Brently Heilbron's Personal Comedy Manifesto Workshop

[brently]

Hello Hideoutians,

This is Brently Heilbron, happily included in the Austin's Improv Collective history page as the director of Only 90% Effective and member of Monks Night Out, also voted Best of Austin Comic and what else...? oh yeah, Gregory Peck once called our work "the solacement of my later years." (speaking of the bizarre epic "Hooray for Gregory Peck's Ass!". Anyway, I'm heading back to my beloved Austin for my first shows there in five years. I'll be in town to promote my first comedy record which is now at Waterloo. The performances are at the Hideout in late July. That's how much I miss Austin. I'm coming back when everything is melty. I will also be teaching a workshop to bridge the gap between what I've learned in Austin and the new styles I've experienced in Los Angeles in New York. You can see it in evidence with some friends of mine who are current cast members of SNL. It's a new carnyism of sorts, a step towards the future with a firm link to the past. In Los Angeles, it goes by the "Generation Mig". Either way, it's a way of using improv techniques we already know with a more personal direct approach to sharpen your skills as an improviser, stand-up, or as a performer in general. I think comedy is taking a turn for the better, as evident in how the Austin scene is shaping up. If you're interested in taking the class, it'll be $25 for two hours on Tuesday July 24th at 7:30. I want to keep the class size small enough so everyone gets a good share. I can always add a second class later at 10:30 if necessary. I'm excited to share what I've learned and hear from all of you. Hopefully, everyone will come out stronger and more confident with their own personal performance manifesto. FYI--if anyone is willing to work either the tech or the door to my shows (July 25th and 26th) the class is free. If y'all are interested, please let Andy or myself know. Can't wait to see everybody. Please keep some Queso warm for me.

[beardedlamb]

i can personally vouch for the sweetness of this man's comedy and character. see the show and/or take the workshop. i warrant it useful and inspiring.

beard

[York99]

Hey Brently. Good to meet you.

I am curious about how you're going to run the class. Is it lecture, workshop, mix? Can you tell us more about the approach and what we can expect out of it?

Sounds pretty interesting and I'd be up for it if I am free that night.

[brently]

First off, anybody that uses Curtis Armstrong as their picture is a-ok in my book.

The class will be more workshop than lecture for sure. Basically, I've been fascinated recently by the direction comedy has taken. Over the past few years the real life situations have gotten more surreal than anything we comics could come up with. Thusly, comedians and satirists have seemed to flame out one by one (Spaulding Gray, Hunter Thompson, Richard Jeni, Michael Richards, etc.) It's a similar situation the Marx Bros. faced when they tanked in the 50's. They just couldn't be any similar than the communist witch hunts actually taking place. I'm a student of comedy history and I don't think this parallel can be ignored.

So where does that leave us? I think this presents the current crop of once and future satirists with an excitable challenge. We must attempt some past hang-ups and insecurities that have so long plagued comedians so that we may flourish and continue to be hilarious in this age of delusional grandiosity.

It's a reach in two hours, yes. But that's why I want to keep the class size small. I feel that the playing field right now is pretty level. It's like we're in a gray area between two eras (like the painter's cap period between the late 80's and early 90's). Let's take advantage of it by sharpening our personal manifestos and rewriting the new carny code.

So much of what I learned began in Austin and the training I received there both informally and formally. I really look forward to meeting the new crew.

I hope that answers some questions. As for the specifics of the workshop, it will be a combination of exercises with groups and solo work.
A little lecturing, I'm sure (I'll try to save it for the shows, but forgive me, I get excited). There will be a lot of questions, mainly from me to you. I want you to walk away with a renewed confidence in your performance abilities and with a direct answer to the question "what makes you so fucking special?"

Love to all and death to Vaudeville,

Brently

[kbadr]

Love to all and death to Vaudeville,

Whoa! You had me until that one...

[brently]

That's just a fancy little phrase that I heard an old man say when I was growing up in Dallas. Always sounded like the weirdest salutation I've ever heard. No need to get the heebie jeebies. How about...

Stay in school!
love brently

[sara farr]

I'm intersted, but I teach on Tuesday nights this summer. I will come if I can let the students out early.

Don't be a fool. Stay in skool.

[brently]

...last night at a secret show at Amoeba Music in Hollywood. Holy crap.

One of the most surreal gigs ever. Go Austin comics!

x
b

See y'all in a few weeks...