Sketch Comedy

A few months ago I took an introductory sketch writing class at Upright Citizens Brigade here in Los Angeles and discovered that I really love sketch comedy writing.

Reading fairy tales at Book Klub

After the class was over I was shortlisted for a permanent writing job at the theater.  Unfortunately I didn't get the job, but being on the list gave me the encouragement to start doing lots of other sketch-related workshops and writing groups around town.  The artistic director of the theater also suggested I get more involved in Not Too Shabby (a weekly "open-mic" night for sketch comedy) and other shows around town before applying again for a position at UCB later this year.

 

So by this time I had written around a dozen sketches I was pretty happy with but had no one to act in them.  I approached a few actors to do a comedic monologue I'd written but they kept falling through, so finally I decided to do it myself.

I haven't acted since high school, but I had a lot of fun. And the sketch (about someone who suffers writer's block while composing their own suicide note) went over well, too, and got a lot of laughs. I wound up performing it three times in one week, at three different sketch comedy shows around town. 

I also invited to read at Book Klub, an incredibly fun comedy show hosted by Sofiya Alexandra and Doug Mellard at Stories Books and Cafe in Echo Park. Comedians read and riff on "serious literature," from elementary school diaries to Juggalo poetry.  That show was definitely the highlight of my month.

I don't think performing is in my future long-term but it's nice to get out there occasionally and try new things.