"The Black and Funny Improv Festival was directed by troupe member
Gebretatose (pronounced Gebra tat tee ous), who is the son of Eritrean
parents, but born in Sudan due to the war in Eritrea at the time.
Gebratatose arrived in Minnesota at age one and has been here for 33 years.
“I consider myself an African American and I feel very Black,” said
Gebratatose.
When asked how long he has been doing improv, Gebratatose said, “I started
doing stand-up in 2006, and later got a job at the Brave New Workshop. A
woman named Laura Anderson, who worked the main stage at the Brave New
Workshop, pulled me aside and suggested that I take the improv classes
because they were free for employees. So I took the classes and loved it.
.."
http://spokesman-recorder.com/2016/03/03/blackouts-first-annual-black-funny-improv-festival-huge-hit/
Blackout’s First Annual Black & Funny Improv Festival a huge hit!By: JAMES
L. STROUD JR <
http://spokesman-recorder.com/author/james-stroud-jr/> | 1
HOUR AGO
[image: Andy Hilbrands, John Gebretatose, Joy Dolo Anfinson and Alsa Bruno]
(James L. Stroud, Jr./MSR News)
Andy Hilbrands, John Gebretatose, Joy Dolo Anfinson and Alsa Bruno
On February 20, 2016, the Twin Cities-based improv troupe Blackout — the
first all-Black improv troupe in Minnesota — made local history by
producing, directing, hosting and headlining the first Black improv
festival in the Twin Cities. The show entitled “Black and Funny” took place
at HUGE Improv Theater in South Minneapolis to a sold-out crowd.
The Black and Funny Improv Festival was an all-day affair that ran from 10
am to 7 pm. Co-directors John Gebratatose and Alsa Bruno kicked-off the
festival with an introduction, followed by two 45-minute workshops before
and after lunch. A panel discussion entitled “Black to the Future” took
place after lunch. The discussion was led by comedian Greg Coleman,
comedienne/radio host Miss Shannan Paul, and actor Rex Isom, Jr., who
explored the state of Blacks in Minnesota through their stand-up comedy.
Later that evening, all of the workshop participants geared up for the
student showcase performance prior to the grand finale by Blackout. The
workshop students delivered a steady paced performance that flowed and kept
the crowd laughing.
[image: Andy Hilbrands, John Gebretatose, Alsa Bruno, and Joy Dolo Anfinson
in action.]
(James L. Stroud, Jr./MSR News)
Andy Hilbrands, John Gebretatose, Alsa Bruno, and Joy Dolo Anfinson in
action.
What is improv, you ask? In short, it’s another form of live theater, and
by definition, the art of improvisation. When you say the word “improv” in
Minnesota or around the United States, the legendary Dudley Riggs, founder
of the Brave New Workshop (BNW) comes to mind. Since 1958, the BNW has been
performing original sketch comedy longer than any other theater in the
country.
Riggs, a former aerialist with the famous Ringling Brothers and Barnum and
Bailey Circus, cheated death falling from a trapeze. This harrowing
experienced influenced Riggs’ decision to start his own Instant Theater
Company in New York, just to play it safe.
Riggs’ shows allowed the audience to give input and interaction, which
sparked the start of comedic improvisation. After touring, Riggs settled
down in Minnesota and the rest is history. The BNW produced a few Minnesota
notables like Louie Anderson, and Al Franken, former*Saturday Night
Live* writer
and cast member and current U.S. Senator.
The Black and Funny Improv Festival was directed by troupe member
Gebretatose (pronounced Gebra tat tee ous), who is the son of Eritrean
parents, but born in Sudan due to the war in Eritrea at the time.
Gebratatose arrived in Minnesota at age one and has been here for 33 years.
“I consider myself an African American and I feel very Black,” said
Gebratatose.
When asked how long he has been doing improv, Gebratatose said, “I started
doing stand-up in 2006, and later got a job at the Brave New Workshop. A
woman named Laura Anderson, who worked the main stage at the Brave New
Workshop, pulled me aside and suggested that I take the improv classes
because they were free for employees. So I took the classes and loved it.
“So about six months ago, Blackout director Kory LaQuess Pullman, pulled
together all of our group members to form Blackout,” recalled
Gebratatose. The Blackout cast members are: Joy Dolo Anfinson, Alsa Bruno,
Kory LaQuess Pullman, Andy Hilbrands and John Gebretatose. Founder Pullman
was unavailable for the Blackout festival.
Blackout took the stage to close out the festival. Their showcase began
with a member of the audience selecting little slips of paper out of a hat
with one word, a sentence, a song title or a phase written on it. The
troupe started a discussion from there and squeezed the funny out.
The three slips selected were “ham” “Grocery Island” and the phrase “#All
lives matter.” When “All Lives Matter” was selected, Hilbrands responded:
“I mean that’s the point? That’s so stupid because ‘Black Lives Matter’ is
really ‘Black Lives Matter, Too!’ So ‘All Lives Matter’ was already the
default. That’s like going to the hospital and saying, ‘but I don’t have
cancer —where’s my chemo?’”
Blackout’s performance was engaging, smart, thought-provoking, and funny,
and made this attendee want to see more. According to a few audience
members’ comments after the show, Blackout has a synergy that could easily
convince anyone that the troupe has been working together for more than six
months.
*If you or someone you know wants to learn more about improvisational
training or the Blackout the improv troupe, contact John Gebratatose
at 612-255-7523 or the Huge Theater at 612-412-HUGE. For updates visit
Blackout’s Facebook page atwww.facebook.com/BlackoutImprov
<
http://www.facebook.com/BlackoutImprov>.*
Received on Thu Mar 03 2016 - 16:46:32 EST