Whose troupe is this, anyway?
By MICHAEL SMITH World Scene Writer, 1/19/2004
SuperOVUM Improv members (from left) Laura Beckert, Natalie Large, Toni Willis, Robin Cravens and Katrina Lofgren will present a conceptual piece featuring the Mad Cow Ballet on Jan. 30 at 8 p.m., during the Tulsa Area Comedy Micro-Festival STEPHEN HOLMAN / Tulsa World
Sort out the city's improv groups at the Tulsa Area Comedy Micro-Festival
Funny people, unite!
Short-form improv, that "Whose Line is it Anyway?"-inspired style of comedy that requires but a simple audience suggestion to get the ball rolling on a sketch, continues to grow in the Tulsa area.
But it's grown a bit wild in the last year or so, as the phenomenon that saw several area groups bloom has seen performers migrate from one company to another, some troupes disappear altogether and new ones sprout up in their place.
For a look at the current state of improv humor in Tulsa, may we suggest the Tulsa Area Comedy Micro-Festival, a collection of performances and workshops set for Jan. 29-31 at the Nightingale Theater.
The closing Saturday night event will bring together performers from many Tulsa groups on stage for an improv jam session, and all are invited, said Corey Douglas, who's coordinating this funny business.
"There are a lot of comedy troupes and performers in town who people haven't seen, and we want to give them a place to show what they can do," said Douglas, an active local theater performer and a member of The Improv Experiment troupe for most of 2003.
"With the Saturday jam session, I'm leaving it completely open. Anyone who does improv, whether they're in a troupe or not, they're welcome. So I'm looking to have maybe 30 people on stage that Saturday night."
The improv jam is also a fund-raising event for Nightingale Theater, the little black box theater that for four years has opened its doors to anyone who wants to put on a show.
The festival schedule includes:
Jan. 29:
8 p.m., The Not Ready for Part Time Players, a new improv group headed by Douglas.
Jan. 30:
8 p.m., SuperOVUM, an all-female troupe presenting a conceptual piece featuring the Mad Cow Ballet;
10 p.m., Mild Dementia, a Dallas sketch comedy group.
Jan. 31:
1 p.m., Basics of Short-Form Improvisation, a workshop led by SuperOVUM's Katrina Lofgren and Douglas;
3 p.m., Introduction to Long-Form Improvisation, Lofgren leads this study of improv based on continuous, improvised scenes and games based on audience suggestions;
8 p.m., Tulsa Area Improv Jam Session, participants from groups including Heller Theater's Laughing Matter Improv, The Improv Experiment and more join forces for a benefit show.
All events are at the Nightingale Theater, 1416 E. Fourth St. Prices for these events vary by individual shows and weekend passes. Ticket information is available by calling 857-3375 or via e-mail at coreyshawndouglas@hotmail.com.