Comedic Exposure: Improv in Chicago and the World (2013)

Undergraduate: Brandon Rafalson

Faculty Advisor: Marianne Gingher
Department: American Studies

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Chicago has long been viewed as ¿the Mecca of improv comedy,¿ but I discovered that that¿s just a sliver of the truth. I originally set off to explore the history and techniques of the major schools of improv in Chicago. Over the summer, I explored a wide array of improv books and podcasts, took classes in Chicago with some of the leading improv schools; took notes on those classes; and spoke with industry insiders¿all with the intent of applying my research to UNC¿s sole improv group, The Chapel Hill Players (CHiPs) while also making my newfound knowledge available to the campus community through free public workshops. What I didn't anticipate when going to Chicago was how much I learned about improv outside of Chicago. Improv has been growing across the country, and the world. I spoke to individuals who had founded grassroots companies in Nashville and Atlanta, who were involved in the larger communities of Austin, TX and New York, New York; I met improvisers from Canada, England, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, France, and Australia. What¿s more, my SURF experience spilled into my time spent studying abroad. While in London, I worked with individuals whom I had met in Chicago, attended an improv-festival in Germany, and explored the scene in Holland and Poland. Since returning to UNC, I have compiled a library of resources for CHiPs, have held several free public workshops, and, in sum, have been applying what I¿ve learned about improv in the US and abroad.