Figuring Out Their
Equation
The Manhattan Comedy Collective (MC2)
adds a dash of character and writing to its improv
performances and sums its ideas in sketch shows
As
artistic director of the Manhattan Comedy Collective
(known as MC2), Stacy Mayer -- wearing a
blonde bob wig -- delivers what seem like flighty
introductions to their Thursday night “Big Bang”
shows that put together improv, sketch and solo
performances.
But as an artistic director of the group, she has
figured out a way to systematically bring out the
best in the performers. To do this, Mayer set out
the goals of performing improv in a fashion that is
more theatrical, presenting solo character shows
that have been ‘broken in’ but have not yet run
extensively, and giving audiences a comedy education
by presenting shows that are a succession of
different comedy genres.
“It captures the chaotic nature of comedy,” says
Mayer of the group’s shows at Juvie Hall in the Gene
Frankel Theater in New York, which typically begin
at 7 p.m. Thursdays with “Character Dog Run,” an
improv show with six performers from a 40-member
rotating or alternating cast performing all their
improv in character and in costume. That is
typically followed at 8 p.m. with a sketch
performance and 9 p.m. with a solo stand-up or
character oriented show, although the 8 and 9 slots
sometimes are given to comedic plays or other
formats rather than sketch or stand-up.
“Plenty of people stay the whole night,” adds Mayer.
“If we ask them what their favorite part is, most of
the time it comes down to what genre they like the
most. But hopefully the standard is the same for all
that the group does.”
The company members are: Dave Adams, Andrea Alton,
Susan Atwood, A.B. Carney, Robert Connor (who also
directs for the group and contributes carpentry
skills to sets and props), Dewey Banks, Robin
Gelfenbien, Amey Goerlich, Joe Guercio, Todd Isaac,
Tim Kavanagh, Nicole Maffei, Mayer, Haseena Napier,
Nicola Piggott, Devon Ragsdale, Chris Sullivan, Phil
Wedo and Lauren Zinn. Also performing with the
company and pictured above: Christina Casa, Samara
Doucette, Pete Capella, Jeremiah Murphy and Alana
Harrison.
Not all shows are limited exclusively to MC2
group members, but most of the time have at
least some members as performers, or at least as
director or writer of the performance. Character Dog
Run puts a spin on its improv by giving the
performers a chance to write and deliver a
one-minute introduction to their character, which
provides some material to begin with as they then
react to each other and the suggestions solicited
from the audience. Character Dog Run is also
performed with sound and light technicians
highlighting what the performers are doing as they
go.
Mayer believes improv is an art form in and of
itself, not just a means to produce sketches.
However, she developed the Character Dog Run format
to make it more accessible to general or
theatrically oriented audiences. With a Chicago
background, Mayer found that Chicago improv groups
tend to focus just on entertaining and meeting that
city’s rich improv comedy standard -- but by
comparison, New York performances and the demands of
a theatre audience require a much more commercial
approach.
“When people do a montage in improv, it can be like
the audience is forced to watch a class exercise,”
she says. “With us, all the dialogue can be
improvised, but we’re building a show. The
improvisation is done with a purpose.”
MC2
began producing the “Big Bang” shows in May,
and Mayer and several other company members have
been part of the Saturday Night Rewritten shows also
performed at Juvie Hall -- since those shows began
in 2003. The Character Dog Run portions of the shows
began so company members and others could have a
showcase for their work to be scouted by “Mad TV,”
Fox’s sketch comedy show.
“If you go into an audition with three characters
and three impersonations but you’ve never
workshopped them in front of an audience -- you’re
going to be nervous anyway in an audition -- and
this helps,” says Mayer. Since the showcase turned
into MC2 and its Big Bang productions as
a “happy accident,” other such “happy accidents”
have come along, she adds.
“The best things come when you’re not looking for
them,” says Mayer. “So much of the stuff we create
happens by accident. It’s being able to capitalize
on accidents or making yourself available to
accidents that takes us to the next level.”
The group put some those “accidents” to good use in
its sketch hour “MC2 and the Proper Tease
of Love” performed during the “Big Bang” nights in
September (and reviewed on Jester). Its next
production of sketches to feature company members is
just beginning to be written and will be staged in
March.
“We didn’t know [Proper Tease of Love] would be
about love,” adds Mayer. “But we noticed that was
there in most of the sketches, and cut the ones that
didn’t fit that.”
Playing off MC2 and “Big Bang” as themes,
the company also uses an image of Einstein as part
of its identity. “The science theme is helpful,”
says Mayer. “We’re exploring a new world of comedy.”