Wow, I fell a month behind!
Here's why:
http://www.phoeniximprovfestival.com
Follow PIF on Twitter: http://twitter.com/GoPIF (and please use the hashtags #PIF09 and #PHX when making PIF-related tweets)!
Also:
PIF Underground @ Space 55, Friday - 10:30pm
JoKyR & Jesster (Salt Lake City) and Semi-Hemi & The Buzz (SLC & Detroit / Minneapolis)
http://is.gd/sNHx
Boom!
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Thursday, March 12th - Monday, March 17th
* Shows & Events
+ Thursday, March 12th - Level IV Graduation Show (Week 2) @ Space 55, 7:30pm - $5
The latest crop of The Torch's Improv Training Center explode on stage under the direction of Bob Fisher! Show up for the Level IV and get to stick around free for ...
+ Thursday, March 12th - The Phoenix Improv March Madness Playoff Tournament (Week 2) @ Space 55, 9pm - $5
Groups & shows battle it out for longform improv supremacy and your undying love and affection! This week: Brad Perry's CD Release Party vs. MOBOB (Mail Order Bride + Bob Fisher) and We B. Ca$h Money vs. Galapagos.
+ Friday, March 13th - Dangerville @ The Trunk Space, 7pm - $8
Torch Theatre performers Michelle Edwards and Jose Gonzalez bring the pure musical power of Dangerville to an actual music show! The amazing Jason Webley and wonderful Vermillion Lies finally cross paths! Locals Bone Eater join the fun, too!
+ Friday, March 13th - The Torch Theatre & Space 55 present The FUTURE with Galapagos & Mail Order Bride @ Space 55, 10:30pm - Free for First Friday!
The OGs of Phoenix longform improv, Galapagos, get down with this week's guest group, Mail Order Bride!
+ Saturday, March 7th - Galapagos presents The All-City Bingo Jam @ The Trunk Space, 6:30pm - Free to Participate or Perform!
The Bingo Jam mashes up improvisors from all over, from all backgrounds, and from all experience levels to form instant ensembles that will go on to rock the stage!
* Classes & Workshops
+ The Torch Theatre Improv Training Center's Level I class starting soon! To register or for more info, please visit http://www.thetorchtheatre.com.
* Latest News, Just Announced, & Upcoming
+ All of the proceeds from March's Torch Theatre shows will go to support the Phoenix Improv Festival!
+ Check out Phoenix Magazine's article on the upcoming Phoenix Improv Festival here: http://www.phoenixmag.com/lifestyle/200903/havin--a-laugh/!
+ Time to vote for AZCentral.com's Best!
We hope you'll consider voting for The Torch Theatre (Best Theatre Company), Space 55 (Best Live Venue), Phoenix Improv Festival (Best Arts Festival & Best Annual Arts Festival), and The Trunk Space (Best Art Gallery), but you're free to vote for whomever you want! Vote here: http://www.azcentral.com/best/2009/polls/arts_ent.php# Thanks!
* The Places
The Trunk Space
1506 NW Grand Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Space 55
636 East Pierce Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85004
* Questions & comments down below or please visit http://www.thetorchtheatre.com!
Let me know what you think - your feedback & advice is welcome.
Thanks, all!
===
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Tuesday, March 3rd - Monday, March 10th
* Shows & Events
+ Thursday, March 5th - Level IV Graduation Show (Week 1) @ Space 55, 7:30pm - $5
The latest crop of The Torch's Improv Training Center explode on stage under the direction of Bob Fisher! Show up for the Level IV and get to stick around free for ...
+ Thursday, March 5th - The Phoenix Improv March Madness Playoff Tournament (Week 1) @ Space 55, 9pm - $5
Groups & shows battle it out for longform improv supremacy and your undying love and affection! This week: The Editors vs. The Notorious P.I.E. and Apollo 12 vs. Searching for X
+ Friday, March 6th - The Torch Theatre & Space 55 present The FUTURE with Galapagos & The Remainders @ Space 55, 10:30pm - Free for First Friday!
The OGs of Phoenix longform improv, Galapagos, get down with this week's guest group, the Light Rail Pirates! Galapagos will be joined by special guest, Jenn Hoffman, in her last Arizona show (for a while)!
+ Saturday, March 7th - Galapagos presents The All-City Bingo Jam @ The Trunk Space, 6:30pm - Free to Participate or Perform!
The Bingo Jam mashes up improvisors from all over, from all backgrounds, and from all experience levels to form instant ensembles that will go on to rock the stage!
+ Saturday, March 7th - Galapagos presents The Neighborhood @ The Trunk Space, 8pm, $5
Every First Saturday of the month, Galapagos and their friends are joined by Phoenix's movers & shakers to share their stories, which will be spun into improvised scenes! This month, March, The Neighborhood will welcome comedian and Topless Robot writer, Shaun Clayton, to the stage before he moves away to Chicago!
+ Wednesday, March 11th - The Light Rail Pirates @ Tom's Tavern, 5pm, $5
Every Second Wednesday of the month, The Light Rail Pirates sweeps away everyone's drive-time blues!
* Classes & Workshops
+ The Torch Theatre Improv Training Center's Level I class starting soon! To register or for more info, please visit http://www.thetorchtheatre.com.
* Latest News, Just Announced, & Upcoming
+ All of the proceeds from March's Torch Theatre shows will go to support the Phoenix Improv Festival!
* The Places
The Trunk Space
1506 NW Grand Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Space 55
636 East Pierce Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85004
Tom's Tavern
1st Avenue & Washington
Phoenix, Arizona
* Questions & comments down below or please visit http://www.thetorchtheatre.com!
Let me know what you think - your feedback & advice is welcome.
Thanks, all!
===
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Final Week of Space 55's The Visitation
I forgot to mention that Space 55's excellent production of The Visitation is playing Thursday (2/26), Friday (2/27), and Saturday (2/28)!
The show is just $10 and anyone who catches Friday night's show is welcome to stay for the 10:30pm show with The Remainders and Galapagos.
Check out http://www.space55.org for more info!
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
The Five Challenges of an Artist
The Five Challenges of an Artist
by Bill Binder
Over the years, I've come to believe that any artist at some point will face five challenges to their growth. I think we each face these challenges when they come up in different ways and they shape us as improvisors or poets or painters or singers. I've discussed these many times in many bars. I just felt I'd post them in roughly the order most of us go through this. Although that doesn't mean you won't face many of these challenges over and over again over the years.
1. Time and money
This is the easiest of the challenges. When you make that choice that you want to create something. You need to make the commitment that you're going to do it. Find the time to practice the violin. Go to the store and buy that paint. If you really care about what you're doing, this won't slow you down at all. If you can't even find the time to commit an hour to what you want to create. Maybe you don't really want to do it.
2. Creating something wonderful in spite of something horrible
This comes in so many forms. There are so many reasons to get frustrated and abandon your work. When you're getting ready to do a stand up set and the audience has decided they hate you before you step on stage, step on the stage anyway and do it. Don't sacrifice what you were going to do to beg for their approval. Do what you came to do. If they don't like it. They don't like it. But don't let them take away the fact that you like it. But even harder is to create something beautiful when your hurting and broken inside. It's really hard to sing a happy song when you're sad and alone. But sing that song and believe it. You're an artist, you have the gift to create that wonderful thing. If you're in a horrible place, what better time is there to create something good.
3. Creating with too many constraints
No matter what you do, you're going to be asked to shape or mold your work for someone else. Artwork is commissioned. Shows are asked to be family friendly. That doesn't mean you have to abandon what is great about your work. It's very easy to be a purist who will never sacrifice your "vision" and it's very easy to abandon your ideas to get a quick buck. But it's much harder to bring what you love about your work to someone else on their turf. Don't be closed minded to new ideas, but never give up the integrity of what you do.
4. Creating with too few constraints
When you find success as an artist, you will find the earlier challenges less and less frequently and you'll discover it was those challenges that motivated you. Rage needs a Machine. When the world accepts your vision, there is little motivation to share it. And worse, you can start believing in the myth of yourself. You get lazy. You no longer wake up in the morning with a fire under you. You've been given the wonderful gift of a talent and the ability to use it. Never take that for granted. When you find yourself complacent, find new challenges to grow. You can always grow.
5. Seeing what you've created, and accepting it
This is far and away the hardest challenge each of us face. You're an artist. You have the power in you to create something, and you have. Let it be. It is very hard to create something and look at it and appreciate what it is we've created and move on. Never step off stage and say "I suck". We're each our own biggest critic. That is not to say that everything is perfect or that we shouldn't always be looking for ways to improve ourselves. But that thing you just created? It is what it is. To fret over what could be changed is looking backwards and you're going to miss the next amazing thing that happens. You've created it. It's good. Other people will see it and have their own opinions. And that is fine. Be proud that you created it.
I was just about to go back and review this, before hitting "Post", but you know what?
1. Time and money
This is the easiest of the challenges. When you make that choice that you want to create something. You need to make the commitment that you're going to do it. Find the time to practice the violin. Go to the store and buy that paint. If you really care about what you're doing, this won't slow you down at all. If you can't even find the time to commit an hour to what you want to create. Maybe you don't really want to do it.
2. Creating something wonderful in spite of something horrible
This comes in so many forms. There are so many reasons to get frustrated and abandon your work. When you're getting ready to do a stand up set and the audience has decided they hate you before you step on stage, step on the stage anyway and do it. Don't sacrifice what you were going to do to beg for their approval. Do what you came to do. If they don't like it. They don't like it. But don't let them take away the fact that you like it. But even harder is to create something beautiful when your hurting and broken inside. It's really hard to sing a happy song when you're sad and alone. But sing that song and believe it. You're an artist, you have the gift to create that wonderful thing. If you're in a horrible place, what better time is there to create something good.
3. Creating with too many constraints
No matter what you do, you're going to be asked to shape or mold your work for someone else. Artwork is commissioned. Shows are asked to be family friendly. That doesn't mean you have to abandon what is great about your work. It's very easy to be a purist who will never sacrifice your "vision" and it's very easy to abandon your ideas to get a quick buck. But it's much harder to bring what you love about your work to someone else on their turf. Don't be closed minded to new ideas, but never give up the integrity of what you do.
4. Creating with too few constraints
When you find success as an artist, you will find the earlier challenges less and less frequently and you'll discover it was those challenges that motivated you. Rage needs a Machine. When the world accepts your vision, there is little motivation to share it. And worse, you can start believing in the myth of yourself. You get lazy. You no longer wake up in the morning with a fire under you. You've been given the wonderful gift of a talent and the ability to use it. Never take that for granted. When you find yourself complacent, find new challenges to grow. You can always grow.
5. Seeing what you've created, and accepting it
This is far and away the hardest challenge each of us face. You're an artist. You have the power in you to create something, and you have. Let it be. It is very hard to create something and look at it and appreciate what it is we've created and move on. Never step off stage and say "I suck". We're each our own biggest critic. That is not to say that everything is perfect or that we shouldn't always be looking for ways to improve ourselves. But that thing you just created? It is what it is. To fret over what could be changed is looking backwards and you're going to miss the next amazing thing that happens. You've created it. It's good. Other people will see it and have their own opinions. And that is fine. Be proud that you created it.
I was just about to go back and review this, before hitting "Post", but you know what?
===
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Tuesday, February 24 - Monday, March 2nd
* Shows & Events
- Wednesday, February 25th - 4th Wednesdays with Apollo 12 & Mail Order Bride @ The Trunk Space, 8pm - $6
The recently embiggened Apollo 12 brings their cosmic brand of improv savvy to the stage, while the ladies of Mail Order Bride improvise their way into your hearts!
- Friday, The Torch Theatre & Space 55 present The FUTURE with Galapagos & The Remainders @ Space 55, 10:30pm - $5
The OGs of Phoenix longform improv, Galapagos, get down with this week's guest group, The Remainders musical improv!
* Classes & Workshops
- The Torch Theatre Improv Training Center's Level I class starts this Saturday, February 28th! To register or for more info, please visit http://www.thetorchtheatre.com.
* Latest News, Just Announced, & Upcoming
- The Phoenix Improv March Madness Playoff tournament is still seeking teams to strut their stuff in the month-long competition! Cash prize for the winning team and a slot in the inaugural show of The Cagematch, a weekly improv donnybrook, await!
* The Places
The Trunk Space
1506 NW Grand Avenue
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Space 55
636 East Pierce Street
Phoenix, Arizona 85004
* Questions & comments down below or please visit http://www.thetorchtheatre.com!
Let me know what you think - your feedback & advice is welcome.
Google Maps is acting a little off just now, but future editions will contain links for The Places.
Thanks!
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