For more information on being a part of our organization, please read below...
We are the Titanic Players, a long-form improvisation comedy organization established at Northwestern University in the 1994-95 academic year. We have done over 200 shows within this period, performing primarily on the Northwestern University Evanston campus. We have also done performances at local high schools, Chicago universities and colleges, out-of-state universities, local fundraisers and charities, religious organizations, national festivals, and at prominent theaters in Chicago and other major cities. In the past, we have ventured on a nine state, multi-performance tour to the east coast. Four years ago, we took a leadership role in the national improv picture by hosting a 20-team improv comedy festival and taking the first steps in developing the College and University Improv Network. We have hosted workshops taught by Second City Main stage performers and ImprovOlympic coaches.
The Titanic Players are focused on providing quality training in improvisation and preparing young improvisers for the comedy industry. Dedicated to providing opportunity, our system is arranged into four tiers based on experience and personal growth.
This year, we will be auditioning for 7-10 new members to join our Titanic Incubator Team! The new members of Titanic will learn the basics of long form improvisation with a focus on simple long forms. Don’t worry. Lots of support, lots of fun. They rehearse twice a week, for two-three hours, starting in October. In 2009, the directors for our incubator team will be Mainstage Performers, Kati Skelton and marie Semla. Performances begin in winter quarter and continue throughout the spring. The Incubator Team will assist in production responsibilities for the once a month show and they will join the House, Main Stage, and Resident Team in the monthly performance starting late winter. All Incubator members are welcomed to join the House team after their first year! (You don't have to audition again).
In your second year you may choose to join Titanic’s House Team. Regarded as one of the best teams in the country, the Titanic House Team focuses on complex long forms. Highly cohesive, dedicated to discovery, and excitingly experimental, they are one of Titanic’s most impressive groups. They perform on campus at dorms, fraternities, and sororities throughout the school year.
Our most experienced improvisers enjoy quite a bit of freedom and have quite a bit of fun. The Main Stage and Resident Team receive notes after the show and rehearse once a week under the direction of Mike Abdelsayed. Mike, an alumni of Northwestern and the Titanic Players, has improvised for over 14 years and is an active professional long-form improv coach. He performed on ImprovOlympic's House Team, Valhalla, for 6 years, and was a member of Second City's Touring Company and performed on the Second City ETC stage. The resident team receives guidance on establishing their improv, sketch, or comedy careers once they leave Northwestern. This is by far the best education a college student can receive in this art form. These two teams are arguably the two best in the nation.
What do we do?
In short, we improvise. Unlike other improvisation comedy groups, however, we do long form improvisation. We take a single suggestion and based on the “form” we do anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour-long piece. The performance is meant to embrace the suggestion in all of its “depth” through a series of continuous, overlapping, time elapsing, time bending, space-warping scenes. This group focuses more on teamwork and intelligence to “set up” the piece, and not so much on instant funny. The more diversified the group of improvisers, the better.
How much commitment?
The Incubator:
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Twice a week rehearsal, time determined by the group, starting end of October, minimum 2 hours a rehearsal
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A monthly show starting winter quarter
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Some administrative responsibilities
The House:
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Twice a week rehearsal, time to be determined by the group, starting 2nd week of October, minimum 2 hours a rehearsal
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Sporadic on-campus shows throughout the year
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Sporadic off-campus theaters, festivals, and workshops
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A monthly show starting fall quarter
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Winter Break Tour
The Main Stage and Resident Teams:
- Once a week rehearsal, time to be determined by the group, starting 2nd week of October, minimum 2 hours a rehearsal
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Sporadic on-campus shows throughout the year
-
Sporadic off-campus theaters, festivals, and workshops
-
A monthly show starting fall quarter
-
Winter Break Tour
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Freedom to choose any performances
What do you have to gain?
Experience! The Titanic Players will give you the ability to improvise and think fast on your feet, an impressive line on your resume. We will perform at Northwestern University, as well as at various theaters in the city of Chicago, so you get ample opportunity to brag to your friends about how funny you are. Furthermore, your director can also guide you through every step of the process to continue your improvisation career outside of Northwestern. We are coached by experienced professionals who have received extensive schooling in improvisation and comedy and regularly perform in the improvisation comedy industry. No other student-run production can offer this training. Many of our performers have gone on to have successful improvisation and comedy careers at Saturday Night Live, ImprovOlympic, Second City, The Annoyance Theater, the Stage Left Theater, Boom! Chicago, The Playground, ComedSportz, Theater Sports, and other theaters in and around the Chicago Area.
What do you have to do to become part of this great experience?
Sign up for auditions!