Just Go With It
After 15 years, Santa Cruz´s longest running improv troupe still keeps the laughs alive
By Christa Martin
Ever have one of those moments when you´re stumped? Someone asks a question and you mutter, “Well, um … gee … I don´t know … um.” Legend has it that about 15 years ago a group of performers were in that same predicament. They were (as the story goes) sitting around, hashing out what to call themselves. (It had to be something clever, because, after all, they were about to become Santa Cruz´s longest running improv troupe.) Ideas were tossed around, interspersed with an “um” here, a “gee” there, and another “um” mumbled from someone´s lips. It was all too obvious. “Um … Gee … Um” was born. Since then, its members have continued to spawn new improvisational material, show after show, year after year, with no plans to quit and a 15th anniversary performance at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Louden Nelson Center Auditorium.
At first glance, it might seem that the name of this group is an antithesis of its identity. After all, improv-ers are supposed to be “on” all the time; never ceasing to wow crowds with their brilliant, spontaneous creativity, right? Well, not exactly. Even these quick- thinking actors can go blank at times, muttering, “um, gee, um.” But such unpredictable moments often turn into rich improvisational scenes.
“[Um, gee, um] moments—you use them and make them work,” says Suzanne Schrag, a member of the troupe since 1994. And such moments are honestly not uncommon—anything can happen. This is improv.
An example is when one of the cast members climbed up a ladder and co-member Todd Phillips looked in a box of props, hoping to find something to keep the energy alive onstage. He found two hooks, shoved them on his hands, looked up at the ladder and said, “Thanks for changing my light bulbs again.”
These stories are unrehearsed, which is the beauty and appeal of watching improv. In one night performers might visit Mars or take a wild trip to Beirut. These spontaneous adventures make cast member Schrag chuckle when she realizes that her favorite “moments” with Um … Gee … Um over the years never really happened. She realized this a while back, following a performance when she and her cohorts were sitting around in a coffee shop reminiscing and telling stories.
“We did live through something emotionally,” Schrag says, “but the circumstances were imaginary. We were making it up but it felt very real.”
That´s what happens when you throw together a bunch of improv-ers and stir them up; they become so close, they´re like a rowdy family (without a parental unit). Camaraderie develops and becomes the backbone to keep them going and going.
Back when Um … Gee … Um was sitting around figuring out how to name the group, they were the only reported improv troupe in town. Since then, similar groups have sprouted around town, each carving its own niche—some take their clothes off, some play games and some turn a show into one long scene. Um … Gee … Um keeps it simple, sticking with the basics of improv. And, they´re pretty much convinced that anyone can “do” it. Unlike the assumptions surrounding how to be successful at improv, you really don´t have to be some wild, funny, nutty actor.
Say you´ve been a longtime fan of Um … Gee … Um´s and you have long wondered how they do their stuff. The team is fairly open in explaining the means to their magic. For starters, almost all of them took a class. (Unlike acting you don´t have to study for years to get the hang of improv.) Um … Gee … Um offers a learning academy where newbies can train in the art in beginning, intermediate and advanced classes. Or, try another venue like Cabrillo College, which has, at least in the past, offered improv as a course. Once you´ve auditioned and gained a slot in a group, simply respond to the situations that transpire during a rehearsal or performance.
“It´s a misconception that you have to think stuff up,” says Phillips, a cast member by night, a life coach by day. “If you think, then you´re getting in the way, then you´re working too hard. It requires no thought. The magic happens if you let it and not force something specific. The most brilliant things in the world can happen and all you did was respond.”
What doesn´t work, on the other hand are control and egotism. Tightly wound, selfish people might need to do a little work before they hop on stage, but Phillips says they could learn a tremendous amount by investigating improv. In fact, he and the other cast members find that the skills they´ve learned through practicing improv have reverberated into their personal lives.
“It brings so much play [to my personal life] and discovery, and it´s so much fun,” Phillips says. “It almost brings the absence of clinging, the absence of having to have things be a certain way.” (And it has brought him the presence of a career as a life coach.) “I would never do what I´m doing if it wasn´t for improv.”
Participating in improv seems to have a softening, playful effect on people´s lives. Schrag says it´s made her existence richer and fuller. Cast member Susan Boes calls it “free therapy.” And Paul McGrath says it provides him with a space to make mistakes and have fun with it. (In his day job he´s an engineer; mistakes are taboo.)
Besides the quartet mentioned here, Um … Gee … Um also includes Sharon Lee McGraham and Chopsy Gutt. Although not the original founders of the troupe, this group has been together about six years. They meet weekly on Monday evenings and usually put on a show every few months, often at the Actors´ Theatre or Broadway Playhouse.
And every so often, even though they rehearse frequently, they´re bound to have an “um … gee … um” moment. What do they do?
“[We] have fun with it or laugh at it,” McGrath says. “If things are not going well then we do the best we can with it and at the end of the scene someone might rescue it or say something to pull in the story.” And if they don´t know what else to say, an, “um … gee … um” will most definitely get legitimate laughs.
The 15th anniversary improv show for Um … Gee … Um will be at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Louden Nelson Center Auditorium, 301 Center St., Santa Cruz. Tickets are $10/general, $8/students and seniors. For more information, call 425-4447 or visit www.members.aol.com/umgeeum.
By Christa Martin
Ever have one of those moments when you´re stumped? Someone asks a question and you mutter, “Well, um … gee … I don´t know … um.” Legend has it that about 15 years ago a group of performers were in that same predicament. They were (as the story goes) sitting around, hashing out what to call themselves. (It had to be something clever, because, after all, they were about to become Santa Cruz´s longest running improv troupe.) Ideas were tossed around, interspersed with an “um” here, a “gee” there, and another “um” mumbled from someone´s lips. It was all too obvious. “Um … Gee … Um” was born. Since then, its members have continued to spawn new improvisational material, show after show, year after year, with no plans to quit and a 15th anniversary performance at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Louden Nelson Center Auditorium.
At first glance, it might seem that the name of this group is an antithesis of its identity. After all, improv-ers are supposed to be “on” all the time; never ceasing to wow crowds with their brilliant, spontaneous creativity, right? Well, not exactly. Even these quick- thinking actors can go blank at times, muttering, “um, gee, um.” But such unpredictable moments often turn into rich improvisational scenes.
“[Um, gee, um] moments—you use them and make them work,” says Suzanne Schrag, a member of the troupe since 1994. And such moments are honestly not uncommon—anything can happen. This is improv.
An example is when one of the cast members climbed up a ladder and co-member Todd Phillips looked in a box of props, hoping to find something to keep the energy alive onstage. He found two hooks, shoved them on his hands, looked up at the ladder and said, “Thanks for changing my light bulbs again.”
These stories are unrehearsed, which is the beauty and appeal of watching improv. In one night performers might visit Mars or take a wild trip to Beirut. These spontaneous adventures make cast member Schrag chuckle when she realizes that her favorite “moments” with Um … Gee … Um over the years never really happened. She realized this a while back, following a performance when she and her cohorts were sitting around in a coffee shop reminiscing and telling stories.
“We did live through something emotionally,” Schrag says, “but the circumstances were imaginary. We were making it up but it felt very real.”
That´s what happens when you throw together a bunch of improv-ers and stir them up; they become so close, they´re like a rowdy family (without a parental unit). Camaraderie develops and becomes the backbone to keep them going and going.
Back when Um … Gee … Um was sitting around figuring out how to name the group, they were the only reported improv troupe in town. Since then, similar groups have sprouted around town, each carving its own niche—some take their clothes off, some play games and some turn a show into one long scene. Um … Gee … Um keeps it simple, sticking with the basics of improv. And, they´re pretty much convinced that anyone can “do” it. Unlike the assumptions surrounding how to be successful at improv, you really don´t have to be some wild, funny, nutty actor.
Say you´ve been a longtime fan of Um … Gee … Um´s and you have long wondered how they do their stuff. The team is fairly open in explaining the means to their magic. For starters, almost all of them took a class. (Unlike acting you don´t have to study for years to get the hang of improv.) Um … Gee … Um offers a learning academy where newbies can train in the art in beginning, intermediate and advanced classes. Or, try another venue like Cabrillo College, which has, at least in the past, offered improv as a course. Once you´ve auditioned and gained a slot in a group, simply respond to the situations that transpire during a rehearsal or performance.
“It´s a misconception that you have to think stuff up,” says Phillips, a cast member by night, a life coach by day. “If you think, then you´re getting in the way, then you´re working too hard. It requires no thought. The magic happens if you let it and not force something specific. The most brilliant things in the world can happen and all you did was respond.”
What doesn´t work, on the other hand are control and egotism. Tightly wound, selfish people might need to do a little work before they hop on stage, but Phillips says they could learn a tremendous amount by investigating improv. In fact, he and the other cast members find that the skills they´ve learned through practicing improv have reverberated into their personal lives.
“It brings so much play [to my personal life] and discovery, and it´s so much fun,” Phillips says. “It almost brings the absence of clinging, the absence of having to have things be a certain way.” (And it has brought him the presence of a career as a life coach.) “I would never do what I´m doing if it wasn´t for improv.”
Participating in improv seems to have a softening, playful effect on people´s lives. Schrag says it´s made her existence richer and fuller. Cast member Susan Boes calls it “free therapy.” And Paul McGrath says it provides him with a space to make mistakes and have fun with it. (In his day job he´s an engineer; mistakes are taboo.)
Besides the quartet mentioned here, Um … Gee … Um also includes Sharon Lee McGraham and Chopsy Gutt. Although not the original founders of the troupe, this group has been together about six years. They meet weekly on Monday evenings and usually put on a show every few months, often at the Actors´ Theatre or Broadway Playhouse.
And every so often, even though they rehearse frequently, they´re bound to have an “um … gee … um” moment. What do they do?
“[We] have fun with it or laugh at it,” McGrath says. “If things are not going well then we do the best we can with it and at the end of the scene someone might rescue it or say something to pull in the story.” And if they don´t know what else to say, an, “um … gee … um” will most definitely get legitimate laughs.
The 15th anniversary improv show for Um … Gee … Um will be at 8 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 21, at the Louden Nelson Center Auditorium, 301 Center St., Santa Cruz. Tickets are $10/general, $8/students and seniors. For more information, call 425-4447 or visit www.members.aol.com/umgeeum.