Improv, Beat by Beat

An improv jam is basically an open mic for improv: anyone who goes can throw their name in a bucket to do scenes with the jam hosts. They can be stressful and intimidating, but they’re also a great way to get over nervousness over being on stage, to learn how to play with people of many different skill levels, and to get to know more people in your improv community. Featuring Devin Ritchie, X Mayo, Lydia Hensler, Kelsey Bailey, and Cathryn Mudon. Hosted by Curtis Retherford.

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Musical improv is exactly what it sounds like: an improvised musical. A bit of dialogue, and then a lot of singing and dancing. In addition to having its own challenges (such as song structure, rhyming, and narrative structure), a musical improv show still has to have great improv. In this episode, we discuss the challenges of musical improv, how to get better at it, and how learning musical improv can help your non-musical improv. Featuring Ashley Ward, Morgan Phillips, and Jessica Morgan. Hosted by Curtis Retherford.

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A house team is a team that is created to perform regularly at a particular theater. At UCB NY, there are 3 levels of improv house teams: Lloyd, Harold, and the weekend. This episode talks about each level: why being on a house team can be frustrating and nerve-wracking, why it can be amazing and help you become a better improvisor, and when to walk away. Featuring Kevin Mullaney, Ray Cordova, Liz Noth, Lindsay Calleran, Jesse Lee, Devin Ritchie, Lily Du, Kevin Hines, Morgan Phillips, Joey Price, Lydia Hensler, Alex Dickson, Sebastian Conelli, and James Dwyer. Hosted by Curtis Retherford.

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Improv, Beat by Beat now has a Patreon. If you have a dollar or two, and want to support the podcast, you can do so at patreon.com/ActuallyCurtis. If you can’t, don’t worry about it. This is just to help pay for the hosting costs, which are fairly minimal. Thanks for listening, and I’ll have a new (long) episode out very soon.

Your first several years of learning long form improv will likely focus on scenework, the Harold, montages, and perhaps another form or two. In this episode, we discuss the other forms: why they’re important to learn and how they’re created. With Lily Du, Chris Scott, Kevin Mullaney, and Kevin Hines. Hosted by Curtis Retherford.

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The Monoscene is a form in which the location never changes: there are no edits. In this episode, we talk about how it was developed and what to keep in mind while performing one. Featuring Kevin Mullaney, Lily Du, and Jenny St. Angelo. Hosted by Curtis Retherford.

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Improv scenes should be more than just reciting lines. In this episode, we talk about how acting influences improv, and how to become better at it. Featuring Jessica Morgan, Molly Thomas, Morgan Phillips, Alex Dickson, Sebastian Conelli, Liz Noth, and Will Hines. Hosted by Curtis Retherford.

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In a Harold, after the first beats and the first group game, the team returns to the first 3 games for second beats, and then does another group game, and then returns again for third beats. These scenes are chances to play more fun versions of the games from the first beats. Featuring Chris Scott, Liz Noth, Kelsey Bailey, Jesse Lee, and Lou Gonzalez. Hosted by Curtis Retherford.

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Most theaters hold auditions to add people to their house teams. Every year around 600 people audition for UCBNY house teams. Molly Thomas, Chris Scott, and Morgan Phillips share their experiences with auditioning. Hosted by Curtis Retherford.

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In a Harold, in between each set of beats is a group scene. These scenes can be tough if the entire team isn’t listening and playing together, but they can also be incredibly fun and change the direction and tempo of your entire Harold. Featuring Johnna Scrabis, Joey Price, Devin Ritchie, Lydia Hensler, and Molly Thomas. Hosted by Curtis Retherford.

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