Oral Tradition

[TBerrongKC]

History of Poke:

Here's how I remember it happening. I was at the Minneapolis Improv Fest, and after too many beers and lots of 2-person shows, I e-mailed (or texted) Tommy to see if 1) he'd be interested in doing a show or b) that sounded creepy.

It wasn't SO creepy we didn't do it, so we asked Bob to be our director and started rehearsing.

The name happened when we had to get a name on posters and it sounded like a clown act to say, "Trish & Tommy" or "Tommy & Trish." Part of the idea we wanted to explore in our shows was f-ing with each other...so Poke.

Tommy, is that about right?

[Todd Crustabeast Jr.]

Wow, if Poke has an oral tradition after one show, maybe we should have something up here for Horse With No Name.

Tommy, would you bless us?

[TBerrongKC]

Hey...we have another one scheduled.

And some of this is about how stuff started.

[InkyNeverwhere]

I've been working on The Complete History of the Hypothetical Seven... some of it's up on the Facebook group discussion board. Last night I learned that runners-up for the name included "Commedia del Taco" and "KittyFishyPuppy."

[Keister]

any updates on this Hype people?

[sugarbumkin]

There's a short blurb up on the website. Jen's in the process of unpacking after a move to a new city, so this will probably come slowly. She and Joe are probably the only two who can give us an clear picture of the Hype's history...unless you want to e-mail Matt Reiss. *has his adress if you need it*

[Guy Maggio]

I've just gone back and re-read this after several years, and it is even more fascinating to me now as it was the first time around, especially given the current magnitude of growth in the scene.

It's bittersweet that, at the time I'm writing this, Full Frontal Comedy has announced their final performance. Earlier this year, Hype 7 took their final bow (or, at least that name/brand identity did). Two more venerable names from KC improv's burgeoning toddler years recede into the mist, reminding us old folks that eventually, every scene's gonna hit its final beat, and ready or not, the booth's gonna call "blackout."

But what hope and optimism springs forth! `Cuz if this board has proven anything, it's that troupes are born, grow old, and fade away, but the improvisors themselves remain to play another day. So R.I.P. Lighten Up!, Funny Outfit, Caught in the Act, et al. Long live Spite, Tantrum, Trip Fives, Loaded Dice, I-A, CC and... who's yet to be?

And now I think it's time to revive this thread in the name of a "State of the Improv Union" of sorts. May I get some suggestions from the audience?

<hand on forehead to shade eyes from spotlight glare, scanning the crowd>

You, sirs! <pointing at Jared Brustad and Ed Doris> Would either of you gentlemen care to fill us in on the origins and current status of the remarkable phenomenon that is Improv Thunderdome?

And you, sir! <pointing at John Robison> How about an account of how things are going out in Bonner Springs as The Roving Imp prepares to celebrate its third (or fourth?) New Year's Day?

And finally - you, sir! <pointing at Tom Kessler> What can you tell us about the brand-new adventure beginning in 2010, Kansas City Comedy Crossroads at the Fishtank?

Anybody else I forgot to mention? Jump on in!

[Guy Maggio]

Seven months is as long as I'll wait for an answer before I ask again.

So do we have any volunteers willing and able to catch us up with the last 2-3 years of development in the KC Improv scene? I know we've grown too distracted with Facebook to keep up with this site as much as we used to, but surely we can keep this thread maintained for posterity's sake, yeah?

And now I think it's time to revive this thread in the name of a "State of the Improv Union" of sorts. May I get some suggestions from the audience?

<hand on forehead to shade eyes from spotlight glare, scanning the crowd>

You, sirs! <pointing at Jared Brustad and Ed Doris> Would either of you gentlemen care to fill us in on the origins and current status of the remarkable phenomenon that is Improv Thunderdome?

And you, sir! <pointing at John Robison> How about an account of how things are going out in Bonner Springs as The Roving Imp prepares to celebrate its third (or fourth?) New Year's Day?

And finally - you, sir! <pointing at Tom Kessler> What can you tell us about the brand-new adventure beginning in 2010, Kansas City Comedy Crossroads at the Fishtank?

Anybody else I forgot to mention? Jump on in!