“Bluebird” in this case is not The Bluebird live music venue in Bloomington. This Bluebird (bluebirdimprov.com/) is a touring company of lauded comedians (TV, film, Second City, etc.) who perform live improv shows throughout the world. Every show is, by definition of improv, different from all the others; performers do not rehearse them. They do, however, get to know a few audience members before the opening announcement.
Bluebird (a randomly chosen name) improv comes to the Comedy Attic April 23. This version brings four cunningly credentialed comedians: Matt Walsh, cofounder of Upright Citizens Brigade (springing from Chicago’s ImprovOlympic) and an actor in the political satire “Veep”; Marc Evan Jackson of “The Good Place” and “Brooklyn 99”; Brad Morris of “Cougar Town” and Second City National Touring; Joe Canale of TV’s “The Mindy Project” and of Second City Mainstage.
“In improv,” Marc Evan Jackson said, “the performers are not prepared but present.”
Audience members will recognize Jackson, comedian, writer, improvisor and actor, known for his roles on NBC’s “The Good Place” and “Brooklyn Nine-Nine, and as Sparks Nevada in the live stage show “The Thrilling Adventure Hour.” Recent film credits include “Jumanji, Kong: Skull Island” and “22 Jump Street.” In 2011 he cofounded The Detroit Creativity Project with Los Angeles-based performers whose careers began in Detroit.
In 2001 Jackson moved from the Second City Detroit to Los Angeles (Second City Hollywood). He has taught improv at the latter and in 2003 started a long-form improv group of other Second City alumni called The 313, a reference to Detroit. Long-form shows are still spontaneous but also use characters and scenes. A traditional plot is often missing, as audience members provide ideas for theme, location, subject (finestcityimprov.com/). Jackson also contributes to an after-school literacy program.
“In long-form, we save things for later,” Jackson said over the phone.
Audience ‘provides’ show’s table of contents
For the Bloomington show, the team will, as usual, talk beforehand with a few audience members. “That becomes our table of contents,” Jackson said.
Part of improv’s magic, he said, is not to try to be funny. “It’s not about the joke.” Instead, the humor usually comes from the stuff of normal life, particularly anything personal. “Improv is a hungry beast. Details are her food.”
But things can go very badly. “The scene tanks for sure,” Jackson said, “if an improvisor goes for the joke. Word will spring forth throughout the land.” The joke-stealer, he said, will have trouble getting further improv work. “I’m lucky I get to choose who I work with.”
Self promotion can work in auditions for non-improv theater, he said, where an actor needs to stand out from many others. Improv, though, calls for a performer to make the other performer shine. “You want to make your scene partner look great. Not beat them to the joke. Plus, improv helps you see what the writer is going for.”
Backstage, just before the show begins, the Bluebird actors make eye contact with one another and rest hands on comrades’ shoulders. “I’ve got your back” is the message.
“Bluebird is the smartest, funniest, kindest people coming to do a show for you.”
Who will improvise with Jackson?
Matt Walsh is a twice Emmy-nominated actor from HBO’s award-earning comedy series “Veep” and cast member of Apple TV’s limited series “Manhunt.” He is a founding member of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater. Viewers can see him soon in Paramount Pictures’ “Novocaine” starring Jack Quaid, “Maybe We Should” starring Heather Graham, “Little Lorraine” starring Stephen Amell and Utopia’s “Not an Artis,” where he co-stars with Rza from the Wu Tang Clan.
Recently, Walsh appeared in Hulu’s “Unplugging,” having cowritten it and starred alongside Eva Longoria. He can also be seen in “The Good Half” starring Nick Jonas. Walsh has had roles in popular comedy films including “Life of the Party,” “Old School” and” “Starsky and Hutch.” . Other credits include the CBS series “Ghosts,” Fox Searchlight’s “Flamin’ Hot” and the 2022 “Father of the Bride” film.
Brad Morris is a TV and film writer, producer, actor, director and improviser. An alumnus of four of Chicago’s Second City’s Mainstage revues, the iO Theatre and The Annoyance, Morris is a member of the well received long-form improvisational groups, The Reckoning and Uncle’s Brother with Tim Meadows. Morris has improvised the world over with the Second City National Touring company and Matt Walsh and Friends for the USO.
As a TV writer, Morris worked three seasons as a producer on the TBS comedy “Cougar Town,” was a producer on the Showtime series “Dice” and was co-executive producer and head writer for seasons 1 and 2 of the winning series for Paramount and Seeso, “Bajillion Dollar Properties.” He has sold original scripts to ABC, TBS, Sony and Warner Brothers. He co-wrote and produced the independent film “Unplugging” starring Matt Walsh and Eva Longoria. He is also producing an independent film starring Dylan Gelula and Matt Berry and recently co-wrote a movie for Paramount, “Rear Naked Choke.”
Joe Canale has been improvising around the world for the past 30 years, including work at Boom Chicago in Amsterdam and The Second City Mainstage in Chicago.
If you go
WHAT: “Bluebird” Improv starring top comedians (no relation to the Bloomington Bluebird music venue)
WHEN: 7 p.m. Apr. 23. If tickets sell out, a 9 p.m. show will be added.
WHERE: Comedy Attic, corner of Fourth St. and Walnut Ave.
TICKETS: $43.55 and $53.55 (for seats closest to the improvisors) at comedyattic.com/
This article originally appeared on The Herald-Times: TV, film, Second City favorites to perform improv at Comedy Attic
Reporting by Connie Shakalis, Special to the Herald-Times / The Herald-Times
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
