Photo by Lidya Nada on Unsplash
LAUGH LOCALLY
Tucson Offers Many Outlets for Comedians
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by Katta Mapes
omedy is a lot like sports in that you can be a spectator, a player or both. There are three basic categories of comedy performance: improv, stand-up and sketch comedy. Locally in Tucson, one can watch and learn how to do all of these. Comedy improv is totally spontaneous theater with no scripts. A comedy improv team will play off of each other to make up scenes, characters and songs. Each player adds to the skit by adding “Yes, and…” The hit show “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” was a popular comedy improvisation show. Started in 2012, the Tucson Improv Movement (TIM) “brings laughter, joy and fun to the southern Arizona community through the art of improvisation.” TIM (TucsonImprov.com) offers a comprehensive program for enjoying online shows and learning how to do comedic performances. In November, they held the Tucson Comedy Arts Festival on Facebook Live with shows in all three categories of comedy.
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Yes, and, in addition to these classes, owner Justin Lukasewicz also offers comedy improv team-building activities for groups as professional development. Even online, these fun-filled workplace events help foster better connection, communication, creativity and innovation. Surely laughing on the job will lower stress and improve employee satisfaction. At Unscrewed Theater (Unscrewed Theater.org), a nonprofit comedy company, volunteers perform comedy improv shows for families and adults. Once they open up again, children, teens and adults can take classes and workshops. In stand-up comedy, the comedian develops a routine with funny stories and jokes that has been written and rehearsed for the performance. Beginning comedians often practice in front of live audiences through “open mic” opportunities. Popular stand-up comedians become well known and, then, well paid. In her stand-up comedy class at TIM, funny woman Mo Urban recommends keeping a notebook handy to jot down the comical, interesting and ironic things that we might encounter in everyday life, which can be integrated into a stand-up routine. When players learn how to do stand-up comedy, they need to have a place to practice and perfect these skills. Roxy Merari, comedian and founder of comedy at the Surly Wench Pub on Fourth Avenue, is actively
