Author Archives: howardjohnson1985

Saturday Night this Sunday!

We had a great crowd and a great show last Sunday when we presented “Pythons in a Van” at the iO Chicago as the student show for my Python Process class.

If you missed it, you have a chance to see its silly cousin, “Sunday Night Live,” at the Farley Cabaret in the iO at 7 pm this Sunday night, June 19th. Different show, a few familiar faces, and an awful lot of laughs. This is a great group of students and some terrific writing, and it’s absolutely free.

If you missed Colin Jost in town this week at Zanies, we have our own Colin Jost, sort of. And our own version of Michael Che. And pretty much doppelgangers for the whole cast (at least the ones we need, anyway). You don’t have to travel to New York, or stay up until 10:30 (and the older you get, the more appealing this will be. Trust me.). It’s the best deal in town!

Sunday Night Pythons Live in a Van…

Baron's B reunion

A couple of cheap laughs–actually, they’re free!–are coming up if you’re in the Chicago area in June.

You may already know that I teach at the iO Chicago. Well, this session, I’ve been teaching two writing classes.

The first, for the great Michael McCarthy’s Comedy Lab, is an SNL Sketch Packet class, designed so that at the end of our eight week session, the students will have a packet of sketches ready to send out to seek representation.

The second class is my Python Process class, in which I teach my students how to use the methods used by Monty Python to write sketches more efficiently and more creatively.

At the end of our eight week sessions, each class will be casting and directing a staged reading in the Chris Farley Cabaret at the iO Theatre. And those days are almost here!

This Sunday night, June 12, we will be presenting “Pythons in a Van” at 7 pm. We auditioned and cast our actors for this show yesterday and, honestly, I’ve never heard this much laughter from a group of jaded actors reading student sketches. This is going to be very funny.

And next Sunday at 7 pm, June 19, we will be presenting “Sunday Night Live,” featuring our talented writers and an amazing cast doing some equally funny sketches in the style of SNL.It’s a wonderful mixture of writers and performers that range from a very talented high school student writer to my old pal and fellow Baron’s Barracudas member Bill Russell, who keeps getting funnier and funnier as he gets older and older, and is sidesplittingly hilarious in these shows.

And the best part is, you’re all invited. It is absolutely free.

Come and laugh.

And by the way, if you like what you see, I’ll be teaching two more classes starting Sunday June 19. The first is Talk Show Packet for Michael McCarthy, and if you show up and do the work, at the end of the eight weeks, you will have a packet of material and know how and where to submit it.

The second, for improvisers, is a session of PythonProv, in which we used Monty Python to affect our longform improv. My last group did a series of four shows at the iO, doing some pretty amazing work. If you’d like to be a part of it–for either class–be sure to contact the iO at classes@ioimprov.com. End of commercial.

io Old sign

My pal Homer

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Honored to join the ranks of The Simpsons pop culture references last night!

Thanks for the shout-out, Homer (and the whole Simpsons gang)!

Cinco de Palin

early python 2

It was on May 5, 1943 that the youngest of the Pythons was born in Sheffield, Yorkshire. Today, he’s still the youngest Python, and no one is able to keep up with him. So all I can say is happiest of birthdays to my pal, Michael Palin, and many, many, many more!

 

No lack of class…

imageBusy, busy, busy… Friday night will see the last PythonProv performance (for now) of Spiny Norman, the team I’ve been exploring improvised Monty Python with at the iO Chicago.
And Sunday, I’ll be starting two more classes: my Python Process class, which will teach students the Pythons wrote, and how to use their methods to improve your own sketch writing.
But that’s not all. Also on Sunday, I’ll be teaching the SNL Sketch Writing class developed by my dear pal Michael McCarthy as part of the iO’s terrific writing program!
I always tell my students that, unlike many other writing programs, when you finish one of Michael’s writing classes, if you do the work, you’ll walk away with a complete portfolio package that you can start sending off to agents. Not bad, eh?
And in eight weeks, I’ll even have a crop of graduates ready to put on shows!
But both classes are filling up rapidly, so if you’re interested, call or email the iO Chicago now.

End of commercial. Thanks.
@ioimprov #improv #montypython

PythonProv Rising!

…You may recall that I’ve been teaching PythonProv–where Monty Python and Improv come together–at the iO Chicago theatre recently. My Level 2 class is wrapping things up in a big way–with a free show this Friday night at 7 pm in the Jason Chin Cabaret at the iO.

This one is going to be fun, folks, and a great way for the class to go out in a blaze of glory. You’re all invited. End of commercial.

It’s good night from me…

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I was very saddened to hear of the passing of Ronnie Corbett, 85, the diminutive half of Britain’s much-loved The Two Ronnies.

The Two Ronnies show began in 1971 and ran for 12 seasons over 16 years. But Ronnie Corbett actually began working with Ronnie Barker years before that, most prominently on The Frost Report. Most of the individual Pythons worked with the pair as writers, and one of the most successful ongoing sketches featured John Cleese with the pair as upper (Cleese), middle (Barker), and Corbett (working) class. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K2k1iRD2f-c

It’s a brilliant concept (written by Marty Feldman and John Law), almost works as a sight gag alone, though the writing is brilliant. This clip doesn’t include the punch line(s) however:

Middle: We all know our place, but what do we get out of it?
Upper: I get a feeling of superiority over them.
Middle: I get a feeling of inferiority from him. But a feeling of superiority over him.
Working: (looking up to them, literally) I get a pain in my neck.

I never met Ronnie Corbett (who always reminded me of my pal Tim Kazurinsky), but the first time I visited London, I was staying at Graham Chapman’s house, and was delighted to hear that The Two Ronnies were headlining at The Palladium, and at Graham’s suggestion, scored a ticket. It was money well spent.

We’re losing way too many talented folks lately, and it makes me sad that Ronnie Corbett is gone, but happy that he had such a long, wonderful career and, by all accounts, a happy life.

And now, sadly and for the last time, it’s good night from him.

@johncleese @grahamchapman @montypython #montypython #ronniecorbett

Australia’s loss is Tahiti’s gain: Happy BD Eric!

Born March 29, 1943, that makes him…I’ll let you do the math. The most important thing is that @ericidle is celebrating another birthday following a frighteningly successful tour of Australia with another tall, humorous British gentleman. And to think I knew #ericidle before he was a hashtag. Happiest of birthdays and welcome to middle age! #montypython

EI NYC

Terry goes bust…

TJ Boom
I haven’t posted anything yet about Boom Bust Boom, the new feature documentary by my pal Terry Jones (and friends) that opened two weeks ago in New York. That’s because I haven’t had a chance to see it yet, though I don’t have a great excuse. The fact is that it’s now available on iTunes and On Demand, so I don’t have to wait until it comes to an area theatre.
Here’s the trailer and here’s some more info…
Boom Bust Boom  incorporates music, animation, and puppetry, in addition to live action and hosting by Terry, as it shows the link between our unstable economy and the way economics is taught, as it puts a spotlight on mistakes of the past made by bankers and politicians, while investigating the worldwide economic crash of 2008.
The film came about after Terry met economics professor Theo Kocken, and the two collaborated on the script for Bill and Ben Productions. If you’ve ever wanted to know how the financial world works, I can’t think of a better person to teach you than Terry Jones. I have a feeling it may be the most enjoyable economics lesson you’ve ever had.

#terryjones @PythonJones

Remembering Del…

Del Close died 17 years ago today, March 4, 1999, less than 24 hours after his farewell party.

He taught us a better way of life through improvisation, he showed us how to die, and he certainly knew how to edit.

There’s not a week that goes by that I don’t think of something Del said or did, or that I don’t share something with my students.

Just last weekend, after they did a scene about a living person at his own wake, I had to tell my PythonProv class that Del had done it first. Coincidentally, they will be on stage tonight at the Chris Farley Cabaret at the iO, doing work that I taught them to do because Del taught me to do it first.

If you’re an improviser and were lucky enough to know Del, tell someone a Del story. If you didn’t, then find someone who knew Del and ask them. (And if you can’t do either, then I would opportunistically suggest you look through a copy of The Funniest One in the Room.)

If Del was still here, he would be very happy–though probably not surprised–at the way that long form improvisation has continued to grow, and very proud of the way that Charna and so many others have carried on his work.

#delclose #iochicago #improvimage