favorite things done by other improvisers
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I'm bringing back this thread!
#1. In a Level 4 Mullaney class on Sunday, Rob Webber initiated by telling his scene partner something about getting all the pamphlets ready, his scene partner (who was it? was it Matt? or Justin?) said, "You know, I think this is great, what you're doing, but Nelson Mandela's already free." And then, without a blink, Rob said, "Well, he's not free enough." Oh, me. That's good. And I immediately know what's going on in the scene! Whee!
#2. Two moments in the Swarm show a couple weeks ago, Delaney and Dave are in some sort of a Show World type booth or something, and they're viewing Billy. And Delaney offers Billy some coffee, and Billys says, "No thank you, it always gives me the poos." And that just made me laugh harder than anything I've heard in a while.
#3. I had fun watching Mr. Christopher Gethard play with cards during the WPA Project 2-man show at FlipSide this Saturday, but not as much fun as he was having. Good times.
#1. In a Level 4 Mullaney class on Sunday, Rob Webber initiated by telling his scene partner something about getting all the pamphlets ready, his scene partner (who was it? was it Matt? or Justin?) said, "You know, I think this is great, what you're doing, but Nelson Mandela's already free." And then, without a blink, Rob said, "Well, he's not free enough." Oh, me. That's good. And I immediately know what's going on in the scene! Whee!
#2. Two moments in the Swarm show a couple weeks ago, Delaney and Dave are in some sort of a Show World type booth or something, and they're viewing Billy. And Delaney offers Billy some coffee, and Billys says, "No thank you, it always gives me the poos." And that just made me laugh harder than anything I've heard in a while.
#3. I had fun watching Mr. Christopher Gethard play with cards during the WPA Project 2-man show at FlipSide this Saturday, but not as much fun as he was having. Good times.
Of course, it's a Swarm moment...
I was at a Swarm show once where Sean was yelling at Katie for forgetting to pick his mother up from the airport. On the other side of the stage was Secunda playing the confused old woman wandering around. I think Billy or Delaney then swooped down as a bird and picked her up, flew her to the other side of the stage and dropped her into his nest to feed his young (Dave). Secunda climbed out of the nest and down the tree, went through the woods being chased by wolves and was eventually attacked by and turned into a zombie. All this went on as Katie and Sean continued their arguement about the mother. Brilliant.
Most of my favorite improv moments come from the Swarm's amazing object work. I think there was another one where two cars switched drivers as they were going down the highway.
I was at a Swarm show once where Sean was yelling at Katie for forgetting to pick his mother up from the airport. On the other side of the stage was Secunda playing the confused old woman wandering around. I think Billy or Delaney then swooped down as a bird and picked her up, flew her to the other side of the stage and dropped her into his nest to feed his young (Dave). Secunda climbed out of the nest and down the tree, went through the woods being chased by wolves and was eventually attacked by and turned into a zombie. All this went on as Katie and Sean continued their arguement about the mother. Brilliant.
Most of my favorite improv moments come from the Swarm's amazing object work. I think there was another one where two cars switched drivers as they were going down the highway.
A little while back at a Swarm show there was a wedding theme going on.
During one scene between Sean and Billy, Delaney stood to the side and put on a full tux piece by piece.
It was the best object work I have ever seen. I had a huge smile on my face when he finally got down to putting on the top hat.
Also, back when Respecto was doing Fat City, their first or second scene dealt with a husband admitting to his wife he was having an affair with a Phillipino named Carteek. What made it fantastic was when Carteek became the last punch line of the show some 25 minutes later. Brilliant.
What an amazing zinger.
During one scene between Sean and Billy, Delaney stood to the side and put on a full tux piece by piece.
It was the best object work I have ever seen. I had a huge smile on my face when he finally got down to putting on the top hat.
Also, back when Respecto was doing Fat City, their first or second scene dealt with a husband admitting to his wife he was having an affair with a Phillipino named Carteek. What made it fantastic was when Carteek became the last punch line of the show some 25 minutes later. Brilliant.
What an amazing zinger.
There was a swarm show last year where in cage match Secunda showed up late. The first beat Secunda and I think Billy were in a tank or something. The second beat Sean and I think Delaney came out and their entire scene was about how much Secunda sucked in the last scene. It was surreal and incredibly funny.
Few weeks back, in an Alexis Steinkamp show, Todd Stashwick was sitting in with us. We were only 4 that night. Todd was playing a talking albino gorilla, with a message of peace, who eats and poos PILES. We're on a ship at sea, and Todd is in his cabin that night. Shulie as the first mate, goes to visit him in the cabin to supposedly hook up.
Bill, as captain, off-stage, takes them by surprise and bangs on the cabin door. Todd says to Shulie, "Hide in the dung" which gets a huge laugh, and during the laugh he's sort of pushing her into it. Shulie trying to crawl away, as the audience laugh starts to taper off, says;
"Can't I hide in the Murphy Bed or something?"
Another HUGE laugh.
As usual, the timing was everything.
Bill, as captain, off-stage, takes them by surprise and bangs on the cabin door. Todd says to Shulie, "Hide in the dung" which gets a huge laugh, and during the laugh he's sort of pushing her into it. Shulie trying to crawl away, as the audience laugh starts to taper off, says;
"Can't I hide in the Murphy Bed or something?"
Another HUGE laugh.
As usual, the timing was everything.
Several years ago, I watched one of the members of Burn Manhattan turn into a giant. Two other members of the troupe moved chairs around the stage so he could walk and remain taller than his scene partner.
Now that I know more than I did then, it seems pretty logical to do, but at the time, the awareness and groupmind blew me away.
Ian Roberts blasting the Swarm, especially Katie, when they interrupted his Lazyman at this year's DCM was just about the funniest thing I have ever heard.
Also from the DCM, one of my favorite improv moments ever: Dr. Awesome trying desperately to get one last glimpse of the audience as the window lowered on the nudie booth. Not only was it funny, it was a little bit sad and a little bit touching. Of course, I hadn't slept in like 30 hours.
Now that I know more than I did then, it seems pretty logical to do, but at the time, the awareness and groupmind blew me away.
Ian Roberts blasting the Swarm, especially Katie, when they interrupted his Lazyman at this year's DCM was just about the funniest thing I have ever heard.
Also from the DCM, one of my favorite improv moments ever: Dr. Awesome trying desperately to get one last glimpse of the audience as the window lowered on the nudie booth. Not only was it funny, it was a little bit sad and a little bit touching. Of course, I hadn't slept in like 30 hours.
Liz Black -
Last night -
in The Documentary -
Sarah Burns' character tells Liz's character that she's had sex with their boss, and that she's still not feeling right about it.
Liz Black:
"Well, have you been drinking cranberry juice?"
So quick, she is. Like lighting.
(Boys - if you don't get it, ask a friend.)
Last night -
in The Documentary -
Sarah Burns' character tells Liz's character that she's had sex with their boss, and that she's still not feeling right about it.
Liz Black:
"Well, have you been drinking cranberry juice?"
So quick, she is. Like lighting.
(Boys - if you don't get it, ask a friend.)
Jason Mantzoukas (Mother) played a meek cab driver with a tiny apartment full of animals he had to keep quite. It was as if his team kept giving him impossible things to deal with, they just kept piling shit on his shoulders and he used and! kept -every single- idea, floating up in the air like a room full of feathers. It was a beautiful thig to watch.
Jon Daly in his one man show, Balls Out, floored me not once, but twice. The crazy part was, I went to video tape it and it was great, but the audio sucked. So then I went again and He was even better. I think that Jesus wrote this parable specifically for Jon: Do You put a bowl over a lamp? Or Do You place the lamp in the center, so it lights the whole room. He has a gift.
Repecto did a perrrfect show one night at the Harold Night that was probably one of the best I have ever seen. There was like eight seconds left and they were building to a perfect climax. I noticed Danielle Schneider peaked at the clock and waited the extra second to deliver the closing line. Just as She did the buzzer went off, much to the delight of the audience, but Paul Shear thought there was still time left and grabbed the clock to set it off, just as it was going off. They got points shaved off their score for that, but naturally they won, because they were just to good that night! BTW, that was me that yelled out," You should have trusted the Force Shear!"
Holy Crap!!! Did I almost shit my pants, when I saw 'Hey dumbass'!!! Besser did almost absolutely nothing on stage, as He played his twisted phone conversations. That was the hardest, I ever laughed and it made me to understood Why Matt owns the fuckin joint, along with everyones repect.
I video tape The Swarm alot, so I see each one of their shows like three or four times. They have done so many awesome things, it's hard to pick out one, so I won't. I will say this though, there's more team support going on their, then an underwire bra.
And last, but certainly far from least, Billy Merritt in his Capt America outfit with his huge, unusually thick dong, protruding proud, yet limply on his leg.
Jon Daly in his one man show, Balls Out, floored me not once, but twice. The crazy part was, I went to video tape it and it was great, but the audio sucked. So then I went again and He was even better. I think that Jesus wrote this parable specifically for Jon: Do You put a bowl over a lamp? Or Do You place the lamp in the center, so it lights the whole room. He has a gift.
Repecto did a perrrfect show one night at the Harold Night that was probably one of the best I have ever seen. There was like eight seconds left and they were building to a perfect climax. I noticed Danielle Schneider peaked at the clock and waited the extra second to deliver the closing line. Just as She did the buzzer went off, much to the delight of the audience, but Paul Shear thought there was still time left and grabbed the clock to set it off, just as it was going off. They got points shaved off their score for that, but naturally they won, because they were just to good that night! BTW, that was me that yelled out," You should have trusted the Force Shear!"
Holy Crap!!! Did I almost shit my pants, when I saw 'Hey dumbass'!!! Besser did almost absolutely nothing on stage, as He played his twisted phone conversations. That was the hardest, I ever laughed and it made me to understood Why Matt owns the fuckin joint, along with everyones repect.
I video tape The Swarm alot, so I see each one of their shows like three or four times. They have done so many awesome things, it's hard to pick out one, so I won't. I will say this though, there's more team support going on their, then an underwire bra.
And last, but certainly far from least, Billy Merritt in his Capt America outfit with his huge, unusually thick dong, protruding proud, yet limply on his leg.
Both of my favorite moments are from Swarm shows:
1. I don't remember who said it, but Andrew Secunda and (I think) Billy Merritt were in a boat and Michael Delaney was ashore on an island, one of them said meaning to say "Ahoy!" said "Nahoy!" and without missing a beat the other party responded with "Nahoy!". They called it back a few times to the audience's glee in that show and I've heard them say it in other shows and it drives me insane with laughter.
2. There was a show where no matter what Sean Conroy did or said they made him a woman. It was amazing because you could see that they were messing with him, but he took it and became a woman in every scene.
Why are they so amazing?
1. I don't remember who said it, but Andrew Secunda and (I think) Billy Merritt were in a boat and Michael Delaney was ashore on an island, one of them said meaning to say "Ahoy!" said "Nahoy!" and without missing a beat the other party responded with "Nahoy!". They called it back a few times to the audience's glee in that show and I've heard them say it in other shows and it drives me insane with laughter.
2. There was a show where no matter what Sean Conroy did or said they made him a woman. It was amazing because you could see that they were messing with him, but he took it and became a woman in every scene.
Why are they so amazing?
Delany...Nahoy...That was awesome!!! He does a similair thing in the church raffle bit, with a mouth full of hotdog, when Dave quitely tells him the number and Delany rips the hot dog out of his mouth and then just lay's heavily into the mic, so his voice just permeats the whole room," Na-humber 32," and just the way he say's it, leaves me shakin my head and gigglin every time. Delany is what legends are made of. Dave BTW, is an excellent character actor, who I've noticed from video taping alot, makes the best and funniest faces. I'm alway's amazed, watching after, at how much his mask stands out on film. They make a very funny team.
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I saw a Beer, Shark, Mice show where during their intro they said they might have a special guest appearance by what sounded like "a truck tire". Then, towards the end of the show Dave Koechner wheeled out this huge tire, and did a scene with it. They then did a bunch of tag-outs of each other, while the tire remained an active character. They were doing scenes with an inanimate object, yet each scene had all the necessary elements (relationship, stakes…). AND IT WAS FUNNY AS SHIT!!!