RTP-area local music and culture

[kdarbro AT nc.rr.com]

>From what I know:

ComedySports in Raleigh is a group of people that do improv regularly, and 
have their own club on Peace St. in Raleigh, I believe.  Right around 
Glenwood.

I haven't seen them for many years, but worked with a geeky kid who I believe 
is still a member of the group.  He was a super nice, non-pretentious guy.  
Their 'thing' is to divide up into two teams of four or so, like a red team 
and a blue team, and then suggestions are given to them, probably from the 
audience, for them to act out.  It's staged as a competitive event, and I 
believe some scoring is involved, but as in the "Who's Line is it Anyway" 
kind of way, I think it is arbitrary.  I'm pretty sure they keep their stuff 
family friendly, but don't know these days. 

They used to have a ComedySports group in Chapel Hill years ago as well, and 
they performed at the Omni, which is now a Sheraton I believe.  They would 
hold open audition/workshops, and I'm not quite sure, but I think that once 
you joined the group, you had to pay to be a member.  I went to a couple of 
the workshops back in the day, as I have a minor in theatre, and actually 
"studied" improv, if there is such a thing, so I thought I'd continue with it 
when I moved down in '92.  

My impressions back then were that I wasn't that impressed.  It seemed 
cheesy, but keep in mind, this was in the days before "Line" became popular 
in the States.  Also, the group was comprised of members of the general 
public trying out improv, as well as seasoned ComedySports members, so I may 
be unfairly remembering the quality of the improv.  I was asked to come and 
watch them do their thing at the bar in the Omni one night to see if I was 
interested in possibly working with them (they were extremely nice people), 
and I saw a show, and determined it wasn't for me.  It may be completely 
different now, and I encourage you to check out one of their shows in Raleigh 
some weekend and see for yourself.  I'll do the same sometime, I suppose.

In Chapel Hill, there's the Transactors, a group of really talented people 
headed by Greg Hohn.  I've not seen them live, but have heard only amazing 
praise about them, and I've worked with Greg on a show before, so I know that 
he's got great abilities as an actor, both improv, and otherwise.  A lot of 
actor's actors have worked with the Transactors over the years, and my 
feeling that their shows are much more professional than ComedySports, but 
again, that's only from knowing some people in their ranks, and comparing 
that with my ComedySports experiences.  

There used to be a theatre group called "The Somnambulist Project" that 
sometimes integrated improv into their original productions, and one 
particular production, "The Inferno Project" was constructed pretty much 
entirely from improv based on themes of pain, and suffering.  I was a part of 
it, and can only describe it as a beautiful failure.  Another production, 
"The Serpent", began with improvised gutteral and primordial grunts and the 
like to represent the garden of eden, while I improvised the soundtrack on 
guitar.  I miss those days!

Anyway, currently in short, ComedySports is probably a good time if you are 
looking for Comedy Central type improv stuff, and is hit or miss, but will 
have some laughs.  My perception is that the Transactors productions, which 
are much more spread out, are consistently better events.

The only way to know is to go out and see 'em.  Support local theatre.  

- Kevin Darbro

> > 
> > My friend Phil said, wrote:
> > > Can someone explain briefly what the improv thing
> > is about ..in Chapel
> > > Hill of course?