The man on the left, Chris Malone, should be familiar to blog readers. The man on the right is Phil Brady, also a member of the Syracuse Improv Collective.
Join the improv writing feature that Don Charisma is hosting, Chris Malone urged me back in January, you’ll like it.
I did, and I did. Assigned a topic merely called “The swimming gorilla,” I wrote a piece about not really knowing how to swim, this whole entire life of mine.
Soon after, from kindly blogger Chris: Come see the Syracuse Improv Collective in action. Sure, I’d say. Vaguely. Open-ended-ly. Loosely. A month would go by. Another. A third. I really do want to see Chris perform. They only met once a month …
He asked again last week. I went Friday night, driving out solo to Shoppingtown on the east-skirts of Syracuse because my dear wife Karen was fighting a bug.
All they need is one word to start the skit and people to entertain.
I picked the right time to enter the mysterious room in the mall that’s losing tenants as the mega shopping, dining and entertainment complex on other side of the city sucks up most of the attention and warm bodies.
Not all of the talent, though.
This monthly Bank Show — called such because the Syracuse Improv Collective used to hold such shows in a bank building — was a special goodbye edition to founder Joe Blum.
Blum is moving with his wife and child to Wisconsin, and the his friends and colleagues in SIC held nothing back to entertain and show how much they appreciated the man and his talent.
They improv-ed poor Joe to death, nearly. He took the stage to welcome a quartet of performers he’d helped coach to the championship at Syracuse University. It was enlightening to learn that there was such a thing as an improv title at Syracuse University.
Joe Blum, center, with his longtime SIC performance mates Mike Borden and Jeremy DeBottis.
He performed with his regular two SIC mates in the team Gentlemen, to Bed! The comic chemistry between Blum, Mike Borden and Jeremy DeBottis was pure magic.
The premise: Somebody in the crowd would throw out a single word. The three performers would pause for a short moment. They’d draw out imaginary landscape and landmarks on the stage, say, a potato field, tractor, out house and ramshackle shack. One would adopt a persona, speak a line, settle into a premise. The second would become another character, add a layer. The third would sweeten the plot. Some skits, they played more than one person each, hopping back and forth across the stage. Controlled pandemonium and quite fantastic.
All on the spot, in the moment, off the top of their heads. Incredible, really.
Blum participated in a round-robin, two-team affair, where each pair received different topics under the umbrella of his pending move to a small town in Wisconsin. Christopher S. Malone, by the way, erstwhile author of The Infinite Abyss(es), played a sheriff parrying with a stubborn small town outlaw in his first skit, and a hapless dad trying to teach his child to skate at a roller rink in his second. The improv in the photo above was hilarious. How Chris’ partner, Phil Brady, made it look like he had actually had wheeled skates on the bottom of his feet is beyond me.
And the finale was a true-show stopper.
Blum took the stage with Borden, DeBottis, Mike Intagliatta, Ken Keech and a handful of other SIC veterans for one last skit. The catch? Everybody was playing Joe Blum. Awesome.
I’m glad that Chris talked me into checking out what this troupe entails. No, I will not be signing up for any of the open mike nights to see if I have any comic bones myself.
If you live around Central New York, the next Bank Show is June 6. The next open mike show, get-together in Shoppingtown is an open mike night, titled Non SICuitir Thursdays, is June 12.
Have you ever performed improv or comedy in front of an audience? Would you try it? Have you ever gone to watch comedy improv live?
Mark Bialczak 
Thanks for the mention dude and glad you’re enjoying the improv 😀
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You know it, Don. You would have enjoyed seeing Christopher Malone on stage. It was fun.
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now you have me thinking again. I think I could not do improv, loved backstage. Power be to the people who do do that. hee heee, aging English major fades out……
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Yes, power be to the performers indeed, Martha. Amen.
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I’ve seen improv on TV and loved it. I’ve been to an interactive play that had improv and loved it. I would NOT try it or do it. Because NO ONE would love that! 🙂
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Ha! It is important to know when to improvise and know when to not improvise, Colleen. I’m with you. Not at these things!
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But I do appreciate the fun of it. Remember “What’s My Line?”
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I loved that show.
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Good times. 🙂
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Improv is something I have always wanted to do Mark, but I can’t think fast enough on my feet. My dad could have pulled it off without breaking a sweat, but I didn’t inherit that quick wit from him. It would be so much fun to see though.
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i think this is great. and wonderful that chris took part and that you had a chance to see him and this wonderful show. i don’t think i could ever get up and do standup, maybe be in a group skit, but i’d prefer to be behind the scenes ) wonderful post )
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I love improvisational skits as a viewer or spectator. I have tried this in drama classes, I went to National Acting Camp my senior year of high school held on Notre Dame’s Campus, Indiana. I would say I know how to take a word and act it out, like in charades. But I am not as great with comedic situations. I wish I had a great sense of humor! I enjoy and chuckle but I am not really funny myself. I am so glad you checked this out and informed us of the final tribute to Joe Blum, who is leaving the troupe to move away. I like that they all were Joe! Smiles, Robin
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That is very neat that you went to acting camp at Notre Dame, Robin. What a great experience for you to have, the memories for the rest of your life!
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i enjoyed the post, Mark. Random data: my son and I both love “Whose Line Is It Anyway,” he and I have seen many improv shows, I did stand-up comedy at a couple of open mic nights in the 80’s, my son has been doing stand-up at open mic nights almost every Tuesday since February, my father could always be funny on the spot, and my son and I both think that my bf Michael could be famous in comedy (if he had any desire to perform in front of a crowd),
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Wow! You, Aaron and Michael should team up for a three-person comedy improv competition Ann, if you could talk the bf into it. Wouldn’t that be fun?
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Great idea, Mark. MIchael is very resistant to any kind of public performance, but I will bring this up over dinner!
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If you’re ever in the city, my daughter Melinda writes and teaches at UCB. I’ve gone to some of her shows, which are hilarious. Others she won’t let me see, so I know she’s talking about me. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yv_uwzlpx4A]
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Oh, I bet she is, Barb. I will watch the clip. Thank you!
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Your entertainers there sound like they were a lot of fun. I went to one once here that “claimed” to be similar to “Whose Line is it Anyway”, but I was sadly disappointed. I would have walked out halfway through, but I didn’t want to be rude. 😀 Great post!
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Good not to be rude, but if you pay, you are allowed to vote with your feet, Rachel!
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Hmm…THAT could be very interesting!
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I think improv would scare the pee out of almost anybody. It takes some chutzpah, that’s for sure, and how fun for you to witness it. When I was a single mom of a newborn, having to work all day, I would just remind myself at 10pm, I could turn on “Whose Line Is It Anyway” and find some comic relief. Laughter is good for the soul.
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Yes, watching funny people think on the dime is very cool, indeed, Kerbey.
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I’ve already told Chris that when I come to Syracuse I’m doing improv with him. Love it!!!
I bet you had a blast, Mark.
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Another show I’ll have to attend for sure, then, Audrey!
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Yes!! Most definitely and we could improv together like rock stars. Then karaoke!
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Ooooh. I’ll definitely take part in the improv, but karaoke… I’m going to have to sit that one out. It’s my kryptonite.
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Improv, you. Karaoke, me. Both, Audrey.
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It does take talent doesn’t it?
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Yes, Dora. Talents and bravery!
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Thanks for coming, Mark! And thank you for the write-up. Glad you had fun.
I would love to fan the flames of a mythic SU improv championship battle. However, I must admit that Joe and I fabricated that tall tale. (Rise and conquer, O mighty team Mouse House!)
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And there I went falling for it.
Great job, obviously, Phil.
–Gullible Mark
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No way I could pull off improv myself, but I would love to see it live once!
Y’all have fun 🙂
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We will enjoy our little blog lunch, and wish more of our WP friends were at the table with us, y’all’s Richmond drawl included!
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If I could just learn how to fold the map in half, Syracuse might not be so far away. What fun! Glad you made it Mark, and thank you so much for the virtual run down. Hi-5 Chris Malone for me next time you see him. That’s a feat of bravery (and quick wit) I will never know.
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You will be with us in spirit and soul during our Syracuse lunch later this week, Sandra, as we fold our map in half to bring you to us.
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Yay! Looking forward to it! 😉
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Thanks, again and again, for coming, Mark. We all definitely appreciated it. To hear the kind words from a new comer is uplifting and confidence boosting for the collective. You are encouraged back at any time.
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You would have loved my father.
Great post.
Wish I could see the show.
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I’ve read about your magical father, Lance. He had the improv gift of gab, obviously.
You have the written gift.
You would have been laughing along with me.
Follow Chris. He is one of us and brave enough to Improv on stage.
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Thank you sir.
And I shall.
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