Tag Archives: ImprovBoston

Jun 01

Streamed Content to Prevent COVID-19 Brain Drain: June is Bursting… Fuck the Police

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Black Lives Matter

Black Lives Matter – https://blacklivesmatter.com
Mass ACLU – https://www.aclum.org/en
Showing Up for Racial Justice – http://www.surjboston.org/
Mass Bail Fund –  https://www.massbailfund.org/
Violence in Boston – https://www.violenceinboston.org/
M4BL – https://m4bl.org/policy-platforms/
Pen America – https://pen.org/

Black Lives Matter to the New England Theatre Geeks. They matter to us through violent protests and during times of relative peace.

We Geeks are unapologetically supportive of the BLM Movement’s need to resist in the ways they deem best. Even the “problematic’ ways. We will continue to show up and shut up for the movement.

We ask all readers to remember that Black Lives will still Matter after the riots are cleared and your local government begins repairing the damage its police have wrought in its communities. Fuck the police.

No one is saying that white lives don’t matter. But, there sure are a lot of white people saying that Black Lives don’t Matter with their words, actions and hashtags. Police are the ones showing up with guns, tasers and pepper spray to nonviolent protests and inciting violence.(I’m not linking to that filth. Find it your damn self.)

June is Pride Month. As we step into this month of celebration, never forget that Black transwoman Marsha P. Johnson and Latina drag queen Sylvia Rivera started the Stonewall Riots. Pride is for everyone, not just the rich, white corporations that can sell it today and hypocritically pander to homophobic interest groups the next.

The New England Theatre Geek platform is available to the resistance to spread messages of justice and equity. Our resistance will stop when the bigotry stops.

Black Lives Matter
Trans Lives Matter
Native Lives Matter
Brown Lives Matter
LGBTQIA+ Lives Matter
Immigrant Lives Matter
Fuck the Police

Resist. Resist. Resist.
All my love,
Kitty
Queen of the New England Theatre Geeks

/////

Fresh Ink Theatre — All aboard for a digital staged reading of MAIDEN VOYAGE by Cayenne Douglass, streaming June 8-14! http://freshinktheatre.org/maiden-voyage
For a limited time only, we are bringing a digital staged reading of Maiden Voyage by Cayenne Douglass from the depths of the ocean straight to your computer screens! Don’t miss this maritime new play following the exploits and adventures of the first all-female patrol aboard a U.S. submarine.

Emmanuel Music — During this time of high anxiety and uncertainty, we hope that you will find solace, meaning, and beauty through the music of J.S. Bach. Over the coming weeks and months, our staff looks forward to engaging you further through complementary online resources, including video interviews, written reflections, program notes, and translations. We hope that we will see you as soon as restrictions are lifted and we can resume presenting live programs.

History At Play — In this presentation of Victorian Gossip Girl: Annie Adams Fields, History At PlayTM, LLC Founder and Artistic Director Judith Kalaora is Annie Fields, the Boston literary scout, author, and philanthropist. Mrs. Fields had an incredible influence on literary decisions at her husband’s Tremont Street publishing house – Ticknor and Fields (the forerunner to Houghton Mifflin Publishing Company) – and had a great ear for gossip!
A LIVE LIVE-STREAMED PERFORMANCE DIRECT TO YOUR HOME!
FRIDAY, JUNE 5 – 7:30 PM ET (GMT-5)
VIA PAY-PER-HAP FACEBOOK VIP WATCH GROUP
$5-$25 (Pay-What-You-Can) or $100 for a 2020 Season Pass
Schedule: June 5: Victorian Gossip Girl: Annie Adams Fields/ June 12: Tinseltown Inventor: The Most Beautiful Woman in the World, Hedy Lamarr/ June 19: CHALLENGER: Soaring with Christa McAuliffe/ June 26: Chit Chat with Dolley Madison / July 3: [No program]
July 10: World War Women: The Unsung Heroines of WWII / July 17: Rendezvous with Rachel Revere with Special Guest!/ July 24: Educational Lecture: Building a Business out of History/ July 31: A Revolution of Her Own! Deborah Sampson

Improv Boston — Starting at 8pm on June 5th, ImprovBoston will be hosting The ImprovBoston Virtual Marathon. 40 hours of live art and comedy to support the arts and save a theater. The event will be a telethon-style fundraising broadcast, live-streamed for free in its entirety at ImprovBoston.com/virtualmarathon. The event will conclude at 12pm on June 7th. DONATE HERE.

Goals for the event…

  1. Perform 40 hours in honor of our performers and stages at 40 Prospect Street;
  2. Collect 620+ donations in honor of our students and teachers at 620 Massachusetts Avenue; and
  3. Raise $114,000 in honor of our staff at 114 Bishop Allen Drive.

Liars & Believers — Introducing the next Pandemic Play, Entitled.
This dark little morsel is from our friend Peter Snoad (who also wrote The Greening of Bridget Kelley).
Entitled, Written by Peter Snoad. Directed by Lindsay Eagle.
Dobbin – Meredith Saran
Mr. Gross – Bob Mussett
with Sarah Gazdowicz as Linda

Newton Theatre Company — Join us for their next Zoom Radio Hour! Rebecca, based on the novel by Daphne du Maurier.
Thursday, June 4th at 8 PM
Log on at 7:45 PM for Piano Entertainment by local musician Neil Miller
Register to view the production here– it’s free!

Let us know if we missed something! Email us at blognetheatregeek@gmail.com or find us on our social media pages.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/netheatregeek
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewEnglandTheatreGeek/

May 05

Streamed Content to Prevent COVID-19 Brain: Justin, It’s May

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Dear Readers,

It’s May 5. Boston was originally expected to open yesterday. According to Mass.gov.com, that date was changed to May 18. It is important that we stay at home, use a mask that covers our noses and mouths when we’re outside, keep at least three to six feet from others, and to stay at home. For the love of Patti LuPone, please stay at home!

If you are a person who is consuming content and you can afford to, DONATE. If you can’t donate now, buy a ticket/tickets when the theatres reopen.

If you can do both, DONATE now and BUY A TICKET later.* Consuming streaming content without making a donation means that our theatres might not exist when the economy reopens.

Pay artists. DONATE.

All our love from six feet away,
Kitty, Queen of the New England Theatre Geeks

*P.S. It should go without saying that if you don’t have the cash/are unemployed/are an essential worker, don’t donate.

Let us know if we missed something! Email us at blognetheatregeek@gmail.com or find us on our social media pages.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/netheatregeek
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewEnglandTheatreGeek/

—

Boston Baroque — This 2015 production of Handel’s Agrippina is sexy and hits a little too close to home. The vocals are gorgeous! 

Entropy Theatre — Entropy Theatre offers Domestic Explorations, “a semiweekly series of recipes for creating meaningful experiences for yourself to have inside your home.” They just released Domestic Exploration #8. It is a delight! 

Flat Earth Theatre – Flat Earth continues A. Lehrmitt’s sci-fi radio play Fine-Tuned Universe. New chapters will stream for FREE on Saturday nights at 7pm through May 30th. Each week brings a new 20-minute chapter. Check Flat Earth’s YouTube channel if you missed the streamed reading. 

ImprovBoston — Live (Virtual) Shows this Weekend from ImprovBoston via Twitch. Some are family-friendly. Check the details for more info.

Liars & Believers — LAB has a new Zoom version of Greg Lam’s play, Interventions.

Luminarium Dance –  This week’s online performance features Luminarium’s 2012 production MYTHOS:PATHOS, originally presented at the Center for the Arts at the Armory (Somerville MA) and Arsenal Center for the Arts (Watertown MA), with a culminating sold-out performance at A.R.T.’s OBERON Theater (Cambridge MA).
Also! Luminarium Dance Company & Monkeyhouse are producing the seventh 24-Hour ChoreoFest!
Malden Choreofest
Saturday, May 9
12-6pm: Live-streamed creation period
8pm: Live-streamed performance
Links become available at https://www.luminariumdance.org/choreofest at 12pm & 8pm on May 9th.

MassOpera  – MassOpera is offering Mother’s Day Songs and Shout-outs through a  virtual event on Sunday, May 10th at 4:00 PM. Check this SITE for details. 

New Rep Theatre — New Repertory Theatre announces a call for the general public to describe their quarantine experiences for the Quarantine Creatives project. In an initiative to provide unique, engaging digital content while their doors are temporarily closed, New Rep aims to put real-life stories on the virtual stage. Submission form is HERE.

The Umbrella Arts — This week’s offering comes from Charlotte Anne Dore and Rosalita’s Puppets. “The Sea Story” is an undersea adventure tale based on Dore’s puppet characters.

Elsewhere on the Internets:
The Eugene O’Neill Theatre Center posted an “Alumni to Watch” list for Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, and other platforms. The list doesn’t include links but it does include the names of the Theatre Center’s alumni and their attending years.
Playbill: Patti LuPone, John Malkovich, Dylan Baker, More to Kick Off New Online Play Reading Series
Broadway World: “Performing Arts Centers in South Korea Plan to Reopen This Week With New Guidelines,” by BWW News Desk.
May the Fourth be with You… And also with Babu.

This is freakin’ cool.

Apr 20

Streamed Content to Prevent COVID-19 Brain Drain: Electric List-a-loo

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Dearest Readers;

There is more to do here, in this list, than there is time in the day. We sincerely hope your business keeps you happy, sane, and stable.

New offerings from MassMouth, New Rep, Sparkhaven Theatre, ArtsEmerson join the ranks of consistent givers Flat Earth Theatre, The Umbrella Arts, HowlRound & Liars & Believers.

You are loved, you are necessary, you contain multitudes. We look forward to seeing you again at the theatre!

All our love from six feet away,
Kitty, Queen of the New England Theatre Geeks

Let us know if we missed something! Email us at blognetheatregeek@gmail.com or find us on our social media pages.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/netheatregeek
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewEnglandTheatreGeek/

[Image of an embroidary hoop with stitching that reads, “wash your hands and don’t be a racist.”]

Action! by Design – Action! By Design launched Live Stream Local to connect audiences to the voices they love, virtually and to help support local artists. 6 – 7:30 P.M. on Thursdays, a local artist will enter their studio to stream music. Click the links for the lineup.
Now there’s a Sunday Open Mic Night from Rascals!

ArtsEmerson – The Together Apart series presents Sequence 8. Sequence 8 from The 7 Fingers will be available to view from April 13-27, 2020. From the ArtsEmerson website: 
“Contemporary circus arts require the utmost faith in your fellow performers. When it comes down to it, your life is quite literally in their hands. The lessons we, as the audience, learn from circus take on a new importance in light of our current circumstances; while we cannot physically hold each other, we prop each other up through zoom calls with family and friends, encouraging text messages, and sharing a common knowledge that by acting together, we help each other. We care for each other deeply, standing together by standing apart.”

Catalyze Playwriting Group – Catalyze presents Genie in the Machine: Virtual Plays on Artificial Intelligence Come and join your friendly neighborhood science and science fiction play group for some readings that have to do with artificial intelligence!
Where, you ask? *https://mit.zoom.us/j/801660241*
April 18th
THE CANTEEN by Carl Danielson
THE ORPHIDY SMORLACK VARIETY HOUR by Nathan Comstock
April 25th
DEATHS OF DESPAIR by Anna Waldman-Brown
HADALYGIRL by Zach Barryte and Drache Bowens-Ruben

Flat Earth Theatre – Coming to Facebook Live, their new radio play Fine-Tuned Universe by A. Lehrmitt will stream weekly on Saturday nights at 7 P.M. from April 25th – May 30th. Each week brings a new 20-minute chapter. 
Fine-Tuned Universe: a radio play by A. Lehrmitt. Directed by Jake Scaltreto
Saturdays, April 25th – May 30th, 7pm EST, Streaming on Facebook Live
Featuring: Juliet Bowler, Kristen Heider, James Hayward, Chris Chiampa, Melissa de Jesus and Liz Salazar. With sound design by James Rossi

Try This At Home, Episode 4:  Half a Dance Party from Bonnie Duncan on Vimeo.

Homesick Play Project and Sparkhaven Theatre present a performance of Nosferatu, The Vampyr by M Sloth Levine with original music by Alissa Voth.  HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 30 April 2020 at 3:30 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7) / 5:30 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 6:30 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).

HOWL Shakespeare – HOWL Shakespeare presents their first livestreamed event! Over a dozen of the Boston area’s boldest young Shakespeare performers performing a Socially Distanced reading of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM.
This reading is to raise money for Massachusetts General Hospital’s efforts to fight COVID-19. Don’t want to wait to donate? Donate to MGH here: https://tinyurl.com/HowlMSND Send us a screenshot of your donation receipt and we’ll give you a shout-out in the livestream

From Our Homes to Yours – Everything Possible – Boston Gay Men’s Chorus

(Our eyes are leaking.)

Huntington at Home  – Huntington @ Home is a series of new programs to connect with our audiences right now and includes:

Liars & Believers — More pandemic plays are on the LAB website!

MassCreative – Every Friday at 9:45AM, MassCreative will host a 15-minute COVID-19 Virtual Policy & Action Update to help you make sense of what Congress and the MA Legislature are doing to strengthen the social and economic safety net during this public health emergency. Their goal “is to keep these webinars short, sweet, and to the point.”  REGISTER

MassMouth  – “Live shows may be postponed, but this is still a good time to continue improving your storytelling skills. Join our online events, including coaching sessions, webinars and virtual classes. Learn more below HERE.” 

  • Pitch Perfect! Tuesday, April 21st. 7:30 ET.  – Each year, Stories from the Stage seeks more than 100 storytellers for our live tapings at WGBH. In this session, learn how to pitch with Cheryl Hamilton, Massmouth director and curator for Stories from the Stage. Register for free online. 
  • Craft your story. Tuesday, April 28th. 7:30 ET. – Each story featured on Stories from the Stage is unique, but the principles behind a good piece are universal. Explore key story elements and hear about the experience of a former teller, Cecilla Viveiros. Free. Massmouth will share the World Channel registration link with the community shortly.
  • Story workshop. Sunday, May 3rd. 4:30pm ET.  – One of the best ways to improve a story is to share it with others and get their feedback. In this workshop, exchange a story with five other participants and one of Massmouth’s coaches. Hear what they love about your piece, as well as their ideas for improvement. Free. Register online.
  • Story workshop. Sunday, May 17th. 4:30pm ET.  – One of the best ways to improve a story is to share it with others and get their feedback. In this workshop, exchange a story with five other participants and one of Massmouth’s coaches. Hear what they love about your piece, as well as their ideas for improvement. Free. Register online.

Museum of Science – ArtsBoston has a super convenient list of sites to access the Museum of Science online. 

New Repertory Theatre — NEW! In the Wings Artist Salon Series Presented by Artistic Director, Michael J. Bobbitt. Head over to New Rep’s Facebook page on Sundays at 2:00 for a live panel. Host Michael J. Bobbitt will be joined each week by local artists, to discuss the state of theatre post-COVID-19. This week: Boston area Playwrights  

Puppet Showplace Theater — Puppetry is alive and well, and we’re here to give you as many doses of hand-crafted creativity as you need to survive this disaster. Sign up for their first Virtual Hatchery, watch an Online Performance, or Take Action to help them support puppeteers during closure. 

  • The Hatchery: Virtual Project Night/ Tuesday, April 21 | 6:30 – 8:30 pm. FREE Virtual “Drop-in” Event – Donations Welcome – Join Resident Artist Sarah Nolen for Puppet Showplace Theater’s first-ever digital Hatchery! Now, from the comfort of your home or studio, connect with fellow puppeteers and puppet-curious artists in a low-stress Zoom Room setting. Participants can share and discuss project ideas, works-in-progress, and strategies for creative resilience during a pandemic. Join for all or part of the time!
  • Isolating Together: A Virtual Toy Theater Festival/ Produced by Great Small Works
  • April 30 – Next Live Performance! – Celebrate the power of DIY theater in miniature! In early April, the amazing artists of Great Small Works gathered Toy theater practitioners from all over the world the world to share original short shows, many of which were created in response to the present circumstances. All performances are still available to watch, and a new festival is coming April 30th. Don’t have time to watch two full nights? Check out Resident Artist Sarah Nolen’s performance “Don’t Stop the Pot!” on Day 2 at 1:41:35.
  • Faye Dupras’ new children’s series, Cozy Corner (It has a catchy theme song and puppets!)

TCG/Theatre Communication Group — CARES Act NEA Funding — A final reminder: eligible organizations planning to apply for an NEA CARES Act grant should note the upcoming April 22 deadline. Be sure to review the applications guidelines as well as Frequently Asked Questions, and after reviewing all posted information if you have questions please contact Greg Reiner, Ouida Maedel or Ian-Julian Williams. 

The Umbrella Stage Company is now accepting video audition submissions for its 2020-2021 Season. For more information and instruction, click on the links below.

NH Theatre Project – NH Theatre Project now offers online classes and programs!

More:

Passim Keep Your Distance Fest https://www.passim.org/pearfund/

List Art Museum https://listart.mit.edu/museum-at-home-march-public-art-highlights

MIT’s Full STEAM Ahead https://fullsteam.mit.edu/

Celebrity Series of Boston https://www.celebrityseries.org/athome/ – Check the site for special messages! 

Apr 13

Streamed Content to Prevent COVID-19 Brain Drain: Only Happy When It Rains Edition

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Dearest Readers;

Here’s the latest installment of news from the world wide interweb-tubes regarding theatre local, national and international offerings.

The outpouring of offerings from our community is overwhelming. There is now more opportunities to interact than we ever expected. We’re grateful to all of you.

Don’t suffer the madness of sheltering in place. Enjoy the madness instead!

Let us know if we missed something! Email us at blognetheatregeek@gmail.com or find us on our social media pages.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/netheatregeek
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NewEnglandTheatreGeek/

All our love from six feet away,
Kitty, Queen of the New England Theatre Geeks

And now my eyes are leaking.

Apollinaire Theatre Company – Apollinaire Play Lab Families announces that it will be hosting free virtual theater and games classes taught on Zoom./ Nos da mucho gusto informarles que vamos a ofrecer una serie de clases gratuitas en línea en teatro y juegos para niños on Zoom. 

  1. Acting and Games, Ages 4-8 • Wed. & Fri. 2:00-2:45PM/ Actuación y Juegos, 4-8 años • Miér. & Viernes 2:00PM-2:45PM
  2. Acting and Games, Ages 9-16 • Wed. & Fri. 3:00PM-3:45PM/ Actuación y Juegos, 9-16 años • Miér. & Viernes 3:00PM-3:45PM

Apollinaire is still offering its Thursday – Sunday readings for adults, Apollinaire at Home. 

ArtsEmerson – ArtsEmerson’s Together Apart will give audiences access to offer high-quality archival videos and unique opportunities to hear from the artists behind them. This series will also include two town hall conversations with artistic director David Dower and executive director David C. Howse. 

  1. APR 13–26 Sequence 8
  2. APR 17 @ 12pm Town Hall #1 with “The Davids”
  3. APR 23 @ TBA Conversation with Gypsy Snider
  4. APR 27–MAY 10 Torrey Pines
  5. MAY 01 @ 6pm Town Hall #2 with “The Davids”
  6. MAY 07 @ TBA Conversation with Clyde Petersen
  7. MAY 11–24 See You Yesterday
  8. MAY 21 @ TBA Conversation with Global Arts Corps

Boston Underground Film Festival BUFF-o-Stream – A collection of feature films from previous editions of BUFF, from BUFF alumni, and/or films in the spirit of BUFF, streaming on a platform near you. (Looks to be horror. If that’s your thing, you do you and enjoy! I’m not willing to investigate more because I’m not a fan of horror. -Kitty)

Fresh Ink Theatre – Fresh Ink announces the Homesick Play Project.  “Homesick Play Project is a virtual space for new play development filling the vacuum of opportunity created by the COVID-19 crisis. Homesick produces virtual, pop-up readings and performances of new work at all stages of development through digital, in-process workshops and performances of plays, providing a platform to cultivate an audience, feedback, and artistic fellowship.” Go to THIS Google doc to sign up. 

HowlRound – HowlRound has new streaming content coming to the site! 

  1. Monday 13 April 2020 – Tlaloc Rivas presents Latinx Superfriends Playwriting Hour livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv beginning Monday 13 April 2020 at 3pm EDT (New York) / 2 p.m. CDT (Chicago) / 1 p.m. MDT (Denver) / 12 p.m. PDT (Los Angeles).
  2. Tuesday 14 April 2020 – Playwright Lauren Gunderson presents a conversation Dramaturgs + Playwrights – Lauren and Martine Greene-Rogers talk livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Tuesday 14 April 2020 at 12 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7) / 2 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 3 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).
  3. Friday 17 April 2020  – Playwright Lauren Gunderson presents a conversation Directors + Playwrights – Lauren talks with Evren Odcikin livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Friday 17 April 2020 at 2 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7) / 4 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 5 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).
  4. Thursday 16 April 2020 – Playwright Lauren Gunderson presents a conversation Theatre Journalist + Playwright – Lauren talks with Diep Tran livestreaming on the global, commons-based, peer-produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Thursday 16 April 2020 at 11 a.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7) / 1 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 2 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).
  5. Friday 17 April 2020 – La MaMa and CultureHub present Downtown Variety livestreaming on the global, commons-based peer produced HowlRound TV network at howlround.tv on Friday 17 April 2020 at 5 p.m. PDT (San Francisco, UTC-7) / 7 p.m. CDT (Chicago, UTC-5) / 8 p.m. EDT (New York, UTC-4).

ImprovBoston has online content: Mainstage, Family Show and “The ImprovBoston Baking Challenge with Gwen Coburn & Julie Snyder.” Please go to IB Live! for scheduling and content info. 

IB is also offering online classes! The Online Electives site offers sketch, improv and standup options. 

Juventas New Music Ensemble at Online/Virtual Space – Stay Home with Juventas: 11 Wednesdays Evenings, 10 Musicians Who Love You, Hope, Light and Beauty in a difficult time. Juventas musicians invite you to join us Wednesday evenings for live-streamed solo performances from our homes. Go to THIS WEBSITE at 8PM on Wednesday evening to attend a concert. 

Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA) at Online/Virtual Space –  Discover Basquiat and the Hip-Hop Generation online: View a slideshow and listen to the accompanying playlist at mfaboston.org. Starting Saturday, April 4, the MFA will take a week-long deep dive into the artworks and history of Basquiat and his post-graffiti peers, guided by exhibition co-curators Liz Munsell and Greg Tate.

Puppet Showplace Theater – Puppet Showplace tells us that its puppeteers have moved creative content online to connect with kids and families during closures. Visit their Take Action! Emergency Fund page to find out how you can help sustain the organization. 

  1. TREEPLES – Resident Artist Sarah Nolen’s award-winning short film is a live-action adventure that celebrates bravery and friendship. View the film and go behind the scenes at Treeples.org.
  2. Try This at Home! – The Gottabees are creating and sharing fun videos with music, puppetry, and theater games that families can do together. Check out their website, follow them on social media, or sign up for their e-mail list. 
  3. WonderSpark Puppets – Free streaming content on Facebook Live with options to donate or purchase merchandise. Crafts (4pm Weekdays / 10am Weekends EST). Live Puppet Show (Fridays 11am EST) 
  4. Paper Heart Projects – Brad Shur of Paper Heart Puppets has launched a series of puppet craft videos making creative use of minimal supplies.
  5. Chat with Audrey Duck – Audrey Duck, as seen on Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood, is available to Skype-chat with kids (age 3-8). Audrey and her puppeteer Susan Linn will be available Mon, Wed & Fri between 4 and 5 pm EST. Email Audreydduck@gmail.com to set up a 10 minute slot.
  6. Make-A-Monkey Craft – Make your own monkey with this fun finger puppet activity inspired by resident teaching artist Honey Goodenough’s “Sock Monkey Circus.” Print the template, color in your monkey, cut out the figure, hole-punch the circles, and use your fingers for legs.   
  7. Visit the Center for Puppetry Arts – Atlanta’s Center for Puppetry Arts is offering  FREE curriculum-based workshops and digital learning interactive puppet shows. Visit their website for the upcoming schedule of events.

The Wilbury Theatre Group – The Wilbury Group announces new events to be streamed through May 6.

  1. Wednesday, April 15 at 7pm, Twelve Installations by Gray Horan
  2. Sunday, April 19 at 7pm, A Painting (and Murder!) by Numbers by Darcie Dennigan & Brien Lang
  3. Friday, April 24 at 7pm, The My Way Murders by Brien Lang
  4. Sunday, April 26 at 7pm, a.dick.ted by Teddy Lytle
  5. Wednesday, April 29 at 7pm, Isolation Mutations with Darcie Dennigan
  6. Wednesday, May 6 at 7pm, Tear It Up: a night of breaks, fissures, and imperfections with Darcie Dennigan

Outside of New England: 

NPR has an ongoing list from all over the internet covering concerts, readings and performances all over the globe for everyone in your age group

New York Times: Virtual Tour of Theaters

Jun 12

ImprovBoston Presents “Terpsichore,” A Masterclass for all female-identifying individuals

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Sunday, June 23, 12 – 4pm
Registration: Tickets via ImprovBoston

ImprovBoston
Main Theater
40 Prospect St
Cambridge, MA 02139
IB on Facebook

“Terpsichore” is an improvised storytelling theatre piece in movement, dance, music, and spoken word. The format is simple enough and focuses on actors breaking the 4th wall to tell captivating tales supported by their cast who operate as one entity like a Greek chorus to support the action of the story. Through dance, movement, co-creation, and support, the cast weaves narratives that transport the audience to different times and places and blend fiction and non-fiction together in a heady phantasmagoria of sound, movement, and speech.

The workshop for this project itself is a crash course through decades worth of research, interdisciplinary study, and artistic exploration. During the 4 hour workshop, the performers will learn a shared vocabulary of group mind, movement, storytelling, dance, musicality, mime, and object work to create something truly awe-inspiring that will open up their creative centres and let them radiate as performers. The exercises involve mime, dance and movement, narration and storytelling, singing and vocal support, responsibly respectful contact improv, use of the environment and space, concrete and abstract deconstruction, points of inspiration and above all else support of fellow castmates and celebrating mistakes through repetition and support and elevating ideas until the whole piece becomes a matrix of unified thought.

“Terpsichore” is designed to break the mold of what improvised theatre is expected to be, even from within the improv community. It urges performers to stand outside of themselves and their perceived limitations and co-create something truly extraordinary using skills they didn’t even know they possessed before the process began.

FROM LINDSAY: This project is about providing advanced training specifically to benefit and encourage the next generation of female improvisers. With that goal, the cost to be a part of this unique and exciting opportunity is kept low.

REGISTRATION IS $20 AND IS OPEN TO ALL FEMALE IDENTIFYING PERFORMERS

ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR:
Lindsay Gonzales is a stand-up comedienne and improvisor lately of Chicago, Illinois. Continue reading →

Feb 11

Humorous Teachings: Sketch Writing MasterClass with Kevin McDonald

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McDonald’s headshot

Presented by Improv Boston
Sketches Thru Improv – the Kids in the Hall Way
February 2, 2019, 10AM – 5:30PM
40 Prospect St
Cambridge, Massachusetts
IB on Facebook

Review by Craig Idlebrook

(Cambridge, MA) Kevin McDonald has enough accolades under his belt as a writer and performer that one could have forgiven him if he had chosen to mail it in during his seminar on sketch comedy at Improv Boston. A founding member of the Kids in the Hall, McDonald has decades of experience in comedy writing and a resume that would earn him the right to lecture from on high to comedy newbies. Continue reading →

Jan 28

ImprovBoston Presents: KEVIN MCDONALD, Sketch Writing Classes on Feb. 2 & 3, 2019

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Sketch Writing w/Kevin McDonald:
SAT, Feb. 2, 10AM-6PM
ImprovBoston
40 Prospect St
Cambridge, MA

Workshop cost: $180. Payment Plans are available by contacting comedyschool@improvboston.com

The Sketch Writing Workshop gives you the chance to put your work in the hands of sketch comedy royalty. In addition to gaining firsthand knowledge of how Kevin approaches writing sketches, you’ll get the opportunity to gain some personal and direct feedback from Kevin on a sketch that you’ll create…from a single premise! Bring with you a premise for a sketch, such as: ” A person with toasters for hands” or “A person who is $10 short of being a millionaire” and Kevin will guide you in turning that idea into a fully formed sketch.  Whether you’re a brand new sketch writer or a seasoned pro, this is the perfect workshop for anyone looking to gain experience in writing sketch comedy!  

Sketch Thru Improv: The Kids in the Hall Method w/Kevin McDonald 
SUN, Feb. 3, 10AM-5:30PM
ImprovBoston
40 Prospect St
Cambridge, MA

Workshop cost: $180. Payment Plans are available by contacting comedyschool@improvboston.com

In this one day intensive workshop, Kevin McDonald takes you through the journey of how the Kids in the Hall would create sketches by using improvisation. After Kevin shares his views and experience on how to create comedy sketches, he will lead the students to discover comedic premises through improv games and scenes. Those scenes will then be replayed and dissected, eventually becoming a fully written, original sketch! This is a fantastic class for anyone looking to gain insight into how to turn your brilliant improv scenes into something more than one and done!   Continue reading →

May 11

“DIANA!” – sketch comedy for millennials born in the mid-1990s

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Presented by ImprovBoston
40 Prospect St, Cambridge, MA
Friday, 4 May 2018 @ 10pm
Next performance is June 8, 11PM
IB on Facebook

Reviewed by Bishop C. Knight

(Central Square, Cambridge) DIANA! was marketed as an all-women musical to be performed by a cast of passionate comediennes who celebrate imperfection, and this was the only preparation patrons were provided, because that’s how it goes in the improv comedy circuit.  Late night audiences show up, some degree of inebriated and half-heartedly hoping our performers are capable of spontaneously spurning out sunny slapstick satire. The cast of DIANA! had their assignment – to parody imperfection – and they did a terribly terrific job of mocking classy “classic people” and laughing at highbrow literature. Continue reading →

Apr 03

Pepsi Can’t Save You Now: “Somewhereville”

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Presented by ImprovBoston
Directed by David Thomas

March 9 – 30, 2018
40 Prospect Street in Central Square
Cambridge, MA
IB on Facebook

Review by Diana Lu

(Cambridge, MA) Halfway between improvised comedy and two-act play, Somewhereville tells the hilariously horrific tale of a post-apocalyptic nightmare in which the world has ended because of – audience suggestion? In its final installment, it was the Kardashians who were responsible for destroying civilization.  We learn in the three-character monologue opening that the “KKK-KK” has created an idiocracy-like hellscape via excess consumerism and social media over consumption. Continue reading →

Oct 30

“GoreFest XV” and Its Demons

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Presented by ImprovBoston
Book by Nate Lopez
Lyrics and score by Jake Cassman
Directed by Nate Lopez
Produced by Josh Garneau

October 19 – 31, 2017
ImprovBoston, 40 Prospect Street
Central Square, Cambridge, MA 02140
ImprovBoston on Facebook

Reviewed by Bishop C. Knight

(Cambridge, Massachusetts)  The cast of the horror show Gorefest XV: Horror House stars clichés such as Rich Guy, Girl Next Door, Mom Girl, Devil Girl, Overachiever Girl, Gay Guy, and Laura Dern.  They were hilariously accurate stereotypes, even Laura Dern as Laura Dern.  For example, Overachiever Girl became sulky when she placed second in a contest.  And Laura Dern screamed “Take this Academy,” as she stabbed herself with a trophy, falling to a fake death, on a stage smothered in puddles of fake blood.   Continue reading →