ComedySportz
ComedySportz (CSz) is an improvisational comedy organization started in 1984 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, by a group of local comedians including Dick Chudnow, Bob Orvis, Brian Green, and others.[1][2][3][4][5][6][7]
Match format
[edit]The traditional format of a ComedySportz match features two teams of improvisational performers ("Players"), competing in various rounds, using improv games and performing scenes. Audience members judge the results and award points as directed by the Referee. In every match, a ComedySportz referee monitors the action, awarding points, and administering Fouls as necessary. The flavor is somewhat like the television show Whose Line Is It Anyway?, though the ComedySportz organization precedes that show's debut by 4 years. The CSz format is a more competitive and For Everyone (content-wise) version of the Theatresports format, which preceded ComedySportz by 7 years.
ComedySportz penalties (put in place for the audience's benefit) include:
- Out of Bounds Foul: called when a player uses explicit language or refers to something crass or off-color. If the Out of Bounds Foul is called, the offending player or audience member must spend the remainder of the game outside the theater space. They may or may not be welcomed back in. (Originally called the "Brown Bag Foul", the player would have a brown paper bag placed on their head for the rest of the round but replaced by the "Out of Bounds Foul" due to COVID-19 in 2022.)
- Groaner Foul: whereby any player who speaks a pun bad enough to make the audience groan causing their team to lose one point (or awarding the other team with a point), unless their apology to the audience is heartfelt enough and accepted.
- Example: Why does the Norwegian navy put barcodes on ships? So they can Scandenavian
- Any spontaneously generated Foul the referee feels is needed to move the match forward.
Although the image of competition is maintained, the teams are often dynamic, with rosters depending on which player (many of whom have other occupations ) are available for a match at any given time, and match outcomes are not pre-determined as audience voting/selected judges decide the winner.
Organization
[edit]
CSz Worldwide and ComedySportz are licensed by the World Comedy League Incorporated. There are over 28 cities with licensed ComedySportz organizations, most in the United States. In recent years, ComedySportz has been licensed in Manchester, England (although this team originated in Chorley, Lancashire) and Berlin, Germany.
Most ComedySportz cities operate their own "arenas," some with theatre type settings, others as nightclubs. Few (including ComedySportz Milwaukee) have their very own bar and restaurant. Sometimes the members of the comedic improv team also work sound and lights. The clean content and audience focused nature of the ComedySportz match allows CSz groups to perform thousands of road shows for corporate, college, church, school, and association clients each year; most CSz groups also lead corporate team-building workshops. In addition, players from some cities coach ComedySportz high school and middle school leagues, in which students perform in shows similar to those seen at the "professional" level.[8]
World Championship
[edit]Teams meet annually at the ComedySportz World Championship for a competitive tournament, training, and exchange of artistic, marketing, and organizational ideas. The location of the tournament rotates among the member cities. The first world championship that Milwaukee won was in 1988. The banner hangs in the Milwaukee stadium. The first World Championship in Milwaukee's new arena was August 4–7, 2004, also served as the Grand Opening for Milwaukee's all-new ComedySportz Arena at 420 South 1st Street in Milwaukee. In 2009, the World Championship returned to Milwaukee for the 25th anniversary celebration, and returned again in 2014 to celebrate both its 30th anniversary and rebranding of the logo.
Prior to 2004, this mostly annual event was billed as the "ComedySportz National Tournament."
In 2020 and 2021 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic the championships were held online. Portland defeated Jersey Shore in the 2021 Championship match.
Championship history
[edit]Year Host City World Champion 2024 Milwaukee Milwaukee 2023 N/A N/A 2022 Seattle, Washington Seattle 2021 Online Portland 2020 Online Houston 2019 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Philadelphia 2018 Los Angeles, California Los Angeles 2017 San Jose, California San Jose 2016 Indianapolis Indianapolis 2015 Quad Cities Quad Cities 2014 Milwaukee Milwaukee 2013 Buffalo, New York Buffalo 2012 Chicago Chicago 2011 Indianapolis Indianapolis 2010 Philadelphia Philadelphia 2009 Milwaukee DRAW - Milwaukee & Twin Cities 2008 Portland, Oregon Portland 2007 Quad Cities Quad Cities 2006 San Jose, California San Jose 2005 Los Angeles Los Angeles 2004 Milwaukee Twin Cities 2003 Washington DC Washington DC 2002 Quad Cities Quad Cities 2001 Chicago Chicago 2000 Austin Austin 1999 Portland Portland 1998 Milwaukee Milwaukee 1997 ??? Quad Cities 1996 Kansas City Kansas City 1995 Milwaukee Milwaukee 1994 Milwaukee Milwaukee 1993 Milwaukee New York City 1992 Milwaukee New York City 1991 N/A N/A 1990 Milwaukee Milwaukee 1989 Milwaukee Madison 1988 Milwaukee Milwaukee
Notable players and alumni
[edit]- Steve Agee (The Sarah Silverman Program)
- James Thomas Bailey (The Drew Carey Show)
- Joe Bereta (YouTube personality, Barats and Bereta)
- Wayne Brady[9] (Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Let's Make A Deal)
- Liz Cackowski (writer, Saturday Night Live, Last Man On Earth)
- Frank Caeti (MADtv)
- Kay Cannon (producer/writer, 30 Rock, New Girl, Pitch Perfect, Pitch Perfect 2, Pitch Perfect 3)
- Jeremy Carter (Superego)
- Bill Chott (actor, Wizards of Waverly Place, Galaxy Quest, The Dana Carvey Show)
- Jeff Davis (Whose Line Is It Anyway?, Harmontown)
- Jack DeSena (actor, All That, Avatar: The Last Airbender)
- Matt Gourley (Superego, Drunk History, The Pistol Shrimps Radio, Conan O'Brien Needs a Friend)
- Dan Harmon (Community, Rick and Morty, Harmontown)
- Dustin Hodge (producer/writer, Little Britches Rodeo (TV series))
- Derek Mears (actor, Friday the 13th)
- Kevin Miller (voice actor) (Sly Cooper)
- Eric Christian Olsen (actor, NCIS: Los Angeles, Community, Beerfest)
- Jack Packard (RedLetterMedia contributor on Best Of The Worst)
- Eric Price (MADtv)
- Lauren Pritchard (MADtv)
- Rob Schrab (Scud: The Disposable Assassin, The Sarah Silverman Program)
- Iliza Shlesinger (stand-up comedian, winner of NBC's Last Comic Standing; numerous Netflix specials)
- Matt Sloan (director, voice actor, playwright, and comedian)
- Ari Stidham (actor, musician, Scorpion)
- Jason Sudeikis (cast, Ted Lasso, Saturday Night Live, Horrible Bosses)
- Nick Swardson (stand-up comedian, writer & producer, Reno 911!: Miami, Grown Ups 2)
- Chris Tallman (Thank God You're Here, The Thundermans)
- Victor Varnado (actor, comic book writer, End of Days)
- Jessica Williams (correspondent on The Daily Show [1], actor in The Incredible Jessica James)
- Colton Dunn (actor, writer, comic)
See also
[edit]- Improvisational theatre
- Whose Line Is It Anyway?
- The Second City
- Saturday Night Live
- Theatresports
- List of improvisational theatre companies
References
[edit]- ^ Fein, G. "Sporting Shots", Pasadena Weekly, September 15, 1989
- ^ Winn, S. "These Games Are Strictly For Laughs", Sports Illustrated, November 26, 1990.
- ^ Loesing, J. "Out on the Town", The Acorn, March 25, 1999.
- ^ Patterson, D. "With honors in humor", Los Angeles Times, June 3, 2004.
- ^ Berkowitz, L. "Improv is their game", Houston Chronicle, January 25, 2005.
- ^ Parmet, S. "Class Clowning", The San Diego Union-Tribune, February 6, 2005.
- ^ Radcliffe, J. "Laugh and Learn", Los Angeles Daily News, February 17, 2005.
- ^ "High School League". CSz Worldwide. Retrieved 2022-03-14.
- ^ BYUtv. "Wayne Brady Joins With BYUtv To Create And Host Comedy Competition Series". www.prnewswire.com (Press release). Retrieved 2022-03-14.