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Hey Guys,

Death By Improv will be offering an 8-week improv class beginning in late February.

This class will cover the foundations of improv comedy, including: how to loosen up your creative juices, how to be spontaneous and focused at the same time, how to create fun and interesting characters, how to make people laugh without telling a joke, how to build a scene from just a simple suggestion, how to beat a ninja left handed.

Well, maybe not that last one, but who knows. This class be taught by Death By Improv’s own Michael Hochman (that’s me). For those you that don’t know, I have been performing wtih DBI from the beginning, and with BSPit at Middlesex County College before that (so nearly 7 years locally) and am also a member of Philly Improv Theater’s house team, Mayor Karen. I have taken classes and workshops at Improv Jam (Asbury Park, formerly Red Bank), The Magnet Theater (NYC), Philly Improv Theater (Philly), Camprov (weekend improv retreat, Maine), Richmond Improv Festival, and the Gainesville Improv Festival.

The class will likely take place at the Forum Theater in Metuchen, NJ (not yet confirmed, but very likely). Exact time and cost are still to be determined. However I do know it will be a weeknight, likely Wednesdays or Thursdays, from 7 to 10.

Interested? Then email me at Classes@Deathbyimprov.com with questions, or to be the first to register (once details are set)

-Michael Hochman

Josh has finally done what has been joked about for a while. Just like Justin Halpern has done with his father on http://shitmydadsays.com/, Josh is going to tweet the ridiculous ramblings of Chris Brown. All those times sometime has said “now that’s a new LBOP song” is usually after brown, or someone in a conversation with brown, has said something completely absurd.

So go follow newLBOPsongs on twitter.

In other news, anyone who came out to our annual Black Friday show, thank you guys, you are awesome. We had a great time. Brown and I premiered our new team, a duo called Improv Kerouac, which performs a 3 man show by inviting a guest improviser onstage with us. So thanks to Mike Farley for being our first guest. Farley is one half of movie riffing dup Very Incredible Movie Theater 4 alongside DBI’s Mick Murtha. Improv Kerouac is also a blog about improv seen by me and brown outside of DBI … so check that out too: Improv Kerouac

-Hochman

I just moved to New Jersey for work and found this improv group online. I have taken numerous improv classes while in college, I have taught improv for the past few years, directed an improv show for three years during college and performed on improv teams for the past 5 years. I am really interested in joining a group or even coming to an improv night! Do you have any openings or public improv nights? Thanks!

Well Pam, since there is no email or contact info for you on the comment, i’ve decided to write you this post, and I hope you and the rest of our readers find it informative and useful

We have been around for nearly 5 years, and in the past, new members were brought in by invitation, because they were friends and just funny people we liked. We then started doing once a month Open Workshops, a drop in rehearsal where people can come and play and rehearse along side the troupe, working on whatever we happen to be focusing on that time. We invited a couple people from that to join us. Then this summer we had an actual audition, which resulted in 4 new members all at once.

We may have another round of auditions at some point in the future, but nothing is slated as of right now.  We do still have the Open Workshops, on the 1st Tuesday of every month (Nov 2nd is our next one). These are open to anyone of any experience level, from complete noob to level 7 wizard improvisers.

And of course there are also our shows, which our next one is the first sunday of the month, Nov 7th, at Anthony’s Bar and Grill in South Amboy, or Black Friday, Nov 26th at Main St. Theater (local community theater, located at Garden Friends Learning Center).

So Pam, and any other interested parties out there on the interweb, if you are interested in meeting us, talking endlessly about improv, life, or financial investments*, then come on out to a show or Open Workshop. Or email me for more info. Michael.Hochman@Gmail.com

-Hochman

*not liable for bad investments

So DBI has a show this sunday, at Anthony’s Bar and Grill. We’ll be doing first sunday of each month, so long as you guys come check it out. 533 Ridgeway Ave, South Amboy, NJ @ 8pm (get there early, order some really good food, and some drinks if you like)

In prep for the show, I’ve looked a the wikipedia page for the date of Oct 3. Some interesting birthdays. First off, Gwen Stefani is turning 41. did not think she was that old. Then there’s Rev. Al Sharpton, turning 56 years old, and doesn’t look a day over 60. Also on the birthday list we got Clive Owen, Tommy Lee, Ashlee Simpson, and Gore Vidal. It’s also the anniversary of President Lincoln declaring the last thursday of november as Thanksgiving Day in 1864, of The Re-Unification of Germany in 1990, of OJ getting aquitted in 1995, and the first buffalo wings are made at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY, in 1964.

So come watch improv and eat some wings.

Hey loyal DBI enthusiasts (In my mind you exist) and random travelers of the internet,

Just wanted to let people know that Chris Brown and I have started a blog dedicated to seeing improv shows by taking trips out into the great big improv universe, and talking about the shows, people, and communities we encounter.

Just posted our first review, of Rosen and Milkshake, an improv duo in Philadelphia, based on their performance saturday night at the Adrienne Theater on the last night of the Philly Fringe Fest. coming soon will be our thoughts on our friends from RVA (that’s Richmond, Virginia, for those not in the know), Marbles, from their show in Philly that night too.

Check out IMPROV KEROUAC