about how you solicited performs from the improv Community, use the same standard for getting volunteers to do the hard behind the scenes work. Fish from the same exact pond.