Austin Improv

I have a growing fondness for two person troupes. I would like to here catalogu all two person troupe combinations ever. The two people, the troupe name, and the idea/format/gimmick behind it.

1 a.m.: Chris Trew and Tami Nelson: one long scene in a single location, lots of character switching

McNichol and May: Bob McNichol and Erika May: solid two-person stuff, usually maintaining haracters throughout a scene, different formats including Guided by Videos

Whittle: Arthur Simone and Michael Jastroch: Two old men sitting and whittling and talking, a la Bassprov.

Perfect Season: Roy Janik and Kaci Beeler: Perfect scenework

Mr. Happy Chocolate Ray of Sunshine ObGyn and the Purple Bear with No Birthday: Andrea Young and Cody Dearing: persona-based song interludes that inspire scenes of domestic discord

Adventure Squad: Valerie Ward and Kaci Beeler: They wear matchng uniforms and go on adventures

Get Up: Shannon McCormick and Shana Merlin: Cinematic longform stories with lots of scene setting, strong characters, and a movie soundtrack.

Kazillionaire*:Jeremy Lamb and Madeline Malka: improv from the world of Kazillionaire*

Wedded Bliss: Mo Daviau and Bob Apthorpe: This couple works out their real-life marriage issues passive agressively through improv

Extreme!: Cody Dearing and Valerie Ward: extreme!! improv

1813 Drake: Andy Crouch and his current roomate: The Living Room

Buddy Daddy: Arthur Simone and Robin Goodfellow: Robin plays the straight man.

Conspiracy Butter: Brian Boyko and Chris Trew: A fully improvised government cover-up

Sit Down: Valerie Ward and Kareem Badr: They only perform on a double bill with Get Up.

I know I'm missing a few actual two-person troupes, and thousands of possible two person combos. What would you like to see?

there's a show coming up?

A Sip of Chantico: Kristin Firth and Bill Grandberg: The two members of NYC's Chantico Warfare that ended up moving to Austin. UCB-style. Currently doing 2-person Harolds.

An Inconvenient Troupe: Marc Majcher and Nadine Latief attempt sci-fi narrative longform, with varying success.

Phil Aulie and I had talked briefly about one over the summer...I don't think we ever discussed whether it would be a two-person gig, or whether we would go for a larger cast size, but here's the basic concept:

Real Men Have Curves: Improv by fat guys, For fat guys, and About fat guys.

Could work as a two-man show. I also think it would work really well as part of a three-fer or double-bill, but maybe not so much as a stand-alone.

COMING IN FEBRUARY:

NO LEFT: Ratliff/Stern being awesome.

You're Fat: me and Jill, sketch

Ooh! I want in.

When I get down there, I am going to ask to plug this show into Threefer slots:

After: Me and a guest doing a monoscene where the characters are coming down from a drug of the audience choice (from a deck of possibilities). First guest will be Chris Trew. He probably doesn't remember the conversation though.

Jen Cargill and Erin Plischke originally called "The Deuce" in 2004; currently in:

Mr. Taco (Improv)

Jan.12th Threefer and Jan. 18th TNA

Nichols and May - Duo born out of The Compass Players and Second City

Peter Cook and Dudley Moore - Sketch and improv, on stage, tv, and film; evolved out of Beyond The Fringe; the beginnings of British satire

Bob and Ray - Surreal radio

Wayne and Shuster - Classic Canadian duo (their Bob & Ray)

Olsen and Johnson - Vaudeville originated writing/performing duo known best for the book turned stage act turned (sadly out of print) movie Hellzapoppin'

Zumpf - (previously) Chicago's Dan Bakkedahl and Miles Stroth doing long-long-form improv

Slovin and Allen - Great NYC meta sketch (check their "cover" of Abbott and Costello's Who's On First)

TJ and Dave Simply great, patient long-long-form improv. Recently had a successful run in NYC as well.

Two White Guys - Becky Drysdale and Jordan Peele doing amazing sketch

BassProv - Earl Hinkle (Joe Bill) and Donny Weaver (Mark Sutton) are two dudes bass fishing and drinking on stage for an hour or so; improv based on a suggestion of "something you can stick your fingers in"

Piss and Vinegar: Kareem and Wes (have never actually performed together because they get into a fight over who is Piss and which is Vinegar before each show and refuse to go on)

Scissor: Chris Trew and Justin York

Studio Z: Working title for Tami and Justin

Fun Fact: Jastroch and yet to be named (possibly Justin), but this has to happen

Plus, per the bylaws of ColdTowne Inc, Arthur and I will create a two person show of some sort soon.

Bob and I have a two-person troupe called Be Quiet, Moron! (which is an anagram of ROBERT and MONIQUE) that only performs at our house. But Wedded Bliss suits us fine, too.