Empty Stage Comedy Theatre
Encyclopedia
The Empty Stage Comedy Theatre is a sketch comedy
and improvisational theatre
located in Los Angeles
, California
, U.S.A. The Empty Stage was started and is currently owned by Stan Wells.
Its notable alumni include Lisa Kudrow
, Kristen Wiig
, Felicia Day
, and Cynthia Stevenson
.
Wells brought the Clap-In and transformation improv performance forms to the stage, and these are the signature forms of the theatre. These forms differ from other forms, such as The Harold
, in many ways. Like The Harold, these forms are group longforms that endeavor to tell a story or series of stories with a succession of scenes with multiple players, as opposed to improv games which may be scenes, but in series do not typically tell a story. Both are characterized by quicker transitions between scenes, and by the idea that later scenes clarify previous scenes, allowing for justifications to happen more naturally.
The Empty Stage closed in 2009 and Stan wells moved to Seattle, where he continues his teaching and directing of Improv. His Clap-In form is currently widely used throughout the improv community, including the Groundlings, "Uncle Joe" show.
Sketch comedy
A sketch comedy consists of a series of short comedy scenes or vignettes, called "sketches," commonly between one and ten minutes long. Such sketches are performed by a group of comic actors or comedians, either on stage or through an audio and/or visual medium such as broadcasting...
and improvisational theatre
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
located in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, U.S.A. The Empty Stage was started and is currently owned by Stan Wells.
Its notable alumni include Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Kudrow
Lisa Valerie Kudrow is an American actress, best known for her role as Phoebe Buffay in the television sitcom Friends, for which she received many accolades including an Emmy Award and two Screen Actors Guild Awards...
, Kristen Wiig
Kristen Wiig
Kristen Carroll Wiig is an American film and television actress who currently appears as a cast member on Saturday Night Live. Wiig was a member of improvisational comedy troupe The Groundlings, and has appeared in several films and television series, including Bridesmaids, MacGruber, Flight of...
, Felicia Day
Felicia Day
Kathryn Felicia Day is an American actress, known for her work as "Vi" on the TV series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and for parts in movies such as Bring It On Again and June, as well as the Internet musical, Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog...
, and Cynthia Stevenson
Cynthia Stevenson
Cynthia Stevenson is an American actress.Stevenson was born in Oakland, California, the daughter of Gayle, an editor, and Al Stevenson, an upholstery warehouse owner. She grew up in Vancouver, British Columbia....
.
Wells brought the Clap-In and transformation improv performance forms to the stage, and these are the signature forms of the theatre. These forms differ from other forms, such as The Harold
Harold (improvisation)
Harold is a form of longform improv. Developed by Del Close and brought to fruition through Close's collaboration with Charna Halpern, the Harold has become the signature form of Chicago's I.O. and the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in New York and Los Angeles...
, in many ways. Like The Harold, these forms are group longforms that endeavor to tell a story or series of stories with a succession of scenes with multiple players, as opposed to improv games which may be scenes, but in series do not typically tell a story. Both are characterized by quicker transitions between scenes, and by the idea that later scenes clarify previous scenes, allowing for justifications to happen more naturally.
External links
The Empty Stage closed in 2009 and Stan wells moved to Seattle, where he continues his teaching and directing of Improv. His Clap-In form is currently widely used throughout the improv community, including the Groundlings, "Uncle Joe" show.