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  • Spotlight On: C.Y.A.

    Spotlight On: C.Y.A.

    C.Y.A. is an improv duo from St. Petersburg, Florida, featuring Tori Baird and Lauren Ross. Their show is a riff on the “choose your own adventure format,” and you can see it in the 7:00 PM block on Thursday, August 13 at the 2020 Countdown Improv Festival. In this spotlight interview, Baird and Ross discuss the genesis of their format, their performing dynamic, and their own most memorable adventures.

    C.Y.A. stands, primarily, for Choose Your Own Adventure, which is the format that you two improvise together. It’s super fun, and we can’t wait for everyone to see it. What can audiences expect from your show when they tune in on Thursday, August 13?

    This format is something we created on our own with inspiration being drawn, of course, from the Choose Your Own Adventure books that were wildly popular when we were kids. We like to describe our show as an emotional dramedy. Our audience can expect a heartfelt comedic journey where they not only get to be a part of the adventure, but get to actively participate through our entire show by helping us to make decisions that will determine where our journey will lead.

    Tell us about how the two of you met and started working together. What do you love most about improvising together?

    We met while trying to form a short form team for a Ladies Jam in Orlando with our wonderful friend Claire. From the beginning we had such a strong connection both on stage and off. We are both very physical actors and love to play with that concept in our shows, it will be interesting to see how this idea will play out in an online environment. Our favorite part about improvising together is that when we are truly connected, it doesn’t feel like work. Tori describes us as “our very own odd-couple,” meaning that our dynamic is very eccentric (Lauren) and grounded (Tori) in how we approach our characters and story lines and there is a very natural and beautiful balance between the two of us that allows a true emotional connection on stage.

    In life, we don’t always get to choose our own adventure. (Take right now, for instance.) What’s the biggest adventure each of you has been on?

    Tori Baird: My biggest adventure was going to Germany when I was younger. I really tried to immerse myself in the culture. My best friend and I both drove on the autobahn for the first time, which for those that don’t know is a popular stretch of road in Germany where there is (for the most part), absolutely no speed limit (yes, my life flashed before my eyes)! I also tried to learn as much of the language as I could soak in. We went to a restaurant one day and I needed to find the bathroom, I asked the waiter for directions, listened to his reply, followed the instructions and found my way to that bathroom and the whole conversation was in German! **Bows graciously for applause** In all seriousness though, it was my biggest adventure to date and full of moments I will never forget.

    Lauren Ross:My most memorable adventure was moving from Tucson, Ariz. to Florida. I rented a small U-Haul trailer and filled it with everything I could and drove myself across the country heading towards a new start in life. My dog kept me company, we jammed out to music and sang showtunes exceedingly loud, okay I did most of the singing. I got to see such beauty in so many different states along the way, New Mexico was a personal favorite. I accidentally gave myself a tour of New Orleans (pay attention to the highway signs by the Super Dome, take my advice). It was a really stressful and really fun trip but the best part was when I walked into my new home for the first time and realized I had done it — moved myself across country with no help and no one else — I was so empowered and felt like I could tackle the world in that moment.

    What excites you most about performing online this year?

    Neither of us has performed in a festival before and we are just so excited and honored to be a part of Countdown Improv Festival this year! We’ll be honest, neither of us has really explored online improv in a serious way before, so we’re excited to present our show in this unique format. Of course, it will have its challenges, but we’re thrilled to be able to tackle them together!

    Finally, who do you think will be entered into the Countdown Improv Festival Hall of Fame this year?

    Amy Schumer is definitely our pick for the Hall of Fame this year! 

  • Spotlight On: I Win Improv

    Spotlight On: I Win Improv

    I Win Improv is a solo improvised game show featuring Jermaine Trice. Based out of Bethesda, Maryland, I Win Improv will perform in the 6:30 PM block on Friday, August 14 at the 2020 Countdown Improv Festival. In this spotlight interview, Trice talks about his format, the pleasures of running a virtual improv theater, and his favorite and least favorite game show hosts.

    I Win Improv is a super fun improvised game show, and we can’t wait for people to see it on Friday, August 14. How did you come up with the idea for the show?

    Jermaine Trice: I came up with the idea for I Win Improv in January of 2019. At the time, I was seeking a way to express myself creatively in a solo act while being interactive with the audience. Originally, I thought the show would be a cheesy, lounge singer bit that would not last longer than one or two shows. I likely would have continued down that path too. But, as fate would have it, I randomly saw a prize wheel while purchasing something completely different on Amazon. I knew immediately that this show had to be a game show. I purchased a small prize wheel and performed the 1st show a few weeks later.

    Was there a particular show or moment in a show when it all came together and the form just clicked for you? Or has it always worked from day one?

    JT: This format clicked for me when I watched some video clips from the first show. Everyone was so excited to come up and spin the wheel. I knew then that this was a show that I had to keep performing. So I bought a larger prize wheel and started giving out branded prizes.

    You’re a mainstay of the improv scene in Maryland and DC, having served on the board of the District Improv Festival, among other things. You recently founded your own space, The Improv Place, in Bethesda, Maryland. Tell us what makes improv audiences in your home region special, and how The Improv Place came to be.

    JT: I love to entertain people. I don’t feel comfortable in a large group unless I am on stage. My art is my voice. There are so many talented performers out there who go unseen and unheard. Their voices are silenced in the background and they never get a chance to perform and to be themselves. I was one of those people. I started The Improv Place as a stage for performers to express themselves creatively, without the need to pay for classes. The original concept was to have pop-up shows in different cities/countries with a “home” theater in DC. The virus obviously changed that. But honestly, having a virtual theater, I am reaching performers and audiences that I never would have reached in a physical space.  

    Do you have a favorite game show host? Alternatively, do you have a least favorite game show host?

    JT: Favorite: Bob Barker. I loved watching The Price is Right as a child. Least Favorite: Richard Dawson. How can you like a creepy guy who randomly kissed female contestants without consent? I mean, really? 

    Finally, I Win Improv is what all entrants in the Countdown Improv Festival Hall of Fame are looking to achieve. Who do you think will be entered into the Countdown Improv Festival Hall of Fame this year?

    JT: Cuzzins.

  • Spotlight On: Together/By Myself

    Spotlight On: Together/By Myself

    Together/By Myself: A Solo Improv Experience is a solo show featuring LD Madera. Based out of Coconut Creek, Florida, Madera will perform in the 7:20 pm block on Saturday night of the 2020 Countdown Improv Festival. In this spotlight interview, Madera discusses the genesis of his format, the link between improv and stage magic, and his choice for the 2020 Countdown Improv Festival Hall of Fame.

    We absolutely love your solo show, and we can’t wait for everyone to see it on Saturday, August 15. Tell us a little bit about how you conceived your solo format, and what you enjoy most about performing it.

    LD Madera: I became very fascinated with the concept of solo improv ever since I saw Jill Bernard’s Drum Machine. It was very inspiring to see, and since then I’ve always wanted to try it. It’s taken me some time to come up with a format I enjoy for this show. I tried it for the first time about five years ago, and in the beginning I had no format to it. I just kinda went into it with the attitude of “It’s improv, man! Whatever happens happens!” It turned out I needed to find something more structured, because I was feeling too lost. As the years went on, I educated myself more on what makes improv special. And so, I was able to conceive the show with the focus being more on the character’s emotions. I also had lots of help in creating this. It was thanks to many conversations with David Christopher and Mark Mochabee in Just The Funny Theater that I was able to create the format as it is today. It took a few times for me to lock in on what I feel works.  What I love about doing this show is that I feel surprised every single time. It really feels like being a kid and playing make-believe in my room creating different people. I also love the fact that I surprise myself every single time. The fact that things can happen that I could’ve never anticipated is such a thrill, and there’s a big rush that comes from doing solo improv. I always like to be adventurous when it comes to performing. I love trying new challenges.

    How did you come up with the title of your show?

    LDM: I had a few titles that I came up with. “Together/By Myself” came from the fact that when you see the show, you’re seeing people that are being brought together, yet the whole time I’m by myself. It’s a title that describes the show both artistically and literally. 

    Your improv philosophy is “Feel Honestly.” Can you tell our audiences a little bit about what that means to you?

    LDM: Certainly. To me, I find so much benefit to acknowledge what I am honestly feeling the moment I feel it. I once heard a quote that says “There’s nothing funnier than the truth.” And it’s so true!  You can either take time to process what just happened, figure out the best course of action, re-decide what your intentions are, etc., etc., etc… Or, you can just be honest with what it is you are feeling and let that guide you. I’ve adopted this phrase: Be less in your Head, Be more in your Heart. I can’t do anything in any scene until I know how I feel. And once my feeling changes, I can’t run from it. Even if it makes no sense. Improv is not a place of logic; it’s its own parallel universe where my emotions are in full control. All I have to do is let my heart tell me what to do, and as long as I allow myself to honor what I’m honestly feeling, I can never be wrong.

    What excites you most about performing online in this year’s festival?

    LDM: I’m very excited to be a part of this festival for a couple of reasons. First, I just love to be able to see friends again! I miss being with a community (any community!), and it’s so wonderful that this festival is bringing people together. I feel very excited to be among the great amount of talent that’s performing. All of this year’s performers are wonderful at what they do, and on top of that just all-round good people. I’m also thrilled with the challenge of doing the show online. How do you take a show where you’re on stage and active and in constant motion, and condense it all on a small frame in Zoom? I love the chance to do something new.  So I’m excited to see how I can make Together/By Myself into something that can be special for people, even on a computer screen.

    In addition to being a great improviser, you’re also a magician. We find this fascinating. How did you get into doing magic?

    LDM: When I was 5 years old, my mother took me to see David Copperfield when he came to town. I had never seen or heard of a magician before then. I became so captivated with that show, it left a huge impression on me. After that, it became a tradition every year to see David Copperfield when he came to town. For me, it was the big moment every year that I always looked forward to. It was more important than Christmas for me! I somehow knew this was something that was for me. So, since I was young I wanted to learn everything I could about magic. Performing magic naturally led me to want to be a stage performer. There’s nothing like the reaction you get from people when you do a great trick for them. I feel like improv is a great parallel to magic. In both performances, you amaze the audience with surprise and shock them with something unexpected.

    Finally, who do you think is going to be inducted into the Countdown Hall of Fame this year?

    LDM: Batman…….because why not!

  • Spotlight On: Impromptu

    Spotlight On: Impromptu

    Impromptu is an improv trio comprised of Teresa Bueno, Joe Rinaldi, and Kathy Rinaldi. Based in Sarasota, Florida, Impromptu performs fully improvised plays set during the 1940s and 1950s; they will perform in the 7:50 PM block on Friday, August 14 at this year’s Countdown Improv Festival. In this spotlight interview, the trio talks about their “Southern Gothic” style, nostalgia, and where to go in Sarasota when you’re sick of going to the Daiquiri Deck.

    Impromptu performs fully improvised plays set during the 1940s and 50s. What inspired you to create this format, and what can audiences expect to see when they tune in to watch you perform on Friday, August 14?

    When we saw Impro LA perform an unscripted play in the style of Tennessee Williams, we were hooked! We loved everything about it, especially the idea that improv could be dramatic rather than simply a game or a run to the funny. We found that we gravitated towards the 1940s-50s for a lot of reasons – including the fashion (which helps ground us), the tremendous variety of important world events, and the way that a lack of social media/technology allowed these events to enfold in a very different way. The demands of a world war rocked the norms of family life and redefined traditions that forced family members to confront and redefine their roles at home and in their communities. Ultimately, people are people and the issues that concerned those of the earlier decades are still prevalent today. Audiences will see a trio take a single word/location and transform that into a fully realized scene complete with drama and humor.

    We love that there’s a nostalgic element to your longform, and we can probably all agree that we need nostalgia more than ever at a time like this. What’s a time and/or place in your own lives that each of you is nostalgic for?

    Teresa Bueno: I would love to step into the time when my childhood imagination reigned supreme. From the age of 5 until around 10, I could lose myself in my boundless and untethered imagination at any time in any circumstance. I could be anyone, go anywhere and have anything. I wax nostalgic when I think about the power and freedom of my childhood imagination. 

    Kathy Rinaldi: If I’m being serious, I’m nostalgic for a time when I was geographically close to my brothers and sister. However, the truth is that I’m nostalgic for thick hair, a body that didn’t need to diet, and the ability to fall asleep pain-free. Did I mention I wasn’t 20?

    Joe Rinaldi: I’m nostalgic for a time when I was young and my family thought the sun shone out of my a**. But seriously… no, that’s right.

    Have you been inspired by any favorite plays or playwrights in particular?

    JR: William Saroyan, William Inge, Clifford Odets, Arthur Miller, Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neill.

    KR: While we often are inspired by the amazing mid-century playwrights, we find that our style is more generally “southern gothic” – lots of drama, clever dialogue, and very relationship-driven. That said, we are working on new styles for when the stages open again!

    TB: I would have to say Tennessee Williams. Being born and raised in the south, I can deeply identify and relate to his characters, their values and dialogue. I find his work shockingly raw and honest, which are attributes I strive for in my performances.

    Tell us how the three of you met and began working together.

    Two of us – Kathy and Teresa – first met in a 101 improv class at FST in September 2017. Joe started in the 201 class. We all three continued our FST improv education together through the entire improv curriculum—and beyond! It was seeing Impro LA that spurred us to work together, as dramatic improv isn’t prevalent in our area. It takes a lot of work because you have to research the style, genre, and the era, but we all love that! There’s a synergy that happens when we play together, and we think it has a lot to do with the fact that we are a group composed of an actor, a playwright, and a storyteller.

    What excites you most about performing in an online format at this year’s festival?

    A silver lining to the pandemic is having the opportunity to study with amazing teachers all over the country and to learn new things, including performing through Zoom. We’re especially excited to perform in the Countdown Festival because it will be our first time to use Zoom for a festival performance. The audience will see our characters up close and personal for the first time—something impossible in regular stage work. It’s also great that our friends and relatives living in other countries will finally be able to see our work!

    Finally, the three of you hail from Sarasota, where you trained at the terrific Florida Studio Theatre. Besides FST, the only other place we’ve been to in Sarasota is the Daiquiri Deck. What’s the first place (besides the Daiquiri Deck) that non-locals should visit in Sarasota once we can travel again?

    TB: John Ringling put Sarasota on the map. He literally shaped and defined the city and his influence is felt everywhere . A trip to Sarasota is not complete without visiting The Ringling Estate. We highly recommend visiting their home, CA’ D’ZAN (https://www.ringling.org/ca-dzan), and check out the miniature circus at the Circus Museum: https://www.ringling.org/circus-museum

    JR: Sarasota might be small in size but it has the cultural resources and vibe of cities with far larger populations (NY, Boston, Toronto, Chicago). We have four union theatres, an opera, a symphony, a ballet company, touring shows, an international film festival, and much more. It’s part of the reason we moved here from NY ourselves.

    KR: For me, it’s the food. And the beaches. But mostly the food. We moved here from NY and the variety of food is amazing! The only thing we’ve missed are really great meat-lover’s pizzas, and an authentic NY bagel.

  • Spotlight On: Internet Friends

    Internet Friends is a duo comprised of Charlotte Brown and Stephanie Rae. They are real-life Internet friends, based in Orlando and Miami, respectively, and will perform on Wednesday night of this year’s festival. In this spotlight interview, Brown and Rae talk about bad wigs, the joys of improvising online, and exactly how they became Internet friends.

    Your duo is called Internet Friends, and you’re internet friends in real life. How did two internet friends become Internet Friends?

    Stephanie Rae: I actually can’t remember exactly how we met… Maybe on one of your improv calls? It was definitely through friends somehow. We just sort of clicked and started talking about improv stuff a lot. Then I think Charlotte came to a Zoom thing I hosted, and at some point we started talking about how we were internet friends and it would be fun to use improv to play with that idea. 

    Charlotte Brown: Stephanie created an amazing facebook group called Quarantine Creators Club where she posts prompts to inspire people to create when things first started getting shut down because of the pandemic.  It feels like a lifetime ago but Kat Kenny, who’s also performing in the festival, invited me to join the group or told me about it, I don’t remember. And then like they say. the rest was history.

    SR: Oh, yeah, like that. What she said. LOL. 

    Tell us a little bit about your show, and what audiences can expect to see when they tune in.

    SR: Viewers can expect all of their wildest dreams to come true! Besides that, they can expect multiple characters, unexpected plot twists, and bad wigs – as many bad wigs as I can find.

    You two have the distinction of being one of the only internet-native shows in the festival this year. What do you love most about improvising online? What have you learned over the last few months of doing it?

    CB: I have several things that I love about doing online improv:

    • While online improv is its own thing and different than irl improv doing it still allows me to do improv in some form. I like to think of it as it’s own genre and I love genre inspired improv because even when I was first learning improv I have a filmmaking background so genre is the one thing that always made sense to me.
    • I love coming up with new formats and one of the reasons Stephanie and I got along so quickly we were both excited about doing something that could only exist on zoom and thought it would be fun to try to translate that to the stage if the festival happened to be in person because a lot of people were doing the opposite.  
    • Meeting improvisers from around the world has been super fun and rewarding.

    SR: Seeing all of my friends! I really love the community of the Countdown Improv Festival and look forward to seeing new content from incredible talent then getting to laugh and talk to them. Everyone is so warm and approachable. You guys know all the best people! Probably because you are the best people. *shrug emoji* The format of solos, duos, and trios also ensures that I’ll get to check out some new forms, which I love. 

    You do a lot of cool stuff with Zoom backgrounds and such in your show. What makes for a good Zoom background in an improv context, in your opinions?

    CB: In my opinion I think a good virtual background is one that adds to the context of what is happening in the scene without being too distracting. However with that being said like all improv there are exceptions to the rules and sometimes it’s fun to just have something that while it fits the context of what is happening is just completely crazy and ridiculous.

    SR: I love a good pop culture reference, but with some subtlety – i.e. I’ll play in the living rooms of famous Black sitcom families. Most of the time, I think the best Zoom backgrounds are common locations which make it easy for viewers to suspend disbelief: parks, coffee shops, etc. But if you’re doing something more niche or genre based, performing from Wakanda can be pretty cool too. 

    What are you looking forward to most about this year’s festival?

    SR: Seeing all of my friends! I really love the community of the Countdown Improv Festival and look forward to seeing new content from incredible talent then getting to laugh and talk to them. Everyone is so warm and approachable. You guys know all the best people! Probably because you are the best people. *shrug emoji* The format of solos, duos, and trios also ensures that I’ll get to check out some new forms, which I love. 

    CB: This is my first time performing in a festival so I am just hyped about all of it. It’s something I’ve come to look forward to every year as an audience member and I’m looking forward to getting to experience it as a performer. And performing at a festival was a random arbitrary improv goal I made for myself when I made the choice to start taking improv a bit more seriously.

    Where can we watch Internet Friends streaming on the internet? (We could Google this, but we figured we’d just ask you.)

    SR: Our social media presence is still in the works, but you can find us together on the Hideout Theater’s Twitch Channel. Individually, you can find Stephanie on Facebook at facebook.com/wordnerdsteph and with the Black Improv Alliance at facebook.com/BlackImprovAlliance and www.BlackImprovAlliance.com  

  • Spotlight On: JewMama

    Spotlight On: JewMama

    JewMama is an improv duo comprised of Jeremy Lesifko-Bremer and Michelle Lesifko-Bremer. Based in Gainesvile, Florida, JewMama will be performing in the 7:50 PM show block on Friday night at the 2020 Countdown Improv Festival. In this spotlight interview from 2019, the Lesifko-Bremers discuss the genesis of their format, the pros and cons of improvising with your spouse, and where to get good vegan Polish food in Pittsburgh.

    Your format is so fun and kinetic! Can you describe your performance style for those who haven’t yet seen it, and tell us about the genesis of that format and how it has developed?

    Starting with a suggestion of a location, we build a world made up of three scenes. Each scene is populated by different characters, and our goal is for each set of characters to have a different, dramatic relationship. By the end of our set, we hope to “collide” the three scenes into a satisfying climax. The inspiration for this format came from our first duo coach, who challenged us to do a two-person Harold (for civilians, that’s an improv form that looks like an improvised play). We had so much fun doing it that we decided to adapt that form for our show. We’ve both acted and directed plays before, so we really like thinking about interesting stage pictures. That’s where the idea of using three different parts of the stage and physicalities to differentiate the scenes came from. Unexpected benefit: this form gives us plenty of opportunities to get physical and mess with each other, which are two of our favorite things to do.

    We love a good duo origin story. How did the two of you first start performing together as JewMama?

    We’d been taking classes together and performing on another team (shout out to our brothers and sisters in The Deep End!) and were asked to perform as a duo for a Valentines-themed show called CoupleProv at our old home theater, Steel City Improv Theater. We’d always joked that we’d call our duo JewMama, so we called our own bluff and JewMama was born.

    You’re married to each other! What are some pros and cons of having your duo partner also be your life partner?

    Pros: We know each other’s brains really well, so we have a kind of shorthand that makes it easier to predict where we’ll go once we start improvising. Also, since we promised to stick together til death do us part and all, it’s pretty easy to trust each other on stage. Finally, it’s funny to get super physical with each other and scandalize our audience, especially if we forget to tell them that we’re married. Cons: We know each other’s brains really well, which makes it really easy to mess with each other. Also, we’ve been known to yell at each other in the green room when one of us (ahem…Michelle…) isn’t happy with a choice the other made (…cough cough…Jeremy…).

    How do you both like to get ready for a show? Do you have any pre-show rituals?

    We have a power mantra that we yell at each other in the green room, which is a ritual that was gifted to us by one of our coaches. We can’t share the mantra, as that would sap its power, but it’s based on our mutual love for the TV show The West Wing. We also do some word association and energy building exercises. We like to get pumped.

    What makes small-group improv rewarding to you?

    You’re on stage the whole time, so you have to be super present and purposeful. Also, Michelle is bad at remembering stuff, so that adds an extra layer of drama. Sappy alert: We really love doing improv with our best friend.

    Finally, the two of you recently relocated to Gainesville from Pittsburgh. It’s our opinion that Pittsburgh is one of the best cities in the country for unique regional cuisine. What are your favorite Pittsburgh foodstuffs, and why are they great?

    Believe it or not, there’s a vegan Polish restaurant in Lawrenceville, our old neighborhood, called Apteka that is off. the. chain. Best pierogis in town are made with shredded mushrooms, not cheese or beef. Also: church lady fish fry game is on point. And we’ve been known to eat a pepperoni roll in our car while Christmas shopping. Don’t judge.