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Unexpected Company
Unexpected Company is an improvisational comedy group founded in Hollywood, California in 1986 by Tim Hillman, and recreated in Rhode Island in 2003 by Hillman and Justin James Lang. California version The original iteration of Unexpected Company was founded by Tim Hillman in 1986 based on his desire to explore comedic improvisational theatre outside the boundaries of short-form improvisation. Hillman was formerly a director and teacher at the LA Connection in Sherman Oaks, California, where he trained under Kent Skov. The original cast of Unexpected Company included- Emmy Award winners Lisa Kudrow and Conan O'Brien, experienced voice actors April Winchell and Paul Rugg from The Groundlings and LA Connection The company's body of work was created in Church of Scientology basement Celebrity Center Theatre in Los Angeles. The group was originally known as "The Fun Onions" - a name discarded after one performance. Kudrow coined the actual name of the company after being inspire ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Improvisational Comedy
Improvisational theatre, often called improvisation or improv, is the form of theatre, often comedy, in which most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted: created spontaneously by the performers. In its purest form, the dialogue, action, story, and characters are created collaboratively by the players as the improvisation unfolds in present time, without use of an already prepared, written script. Improvisational theatre exists in performance as a range of styles of improvisational comedy as well as some non-comedic theatrical performances. It is sometimes used in film and television, both to develop characters and scripts and occasionally as part of the final product. Improvisational techniques are often used extensively in drama programs to train actors for stage, film, and television and can be an important part of the rehearsal process. However, the skills and processes of improvisation are also used outside the context of performing arts. This practice, known ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
ImprovOlympic
iO, or iO Chicago, (formerly known as "ImprovOlympic") is an improv theater and training center in central Chicago, with a former branch in Los Angeles, called iO West and in Raleigh, North Carolina called iO South. The theater taught and hosted performances of improvisational comedy. It was founded in 1981 by Del Close and Charna Halpern. The theater has many notable alumni, including Amy Poehler and Stephen Colbert. The theatre closed briefly in 2020, though the building was purchased in 2021 and reopened on November 3, 2022. Description iO concentrated on "long-form" improvisational structures, in contrast to the "short-form" or "improv game" format of Theatresports, ComedySportz or the television show ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?'' The iO's signature piece is the "Harold", and the theater featured other forms of improvisation, as well as sketch comedy and stand-up comedy. The building had four performance spaces: * The Del Close Theater - This was the second-largest of iO's the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is an American seaside city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island. It is located in Narragansett Bay, approximately southeast of Providence, Rhode Island, Providence, south of Fall River, Massachusetts, south of Boston, and northeast of New York City. It is known as a New England summer resort and is famous for its historic Newport Mansions, mansions and its rich sailing history. It was the location of the first U.S. Open tournaments in both US Open (tennis), tennis and US Open (golf), golf, as well as every challenge to the America's Cup between 1930 and 1983. It is also the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport, which houses the United States Naval War College, the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, and an important Navy training center. It was a major 18th-century port city and boasts many buildings from the Colonial history of the United States, Colonial era. The city is the county seat of Newport County, Rhode Island, Newport County ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Providence Phoenix
Providence often refers to: * Providentia, the divine personification of foresight in ancient Roman religion * Divine providence, divinely ordained events and outcomes in Christianity * Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island in the United States Providence may also refer to: Entertainment Film and television * ''Providence'' (1977 film), a French/Swiss film directed by Alain Resnais * ''Providence'' (2023 film), an American mystery comedy * ''Providence'' (American TV series), a 1999–2002 NBC television series * ''Providence'' (Canadian TV series), a 2005–2011 Radio-Canada television series * Providence (''The X-Files''), a 2002 episode of the television series ''The X-Files'' * Providence (''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.''), a 2014 episode of American TV series ''Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.'' * Providence, a government organization in the show ''Generator Rex'' * HMS ''Providence'', a Royal Navy warship from the 2011 film '' Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger T ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
The Providence Journal
''The Providence Journal'', colloquially known as the ''ProJo'', is a daily newspaper serving the metropolitan area of Providence, Rhode Island, and is the largest newspaper in Rhode Island. The newspaper was first published in 1829. The newspaper has won four Pulitzer Prizes. The ''Journal'' bills itself as "America's oldest daily newspaper in continuous publication", a distinction that comes from the fact that ''The Hartford Courant'', started in 1764, did not become a daily until 1837 and the ''New York Post'', which began daily publication in 1801, had to suspend publication during strikes in 1958 and 1978. History Early years The beginnings of the Providence Journal Company were on January 3, 1820, when publisher "Honest" John Miller started the ''Manufacturers' & Farmers' Journal, Providence & Pawtucket Advertiser'' in Providence, published twice per week. The paper's office was in the old Coffee House, at the corner of Market Square and Canal street. The paper moved many t ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Zack Morris (Saved By The Bell)
Zack Morris is a fictional character from the sitcoms ''Good Morning, Miss Bliss''; ''Saved by the Bell''; and '' Saved by the Bell: The College Years''. He also makes a guest appearance in the spin-off series '' Saved by the Bell: The New Class''. He is portrayed by Mark-Paul Gosselaar. Though the character appeared in several different television programs, Gosselaar made a concerted effort to keep the character fundamentally the same through its various incarnations. Zack also appears as a recurring character in the 2020 ''Saved by the Bell'' series. As the main protagonist of the original ''Saved by the Bell'', Zack Morris ended up becoming one of the most iconic characters in 1990s sitcoms. Junior high and ''Good Morning, Miss Bliss'' Set in a different continuity from the later series, ''Good Morning, Miss Bliss'' took place during Zack's eighth grade year at John F. Kennedy Junior High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. Screech and Lisa are two of Zack's friends in these epi ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Saved By The Bell
''Saved by the Bell'' is an American television sitcom created by Sam Bobrick for NBC. The series premiered, in primetime, on August 20, 1989, a Sunday night. Targeted at kids and teens, ''Saved by the Bell'' was broadcast in the United States on Saturday mornings, later as the flagship series in NBC's TNBC lineup. A spin-off (media), retooling of the Disney Channel series ''Good Morning, Miss Bliss'', the show follows a group of high school friends and their Principal (school), principal at the fictional Bayside High School in Los Angeles. Primarily focusing on lighthearted comedic situations, it occasionally touches on serious social issues, such as recreational drug use, drug use, driving under the influence, homelessness, remarriage, death, women's rights, and environmental issues. The series starred Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Dustin Diamond, Lark Voorhies, Dennis Haskins, Tiffani Thiessen, Tiffani-Amber Thiessen, Elizabeth Berkley, and Mario Lopez. The series ran for four seasons, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Monologues
In theatre, a monologue (from el, μονόλογος, from μόνος ''mónos'', "alone, solitary" and λόγος ''lógos'', "speech") is a speech presented by a single character, most often to express their thoughts aloud, though sometimes also to directly address another character or the audience. Monologues are common across the range of dramatic media (plays, films, etc.), as well as in non-dramatic media such as poetry. Monologues share much in common with several other literary devices including soliloquies, apostrophes, and asides. There are, however, distinctions between each of these devices. Similar literary devices Monologues are similar to poems, epiphanies, and others, in that, they involve one 'voice' speaking but there are differences between them. For example, a soliloquy involves a character relating their thoughts and feelings to themself and to the audience without addressing any of the other characters. A monologue is the thoughts of a person spoken out lo ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Artistic Director
An artistic director is the executive of an arts organization, particularly in a theatre or dance company, who handles the organization's artistic direction. They are generally a producer and director, but not in the sense of a mogul, since the organization is generally a non-profit organization. The artistic director of a theatre company is the individual with the overarching artistic control of the theatre's production choices, directorial choices, and overall artistic vision. In smaller theatres, the artistic director may be the founder of the theatre and the primary director of its plays. In larger non-profit theatres (often known in Canada and the United States as regional theatres), the artistic director may be appointed by the board of directors. Overview The artistic director of a performing dance company is similar to the musical director of an orchestra, the primary person responsible for planning a company's season. The artistic director's responsibilities can in ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Harold (improvisation)
Harold is a structure used in longform improvisational theatre that is performed by improv troupes and teams across the world. In the Harold structure, characters and themes are introduced and then recur in a series of connected scenes. It was first performed in California by The Committee in 1967. History The Committee, a San Francisco improv group, performed the first Harold in Concord, California, in 1967. They were invited to a high school and decided to do their improvisations on the war in Vietnam. On the way home in a Volkswagen bus, they were discussing the performance, when one of them asked what they should call it. Allaudin (Bill) Mathieu, ( W.A. Mathieu) called out "Harold", which was a joking reference to a line from '' A Hard Day's Night'' where a reporter asks George Harrison what he calls his haircut and he answers "Arthur". The form was further developed by improv teachers Del Close and Charna Halpern, as well as the Upright Citizens Brigade. When The Commit ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Del Close
Del Close (March 9, 1934 – March 4, 1999) was an American actor, writer, and teacher who coached many of the best-known comedians and comic actors of the late twentieth century. In addition to an acting career in television and film, he was one of the influences on modern improvisational theater. Close is co-founder of the iO, or iO Chicago, (formerly known as "ImprovOlympic"). Life and career Early life Close was born on March 9, 1934, in Manhattan, Kansas. He ran away from home at the age of 17 to work in a traveling side show, but returned to attend Kansas State University. At age 19 he performed in summer stock with the Belfry Players at Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. At age 23 he became a member of the Compass Players in St. Louis. When most of the cast—including Mike Nichols and Elaine May—moved to New York City, Close followed. He developed a stand-up comedy act, starred as the Yogi in the Broadway musical revue ''The Nervous Set'', and performed briefly with an impr ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Charna Halpern
Charna Halpern (born June 1, 1952) is an American comedian who is co-founder of the ImprovOlympic, now known as iO. Upon iO's founding, in 1983, with partner Del Close, she began teaching Harold to many students in the Chicago theater community. Many prominent comedians performed at iO, from Neil Flynn ('' The Middle'') to Jack McBrayer ('' 30 Rock''). Also appearing were up and coming comedic minds such as Craig Cackowski ('' Drunk History''). Halpern opened the iO West located in Hollywood, California, in the early 2000s. In February 2018, she made the decision to close the theater citing the reasons as the neighboring nightclub and lack of attendance. She and Close co-authored the book ''Truth in Comedy: The Manual of Improvisation'' with editor Kim "Howard" Johnson in 1994. She published ''Group Improvisation'' in 2003 and ''Art by Committee'' in 2006. The remaining theater in Chicago, originally located in the Wrigleyville neighborhood was forced to relocate due to neigh ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
