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WHAT
IS IMPROV?
Improv is creating a scene, a song, a play, with absolutely
no planning, rehearsing, writing… nothing. Get a suggestion
from the audience and GO!
As
Greg Atkins puts it in his book, "Improv: A Handbook for
the Actor:"
| Improvisation
is not that difficult. All you have to do is make up your
own dialogue; block your own scene; create your plot;
develop a fully realized character; make your own environment
seem real; introduce a conflict; and include a beginning,
middle, and an end, complete with climax and denouement.
And you must do all of this while the other actors are
trying to do the same thing in different ways. |
Usually
in less than four minutes. Oh, and if you've hired a piano player,
it’s probably a musical!
There is a term in improv called “finding the game.”
Never mind what it means, the desired result is to make the
audience laugh out loud.
MEET THE MEMBERS.
COMPANY HISTORY
The Improvoholics was founded in 1995, and it is currently one
of the longest-performing improv troupes in New York City. The
aim was to create an ensemble that would embrace those aspects
of traditional improv comedy which audiences are seeking; spontaneous
belly laughs borne out of a mixture of classic games; surprising
twists on familiar formats; innovative new games of their own
invention; all bound together by audience suggestions and a
lot of the unexpected.
And then there were four… the current cast of four
has been performing together since 1998, and have a shared history
that extends beyond the stage. Two of the group’s original
members, Joe Carapella and Michael Silva, have been performing
and studying together since 1990, and while they don’t
like to advertise it, have know each other since they were “in
knee pants” (whatever those are). Ellen Reilly began studying
along with Carapella and Silva in 1997, joined the cast shortly
thereafter and hasn’t stopped making lists since. Amy Fiore
came on board in 1998, bringing with her a formidable talent
and drive (and a small suitcase), and her musical theater background
didn’t hurt things either. The Improvoholics can boast
an impressive roster of over 30 improvisers who have performed
with them over their history. The current cast members are the
beneficiaries of all that talent, experience and joy in performing
(as well as a few cool items left in the lost and found).
Our
former members |
