The Titanic Players

Here is some background information about us:

We are part of a national organization called The Titanic Players, established in 1994.  Our branch was officially established at the University of Illinois in the 2008-2009 academic year.  Our group is nationally known for our specialty:  long-form improv comedy. 

As an organization, The Titanic Players have done performances at local high schools, local 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 multi-state performance tour and 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.  There are a lot of things that make us different:

• We cast up to 9 new people every year
• Those 9 people stay together as a team with no additions until the team graduates
• We have 3 teams on campus working together
• We are trained by teachers from ImprovOlympic and Second City

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 once a week, for three hours, starting in September or October. Performances will begin in 2010.  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 spring semester.  All Incubator members are welcomed to join the House team after their first year! (You don't have to audition again).

This year's Incubator team will be directed by Eric Siegel. 

In your second year you may choose to join Titanic’s House Team.  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.   The resident team receives guidance on establishing their improv, sketch, or comedy careers once they leave the University of Illinois.   This is by far the best education a college student can receive in this art form. 

Mike has been improvising for over 15 years and was a 6 year member of the ImprovOlympic House Team Valhalla, voted best improv team in Chicago in 1999 and 2001.  He is a professional coach for ImprovOlympic as well as One Group Mind.  He understudied for the Second City ETC and the Second City Touring Company.  He has been taught by Charna Halpern, Del Close, Noah Gregoropoulos, Miles Stroth, and Liz Allen, to name a few.  He was a member of the ImprovOlympic “best of” cast Instant Karma, Ask Charna, and the Armando Diaz show in addition to being a teacher in their training center.  He has coached performers who have continued successful careers at Saturday Night Live, NBC’s the Office, ImprovOlympic, ComedySportz, The Second City ETC and Second City touring company, the Apollo Theater, The Annoyance Theater, and Boom! Chicago. 

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:

• Once a week rehearsal, on Saturdays, starting in September or October, for 3 hours a rehearsal

• An extra rehearsal a week may be scheduled by the director at their discretion

• A monthly show starting in 2010

• Some administrative responsibilities      

The House:

• Once a week rehearsal, on Saturdays, starting in September or October, for 3 hours a rehearsal

• Sporadic on-campus shows throughout the year

• Sporadic off-campus theaters, festivals, and workshops

• A monthly show starting fall semester

• Winter Break Tour

The Main Stage and Resident Teams:

• Once a week rehearsal, time to be determined by the group, starting in September, minimum 2 hours a rehearsal

• Sporadic on-campus shows throughout the year

• Sporadic off-campus theaters, festivals, and workshops

• A monthly show starting fall semester

• Winter Break Tour

• 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 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 school.  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 our audition contact list and then register for auditions!