indie improv – The Comedy Bureau

The Comedy Bureau Field Report Ep. 211: Jessica Svendsgaard & Starting an Improv Festival Called MILF

April 10, 2024

comedy festival, improv comedy, indie improv, jessica svendsgaard, los angeles comedy

Of all the disciplines in comedy, improv might have had the longest road back from lockdown. Connected to that, improv festivals that used to be an annual celebration to be relied on are now having to be revived from the ashes. Thus, one of the oldest indie improv nights in LA, Mach Improv, is taking up the mantle from what used to be known and beloved as The LA Indie Improv Festival and throwing their very own 12 hour improv festival, the wonderfully abbreviated MILF (Mach Improv LA Festival), later this month at what essentially is LA indie improv HQ, The Clubhouse. Mach’s very own Jessica Svendsgaard tells us all about the festival, the state of improv in spring 2024, and why all of this is important/worth doing in times like these.

Follow Jessica @thebyebyemancuckedme on IG and get all info for MILF on Sat. Apr. 27th at The Clubhouse from Noon to Midnight at milfcomedy.com.

Produced by Jake Kroeger
Music by Brian Granillo
Artwork by Andrew Delman and Jake Kroeger

Help LA Indie Improv’s Clubhouse Reopen with This Kickstarter

November 24, 2021

News

crowdfunding, indie improv, kickstarter, los angeles comedy, los angeles venue, rebecca drysdale, reopening

So many venues and things in comedy fell victim to the pandemic in one way or another. We won’t bring the mood down by listing those yet again, but, odds are, you have mourned the things that have closed and gotten anxious over the things in comedy whose fate is yet to be determined.

Fortunately, one of the things that will survive is one of LA comedy’s beloved indie improv venue, The Clubhouse, nestled in a very large strip mall on Vermont Ave. in Los Feliz. Dozens and dozens of improv shows as well as some sketch, stand-up, clowning, and other wild comedy experiments were held lovingly at one of the The Clubhouse’s two rooms.

We were thoroughly worried that it was going to be a place that was indeed going to close as a result of having to be dark for so long. That is not the case as you now know, but they will need help reopening. There is back rent that’s due and many long overdue and necessary repairs that The Clubhouse needs. That’s why its amazing and gracious founder, Rebecca Drysdale, is doing this very Kickstarter to have the Clubhouse rise from the ashes once more (and make sure no one gets tetanus from the security gate).

Please support a LA comedy venue that was a home for so many, big and small, weird and weirder, etc. etc. Do so on Kickstarter here.

August 12, 2018

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comedy festival, improv comedy, indie improv, los angeles, los feliz, silverlake

For years, the LA Indie Improv Festival has highlighted the diamonds in the rough that comprise indie improv within LA’s massive comedy scene.

This upcoming weekend (Saturday, Aug. 18th & Sunday Aug. 19th), the 7th (and final) LA Indie Improv Festival will commence at The Clubhouse in Los Feliz and Lyr featuring the likes of such improv luminaries as Heather Anne Campbell, Monika Smith, Rococo, Sassy Bluff, Drew DiFonzo Marks, Private Street, South Asian AF Superteam, and oh so much more.

Oh yeah, they’ll even have improv on a party bus going between venues.

One last thing: admission to all of those is FREE, by the way.

Get a full look at the schedule here.

The rest of our listings for comedy shows, events, screenings, open mics, maps, and more can be found at www.thecomedybureau.com.

The 2017 LA Indie Improv Festival Is Happening This Weekend (Don’t Miss It)

August 10, 2017

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cheap comedy, free comedy, hollywood, improv show, improvisation, indie improv, long form improv, los angeles, los feliz, silverlake

We don’t have DCM in LA, but we’ve got improv festivals-a-plenty.

One of the ones that you should absolutely catch is the LA Indie Improv Festival that happens with almost 200 teams between two venues (The Clubhouse and Lyric Hyperion) this weekend (8/12 & 8/13).

Slated to perform are many of LA’s best improvisers including such teams as:

Private Street, Boss Jr., The Faculty, Some Kinda Monster, Arts & Athletics, Rococo, Jacob Wysocki Makes Improvisers Do Short Form, Three Princes, Crashbar, The Colin Kaepernicks, Convoy, Outside Dog, Big Grande, and Dopetown 3000 (on a bus).

Oh, we should mention that it’s free to attend.

Get more details and a complete schedule here.

The 5th Annual LA Indie Improv Festival Is Happening This Weekend

August 2, 2016

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clubhouse, comedy festival, comedy shows, impro studio, indie improv, la indie improv festival, long form improv, los angeles, los feliz, moving arts, silverlake

At this point, the indie improv scene here in Los Angeles is beyond bursting at the seams and growing assuredly like the population sprung from mating rabbits.

You’ll get to see this indie improv in action at The LA Indie Improv Festival this Saturday, August 6th at 6 different stages around the city, as listed above, featuring such great improv teams we’ve seen around town as Crashbar, Elephants Gerald, Cat Bath, Nomi Malone, The Murge, Cat Ladies, Outside Dog, Big Grande, Boss Jr., Rococo, and many many more.

The one day LA Indie Improv Festival runs from 11AM to past midnight and accepts donations for admission.

Get more details here.

February 21, 2016

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comedy shows, eugene cordero, improv, improv shows, indie improv, lennon parham, los angeles, los feliz, rebecca drysdale

One of the currently longest running indie improv shows in LA, The Manifesto Show, celebrates its 4th year by having a pretty swell line-up of some of LA’s best teams including:

Crashbar – Lilan Bowden, Will Doughty, Casey Feigh, Jacob Womack, Diana Wright
Reuben Starship – Eugene Cordero, Katie Dippold, Anthony King, Chris Kula, Lennon Parham, John Reynolds, Charlie Sanders, Eric Scott, Kate Spencer, Joe Wengert
Booberry Canadian Holocaust – Heather Anne Campbell, Colton Dunn, Scott Rodgers
Shakedown – Joel Jensen, Nick Mandernach, Rene Gube, Toni Charline, Hector Santa Cruz
Penguins on the Playground – Mark David Christenson, Jen Krueger
Convoy – Alex Berg, Todd Fasen, Alex Fernie
Toledo Rep – Suzi Barrett, Eugene Cordero, Rebecca Drysdale, Tricia McAlpin, Johnny Meeks, Billy Merritt, Joel Spence

Catch it this week on Fri. Feb. 26th at The Clubhouse at 1607 N. Vermont Ave., Los Angeles, CA (next to Jons) at 8PM for FREE.

Poster by James Mulholland

The 2015 LA Indie Improv Festival Set For July 18th

June 2, 2015

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comedy festival, indie improv, submissions

For those of you not stopping by The Clubhouse and several other places around LA, you might not know that there is vibrant indie improv scene going on. It’s impressive considering that’s on top of the improv that happens at UCB, iO West, Westside Comedy Theater, Second City, etc. and all the stand-up comedy and sketch that also go up every night in LA.

So, there will be one whole day dedicated to those striking out on their own to do make ‘em ups in The LA Indie Improv Festival on July 18th. If you’re interested in performing, you’ll be able to submit here starting Jun. 15th.

Indie Comedy Venue, The Clubhouse, Has (Almost) Officially Relocated

September 29, 2014

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comedy shows, indie improv, los angeles, los feliz, the clubhouse

For a while, 1107-A El Centro Ave. #110 was the spot for independent improv, sketch, and variety that really let its shows and performers spread their wings as they pleased. That spot was aptly called The Clubhouse, which has now upgraded, thanks to Kickstarter, to a better, safer location at 1607 N. Vermont Ave. with lots of free parking (a premium here in LA, especially in their new neighborhood of Los Feliz).

As you can see from these pictures, the new space has undergone a lot of work and still has a bit more construction to do, but the Fresh Fish Variety Hour is scheduled for a show this Sat. at this new location.

They’ll be in full swing very soon, so be sure to check their calendar for show listings.

Please Support The Kickstarter For The New ‘Clubhouse’

April 27, 2014

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clubhouse, improv, indie improv, kickstarter

Improv, variety and more here in LA has found a wonderful home for awhile at The Clubhouse, but is now moving to a safer, better, newer, bigger location. To keep their doors open and get basics like chairs, lights, bathrooms, etc., they need your help.

Please support one of the great indie venues, The Clubhouse, in LA comedy starting anew right now. They’re aiming for $40,000 by June 20th and already got $10,538 as of this post.

The LA Indie Improv Festival Is Still Taking Submissions

May 4, 2013

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comedy festival, indie improv, los angeles

In case you’re not aware, there’s a whole scene worth of indie improv in LA as evidenced by the annual LA Indie Improv Festival. It’s pretty huge with the amount of teams they have performing and if you want in, there’s still time to submit (deadline is May 8th).

Do so here.