One Group Mind originated from the collegiate organization The Titanic Players. Established at Northwestern University in 1994, Titanic exanded in 2007 to include groups across state and university boundaries. Recognized as the largest and most advanced collegiate improvisation organization in the country, the Titanic Players took home the trophy in 2007 for the CIF College Comedy Championships, which was televised across the nation.
By the year 2000, we also realized our performers and groups were different by nature. The Titanic Players audition for a new group every year and the group stays together for 4 years. Rarely, in the professional improvisation industry do groups last that long with no additions or changes to their cast. What developed was a small laboratory experiment that pushed the frontier of improvisation to a new level of discovery. What was discovered, was that the team, the time, and the teacher is what allowed everyone to be good improvisers and every group to be extremely impressive in performance. Individual talent was not a prerequisite. Commitment by the organization, and the team to itself, was.
In 2001, it was necessary to create One Group Mind to service the needs of the alumni of The Titanic Players as well as improvisers in the professional industry.
Operating out of Frankie J's in Chicago (now known as the Spot), One Group Mind was the first theater organization that performed in the space. Growing to 12 teams and over 100 performers by 2003, One Group Mind was committed to few cast changes and regular performances. One Group Mind teams had no coach turnover, less than 5% performer turnover, and each team had the same performance and rehearsal time every week.
In 2003, One Group Mind, with teams Teenage Carthrobs, coached by Piero Procaccini, and Dewitt, coached by Mike Abdelsayed, produced the acclaimed long form show, Helix, at ImprovOlympic. As promoted:
"Helix alters the genetic makeup of the ImprovOlympic’s signature “Harold,” created by improv-gurus Del Close and Charna Halpern. Helix explores and expands a single audience suggestion performed by two unique ensembles. Each group creates an act based from the suggestion. The third act brings together both ensembles to connect characters, weave stories, explore environments and build on themes established in the first two acts. Helix ultimately results in three pieces created by two teams with one group mind."
In 2004, One Group Mind produced the acclaimed two person, long form improvised show Moe, with ImprovBoston teacher Joe Kendall and Second City performer and ImprovOlympic coach Mike Abdelsayed. Contrasting the slower approach to most two person shoes, Mike and Joe played as if they were a cast of 8.
In 2005, One Group Mind produced the all sketch group Book of Bob. Book of Bob's mission was to introduce the concept of long form scripted material.
Also in 2005, One Group Mind began developing The Expansion Tree. Identified on the Northwestern campus, the Expansion Tree became the fundamental process for training long form improvisers.
In 2006, led by OGM member Peter McNerney, the Expansion Tree was performed at the Magnet Theater in New York, for its first professional presentation.
In 2007, Tricky Mickey, a One Group Mind Resident Team composed of OGM's best performers, performed for two packed houses at the Del Close Marathon in New York.
In 2007, One Group Mind was happy to announce that their collegiate organization, The Titanic Players, represented by Resident Team, Old Tom Jar, won the 2007 CIF College Comedy Championships. Televised nationally, Old Tom Jar successfully maneuvered through 4 rounds of single round elimination to bring back the first trophy of the Championships!
The rest of our history has yet to be written, so stay tuned!