Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre
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The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre is an improvisational theatre in Chelsea, New York, and Hollywood, California. Their unique form of improvisational comedy makes the theater one of the more important comedy venues in the country.
The theater was founded by Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Matt Walsh, and Ian Roberts, a group of comedians who perform as the Upright Citizens Brigade. The troupe had a show on Comedy Central from 1998 to 2001.
The UCBT was originally housed at 161 West 22nd Street, a 75-seat auditorium that used to be the Harmony Theater, an all-nude lap-dancing club. The original theatre was closed by the city of New York in late 2002 due to code violations, and on April 1, 2003, the New UCB Theatre (a 150-seat theater at 307 West 26th Street in NYC) opened its doors.
The UCBT features a variety of comedy-related acts, including one-person shows, stand up, and sketch comedy acts, but the theater is best known for its long-form improv shows. Teams that performed the classic Harold improv format, like Mother, Respecto Montalban, and The Swarm, developed their own forms and helped the UCBT become the place for great, cutting-edge, comedy. The longest running improv show at UCBT, A.S.S.S.S.C.A.T, has featured famous comedians, such as Janeane Garofalo, David Cross, Will Ferrell, Alec Baldwin, Jack Black, Mike Myers, Conan O'Brien, Robin Williams and Tina Fey as participants.
In addition to the performance space, UCB is home to an intensive Improv Guerilla Training Center where students learn the art of improvisational and written comedy.
The Los Angeles division of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre was opened on July 2, 2005 at 5919 Franklin Avenue in Hollywood.
Comedy Death-Ray, L.A.'s premier alternative comedy show, moved from its former home at the M Bar to join them, appearing on Tuesday nights.
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[edit] Notable performers who have performed on the UCB Stage
- James Adomian, Late Late Show, Celebrity Deathmatch
- Jessica Allen, VH1
- Scot Armstrong, screenwriter of Old School
- Eric Appel, The Andy Milonakis Show
- Scott Aukerman, Mr. Show
- Dan Bakkedahl, The Daily Show
- Alec Baldwin
- Doug Benson, Best Week Ever
- Brian Berrebbi, The Andy Milonakis Show
- Owen Burke, VH1
- Rob Corddry, The Daily Show
- Andrew Daly, MADtv, The Showbiz Show with David Spade
- Kevin Dorff, Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Rachel Dratch, Saturday Night Live
- James Eason, Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Jesse Falcon, creator of Hulk Hands
- Mo Fathelbab, The Iron Sheikh and Friends
- Dannah Feinglass, MADtv
- Tina Fey, Saturday Night Live
- Jake Fogelnest, Squirt TV
- Mac Funchess, Brainfreeze
- Chris Gethard, Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- John Gemberling, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Gemberling, Palindromes
- Amey Goerlich, Krompf: The ol' factory
- Jon Gutierrez, Twisted Toyfare Theater
- Curtis Gwinn, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Gemberling, Comedy Central
- Peter Gwinn, The Colbert Report
- Bill Hader, Saturday Night Live
- Ed Helms, The Daily Show
- Rob Huebel, Curb Your Enthusiasm
- Brian Huskey, Best Week Ever
- Terry Jinn, Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Rebekka Johnson, Boiling Points
- Anthony King, Gutenberg! The Musical!
- Kevin McDonald, Kids in the Hall
- Adam McKay, director of Anchorman: The Legend of Ron Burgundy & Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby
- Tim Meadows, Saturday Night Live
- Seth Meyers, Saturday Night Live
- Billy Merritt, Boiling Points
- Caitlin Miller, My Favorite Mistake
- Andy Milonakis, The Andy Milonakis Show
- Eli Newell, Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Justin Purnell, School Night
- Andy Richter, Late Night with Conan O'Brien
- Rob Riggle, Saturday Night Live, The Daily Show
- Horatio Sanz, Saturday Night Live
- Paul Scheer, Best Week Ever
- Danielle Schneider, Best Week Ever
- Jason Sudeikis, Saturday Night Live
- Charlie Todd, Improv Everywhere
- Paul F. Tompkins, Best Week Ever, Mr. Show
[edit] Current UCBTNY house teams
- 1985
- Bastian
- Beverly Hills
- Creep
- Death By Roo Roo
- fwand
- Kill Your Darlings
- Mother
- Reuben Williams
- The Stepfathers
- Tantrum
- T.R.U.C.K.S.
[edit] Current UCBTLA house teams
- Cabbages & Kings
- Gravy
- Last Day of School
- MacGuffin
- Powerwalkers
- Sentimental Lady
[edit] Trivia
- UCBTNY was used as a stand-in for a movie theater in the SNL Digital Short Lazy Sunday.
[edit] External links
- The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre Official Site
- UCBTLA on MySpace
- UCBTNY on MySpace
- "Masters of Improv Are Stumped", by Jesse McKinley, New York Times, January 27, 2003; article on the first UCBT.
