Austin Improv

maybe they're giving the award to the banana pudding show and all the stuff that Tom Booker has been doing there...

this just speaks to the continuing confusion among the general public as to what improv is. thanks to 'The Improv' chain of STAND-UP clubs and training centers who teach improv when their public facing shows are sketch, we've been put in a confused bucket of grab bag terms, which can include all the way up to anything live and comedic. we know what it is. but most people dont.

EDUCATION!

Damn dirty apes and their goddam toes...

Let's be honest... we're not doing improv. If I had a nickel for every time I've seen Shana memorizing a script before a show, I'd probably be able to buy a lot of stuff in the 1930's.

HerrHerr wrote:Somebody's losing a toe tonight. A goddam toe...

You want a toe? I can get you a toe. I can get you a toe by 3:00...with polish. Amateurs...

Jastroch wrote:They're probably trying to get Esther's to advertise in their rag.

I was thumbing through Rare during some down time at work and thought, "wow, these are some unusual choices for various best of catagories, I wonder if advertising is a prerequisite for consideration? And had already decided it was one of those 'just enough filler/copy to give the advertisers bang for their buck' publications well before I got to the best improv catagory.

That being said, I started thinking, there are some reasons that Esther's Follies has a higher profile in town than the various AIC venues and whether we couldn't take a page or two from their playbook when it comes to developing a name and audience base.

improvstitute wrote:

HerrHerr wrote:Somebody's losing a toe tonight. A goddam toe...

You want a toe? I can get you a toe. I can get you a toe by 3:00...with polish. Amateurs...

This is what happens when you fuck someone in the ass!

I think Esther's does a great job in their shows and in filling their seats and they deserve awards and recognition. It would make a lot of sense to me if they won Best Sketch Comedy, Best Comedy Troupe, Best Magic Show, or something similar.

Whether the award was based on Rare wanting their advertising dollars or the true merit of their performance, I don't care. I just think their award had the wrong name. I don't think they are an Improv Group. That was my main (snarky) point.

I just sent this to Matt...

Mr. Swinney,

I wanted to tell you how beautiful your magazine is, but that I noticed an error in your May issue. Ester's Follies was awarded "Best Improv Troupe", but Ester's does sketch (scripted) comedy. I love their show, the comedy is tried and true, but it is not improv. Improvisational comedy and theater is made up on the spot, in the moment, and without a script. Just thought you might want to know that.

Sincerely,
Sara Farr

I heart Sara Farr.

sara_anm8r wrote:I just sent this to Matt...

Mr. Swinney,

I wanted to tell you how beautiful your magazine is, but that I noticed an error in your May issue. Ester's Follies was awarded "Best Improv Troupe", but Ester's does sketch (scripted) comedy. I love their show, the comedy is tried and true, but it is not improv. Improvisational comedy and theater is made up on the spot, in the moment, and without a script. Just thought you might want to know that.

Sincerely,
Sara Farr

Lemme know if you get a response. I sent an email when the thread started saying much the same thing and listed links to troupes, but I got nada back..... Maybe Mr. Swinney will respond to you! I hope so!

Here's Matt's reply...

Hey Sara,

Thanks for pointing it out. We actually already knew that, but ran into a problem when our reader's voted for Esther's as an "improv group." It was the clear winner even though the category was wrong. We decided to go ahead and print it because that's how the readership voted. In hindsight, we probably should have noted it in the copy, but we didn't want to take away the award just because people voted incorrectly.

Thanks for writing to let us know though!
Matt

They must have a dumb/uninformed/ignorant readership.

oooh, snap!

I spelled Esther's wrong. I must be, or at least look, dumb/uninformed/ignorant.

"reader's". WAUGH!