Fracas! Improv Festival

History

Fracas! I (2004)
The first Fracas! Improv Festival was held on April 16 and 17, 2004, about a year and a half after Second Nature was formed. Noting the lack of attention given to college-aged improvisers at larger national festivals, founder and director of Second Nature, Nick Dazé, started Fracas! as a way to connect with other collegiate improv troupes.[1]

Eight troupes attended the inaugural festival, but with the exception of Recess (a troupe from George Washington University in Washington, D.C.), all the troupes were from California. Two troupes (including Second Nature) Each troupe was given a forty-minute performance slot, with four troupes performing each night. At the end of each performance, the audience voted on a favorite member of each troupe and those favorite performers played in an "All Star Show" which closed the festival on Saturday night. The festival was held adjacent to USC's campus at the Village Gate Theatre, which only sat 75 people at maximum capacity.

Fracas! II (2005)
The second annual festival took place April 15 and 16, 2005, also at the Village Gate Theatre. Ten troupes performed at the festival including Occam's Razor from The University of Chicago. Of the remaining nine troupes, four were from the University of Southern California. Unlike the previous year's festival, troupes at Fracas! II were given only 30 minute performance slots in order to accommodate the larger number of participating groups. Five troupes performed each evening, culminating with the "All Star Show" which ended the festival on Saturday night.

Fracas! III (2006)
The third annual Fracas! occurred on April 21 and 22, 2006, and was attended by six troupes. Because so few troupes participated, each was given a 45-minute time slot. As in past years, the favorite performers from each team played together in an "All Star Show" which ended the festival. New to the festival this year was the addition of professional workshops. Some of Los Angeles' top improvisers including James Thomas Bailey, Andrew Daly, Owen Burke and Eric Hunicutt taught workshops.

Fracas! IV (2007)
The fourth annual Fracas! in 2007 was a huge year of growth for the festival. An unprecedented 15 college troupes participated from nearly a dozen colleges nationwide. Additionally, with the Village Gate Theatre now too small a venue, Fracas! was moved to USC's Ground Zero Performance Cafe, which could fit double the audience of the Village Gate. The festival was expanded to three nights, and took place on April 12–14, 2007. The 2007 festival was attended by more than 1000 people, and had more than 150 registered participants. Fracas! IV consisted of 5 performances each evening, with each troupe performing for 40 minutes. A decision was made to replace the "All Star Show" which Second Nature believed encouraged showboating and was against the festival's spirit of collaboration. In place of the "All Star Show" an open improv jam was held at the end of each night of performances. Any audience members, including members from all troupes, were permitted to perform. For the first time in the festival's history, no admission was charged to audience members, with the bulk of the festival's cost being covered by donations.

Nearly a dozen workshops were held over the course of the three-day festival, allowing participants to study with top performers from The Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre, iO West, The Groundlings, and ComedySportz. Additionally, Fracas! IV saw the addition of discussion panels held with improvisers who were currently working in television, film, and/or theatre. Panel members included Angela Kinsey and Melora Hardin from The Office, Frank Caeti and Keegan-Michael Key of MADtv and The Second City, and Michael Bunin of My Boys. Panels were held on three topics, "Improv and Sketch Comedy", "Improv in the Entertainment Industry", and "Short Form and Long Form". The latter had representatives from all four of Los Angeles' major improv training centers.

The Onion was the headlining sponsor of the 2007 Fracas! Improv Festival, with additional support from campus radio station KSCR as well as USC's Undergraduate Student Government.

Fracas! V (2008)

The fifth annual Fracas! Improv Festival showed the festival's continued ability to grow. The festival hosted 18 troupes, expanding to welcome three more schools. Additionally, Fracas! became an international festival for the first time ever, expanding its horizons and hosting a troupe from the United Kingdom. The opening night of the festival was moved from the Village Gate Theatre to USC's McCarthy Quad, another first. Fracas! V took place on April 17–19, 2008. Each night offered 6 hours of free improv, showcasing 6 troupes per night and concluding with an improv jam open to the public.

The amount of participating troupes led to more professional workshops, offering students 14 different workshops with a dozen professional improvisers from The Upright Citizen's Brigade Theatre, iO West, The Groundlings, and ComedySportz. The festival also added a fourth discussion panel. The discussion panels once again offered an hour of candid conversation with the country's top improvisers from film and television. Panelists included Ed Helms from The Office, Stephnie Weir from MADtv, Saturday Night Live's Jerry Minor, Todd Stashwick of The Riches, and members the popular improv troupes Convoy and The S.W.A.R.M.. Discussion panel topics included: "Women in Improv", Improv in the Entertainment Industry", "Forming and Sustaining a Cohesive Group", and "Creating an Original Improvised Show".

For the first time ever, collegiate troupes, panelists, and workshop instructors were able to record short messages in the KSCR Fracas! Green Room using the Fracas! Web Cam. The videos were updated regularly so that participants could follow them on the Fracas! Flickr Page.

Fracas! XIII (2016)

NAUghty Bits, Northern Arizona University

Fracas! VII (2010)

(not sorted into performance dates)

Smile and Nod, Cal Poly SLO

The Collective, University of Washington

Iota Eta Pi, San Diego State University

Awkward Silence Comedy, Indiana University

Someone Always Dies, UCSC

Occam's Razor, University of Chicago

FOOSH, UCSD

The Charles Darwin Experience, University of Arizona

Comedy Corner, University of Arizona

Commedus Interruptus, University of Southern California

The Immediate Gratification Players, Harvard College

Birdstrike Theatre, UC Davis

Barren Mind, Arizona State University

Jericho! Improv and Sketch Comedy, UC Berkeley

Humor Force V, UCSC

Improvability, UCSB

8th Floor Improv, Ohio State University

Left Right Tim, University of Colorado at Boulder

The Merry Men, University of Southern California

Second Nature, University of Southern California

April 9

Vidushak, University of Southern California

(plus more)

April 10

Roadkill Buffet, Massachusetts Institute of Technology

(and more)

April 11

Second Nature, University of Southern California

(and big heaps of others)

April 17

MRS Degree, University of Southern California

FOOSH, UCSD

Knights of Comedy, Chapman University

The 8th Floor Improv, Ohio State University

Improvability, UCSB

Occam's Razor, University of Chicago

April 18

Vertigo-Go, Swarthmore College

Comedy Corner, University of Arizona

Smile and Nod, Cal Poly SLO

The Noise Next Door, University of Kent

jericho!, UC Berkeley

Commedus Interruptus, University of Southern California

April 19

Vidushak, University of Southern California

Barren Mind, Arizona State University

Buttprov (H.F.V.+S.A.D.), UCSC

The Charles Darwin Experience, University of Arizona

Birdstrike Theatre, UC Davis

Second Nature, University of Southern California

April 12

Birdstrike Theatre, UC Davis

BUICK, UCLA

M.R.S. Degree, University of Southern California

Improvability, UCSB

Comedy Corner, University of Arizona

April 13

Vidushak, University of Southern California

Laser Squad Bravo!, Loyola Marymount University

The Charles Darwin Experience, University of Arizona

S.A.D., UCSC

Commedus Interruptus, University of Southern California

April 14

jericho!, UC Berkeley

Live Nude People, University of California, Irvine

Barren Mind Improv, Arizona State University

Humor Force V, UCSC

Second Nature Improv, University of Southern California

April 21

Smile and Nod, Team 1, Cal Poly SLO

Humor Force V, UCSC

Smile and Nod, Team 2, Cal Poly SLO

Commedus Interruptus, University of Southern California

April 22

M.R.S. Degree, University of Southern California

Occam's Razor, University of Chicago

Second Nature Improv, University of Southern California

April 15

M.R.S. Degree, University of Southern California

The MacGuyver Complex, Cal Poly SLO

Commedus Interruptus, University of Southern California

The King's Gambit, Cal Poly SLO

Humor Force V, UCSC

April 16

Collision Inc., University of Southern California

On The Spot, CSU Northridge

Occam's Razor, University of Chicago

Second Nature Improv, University of Southern California

Buck House

April 16

Without A Box, The Claremont Colleges

Smile and Nod, Cal Poly SLO

BUICK, UCLA

Second Nature Improv, University of Southern California

April 17

Humor Force V, UCSC

Recess, George Washington University

Danger Police!

Commedus Interruptus, University of Southern California

Discussion Panels

For the first time in 2007, the Fracas! incorporated discussion panels as a new way for professional improvisers to share their knowledge of and appreciation for the art of improvisation with the newest generation of improvisers. While the discussion panels were aimed at college improvisers, they were open to the general public at no charge. The festival planners intended for the panels to provide a starting point for the young improvisers that attended Fracas! to begin considering how the art of improv can continue after college.

Though it was the first time discussion panels were held, a number of high-profile improvisers volunteered their time to be panel members, including cast members from The Office, MADtv, and each of the major improv training centers in Los Angeles. A member of Second Nature Improv moderated each panel.

Video footage of all three Fracas! IV panels are available at the festival website, as well as being the preliminary episodes of the Fracas! Improv Podcast.

2008 Discussion Panels

The following discussion panels took place at the 5th Annual Fracas! Improv Festival.

Women in Improv

The Women in Improv discussion panel featured a discussion on the experience of being a female improviser in a predominantly male environment. The following panelists appeared:

Heather Anne Campbell (Boom Chicago, ImprovOlympic, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre)

Natasha Leggero (Reno 911!, Joe Schmo 2)

Jessica Makinson (Halfway Home, Trigger Happy TV, ImprovOlympic)

Danielle Schneider (Best Week Ever, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre)

Stephnie Weir "(MADtv, ImprovOlympic, The Second City)"

Forming and Sustaining a Cohesive Group

The Forming and Sustaining a Cohesive Group discussion panel featured a discussion with members of the legendary improv troupe The Swarm as well as members of the up-and-coming troupe Convoy. The following panelists appeared:

Alex Berg "(Convoy, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre)"

Todd Fasen "(Convoy, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre)"

Alex Fernie "(Convoy, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre)"

Sean Conroy "(The Swarm, ASSSSCAT, Crossballs, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre)"

Billy Merritt "(The Swarm, Uncorked with Billy Merritt, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre)"

Improv in the Entertainment Industry

The Improv in the Entertainment Industry panel involved a discussion of how improvisation is used within the entertainment industry, including improvisation in non-comedic acting, and whether or not improv comedy can work on television. The following panelists appeared:

Tim Bagley "(Monk, Will and Grace)"

Brian Huskey "(VH1's Free Radio, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Superbad)"

Jerry Minor "(Saturday Night Live, Mr. Show, Carpoolers)"

Todd Stashwick "(The Riches, Burn Manhattan, Hothouse Improv)"

Nicole Randall Johnson "(MADtv, The 40-Year-Old Virgin)"

Creating an Original Improvised Show

The Creating an Original Improvised Show panel will discuss the process of creating an original show that relies heavily upon improvisation. The following panelists are scheduled to appear:

Chad Carter "(The UCB's MySpace Show, Creature Comforts, Human Giant)"

Ed Helms "(The UCB's Seth and Ed's Puppet Talk Show, The Daily Show, The Office)"

Seth Morris "(The UCB's Seth and Ed's Puppet Talk Show, Curb Your Enthusiasm, The Marijuanalogues)"

Improv and Sketch Comedy

The Improv and Sketch Comedy discussion panel featured a discussion of both Improv and Sketch Comedy, as well as how the two forms of comedy influence each other. Panelists were:

Frank Caeti (MADtv, The Second City)

Heather Anne Campbell (Boom Chicago, The Groundlings)

Sean Conroy (Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre)

Megan Kellie (The Great Sketch Experiment, Karla)

Keegan-Michael Key (MADtv, The Second City).

Video footage of this panel can be found as part of the Fracas! Improv Podcast.

Improv in the Entertainment Industry

The Improv in the Entertainment Industry panel involved a discussion of how improvisation is used within the entertainment industry, including improvisation in non-comedic acting, and whether or not improv comedy can work on television. Panelists were:

Jordan Black (The Groundlings, Halfway Home, For Your Consideration)

Michael Bunin (My Boys, ImprovOlympic)

Andrew Friedman (The Groundlings, It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia)

Melora Hardin (The Office)

Angela Kinsey (The Office, ImprovOlympic).

Video footage of this panel can be found as part of the Fracas! Improv Podcast.

Short Form and Long Form

The Short Form and Long Form panel compared the two main types of improvisational theatre. The panelists discussed the supposed rivalry between the two forms, and the benefits to each. Panelists were:

James Thomas Bailey (artistic director of ComedySportz)

Eric Hunicutt (training director, iO West)

Seth Morris (artistic director of The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Los Angeles)

Brian Palermo (The Groundlings)'.

Video footage of this panel can be found as part of the Fracas! Improv Podcast.

Workshops

With the entire festival aimed at fostering the experience of the college improviser, workshops make up a major part of the Fracas! Improv Festival. For many college improvisers who live outside of the improvisational epicenters (Los Angeles, New York City, and Chicago), the festival is an opportunity to receive professional instruction that is not available to them outside of the three main cities for improvisation. Each year, instructors from Los Angeles' top improv training centers offer workshops at the Fracas! Improv Festival.

In order to take a workshop at Fracas!, one must be a registered festival participant, and thus they must also be a current college student.

2008 Workshops

Improvised Plays, with Billy Merritt, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

Adding Information and Heightening, with Jim Woods, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

Finding the Game, with Sean Conroy, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

Introduction to Game, with Drew Difonzo Marks, artistic director, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Los Angeles

Shakespearean Improv, with Matt Gourley, ComedySportz

Improv for Film, TV, and Commercials, with Brian Palermo, The Groundlings

Theatre and TV Genres, with Andy Goldblatt, ComedySportz

Playing it Real/Playing it with Integrity, with Will McGlaughlin, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

Group Support and Ensemble Building, with Drew Difonzo Marks, artistic director, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Los Angeles

Pacing and Rhythm, with Lloyd Ahlquist (Stars in Epic Rap Battles of History with Nicepeter)., artistic director, The Westside Eclectic

Scenes from Monologues, with Chad Carter, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

Character, with Drew Droege, The Groundlings

Let the Scene Find You, with Aaron Krebs, iO West

2007 Workshops

Harold Intensive, with Owen Burke, artistic director, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, New York

Character, with Amy Rhodes, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Funny Or Die

Finding the Game, with Sean Conroy, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, Crossballs, The Untitled Onion Sketch Movie

Shakespearean Improv, with Matt Gourley, ComedySportz

Second Beats, with Sean Conroy

Television Genres, with Andy Goldblatt, ComedySportz, Channel 101

Relationship, with Brian Palermo, The Groundlings, Thank God You're Here, Curb Your Enthusiasm

Theatre Genres, with Andy Goldblatt

Sound and Movement, with Seth Morris, artistic director, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre Los Angeles, Curb Your Enthusiasm

Using Your 'Where', with Eric Hunicutt, training director, iO West, The Reckoning

Musical Improv, with James Thomas Bailey, artistic director, ComedySportz

2006 Workshops

Andrew Daly, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, The Swarm, MADtv

Owen Burke, artistic director, The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, New York

Eric Hunicutt

Matt Gourley, ComedySportz

James Thomas Bailey, artistic director, ComedySportz

Sponsors

The 2007 Fracas! IV Improv Festival was sponsored by The Onion. Additional local sponsors were USC's Undergraduate Student Government, KSCR Radio. The 2008 Fracas! Improv Festival retained sponsorship by The Onion, and KSCR, and added additional sponsorship from Glacéau, the makers of Smart Water and Vitamin Water.