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Beth answers some frequently-asked
questions about the Un-Cab Lab
Comedy Writing & Performance Workshop
Q: Who takes this workshop?
A: We work with essayists, stand-up comedians, TV writers, film writers, TV personalities, improvers, actors, performance & theater artists. We have many graduates of The Groundlings, Second City, Upright Citizens and other sketch and standup schools.
We also work with some people you might not expect to find in what is commonly called a 'comedy workshop': network executives, yoga teachers, radio producers, teachers, lawyers, film festival directors, journalists, real estate agents, psychologists, librarians, college students, interior designers, defense attorneys and divorcees.
The mix of people is great for stand-ups because it gives a read as to how a 'real' audience will respond. And great for everyone because we get people telling stories about all different kinds of things. And making all sorts of personal breakthroughs. One of the things Greg and I love about teaching these classes is the highly conscious quality of our students.
Q: Why would people who don't want a career as a stand-up take a comedy class?
A: Besides the fact that it is fun, and fun is healthy, most people need to know how to be good on their feet. Whether in meetings, pitches, lectures, presentations, sermons, classes, author tours, readings, interviews, auditions the more comfortable you are with yourself and the more easily you can help the audience feel comfortable, the better your life will go. We live in a time and place where being able to 'sell yourself' is all you have besides your mood. We help with both. Being funny on your feet is a great confidence builder.
Q: Is this class for writers or performers?
A: Both. While the majority of the students want to work on their performance skills, we have had lots of students who have no interest in performing but who want to write first person books and essays, and this is a great place to develop that work. Plus to be a successful writer you are going to have to do public appearances and this is a great place to get comfortable with the microphone, the lights, the audience/reader dynamic.
Q: Do people take the workshop more than once?
A: Yes. We have lots of ongoing students. Sometimes people take a couple of sessions in a row to help them really get a project going, or to get on track in stand-up. Some people use it to push them to the next level whenever they hit a plateau. Some people use it to keep their creative juices flowing smoothly, as a practice. Some people take it during pilot season to stay loose. And some keep going until they have a working draft of their show.
Q: Can I come watch a class and see if it's for me?
A: Absolutely. You can audit any class for just $25 (which applies to future registration). Auditing means observing, absorbing and maybe asking the occaisional question, but not going onstage with your own material. If you come to audit a class and get so excited that you want to jump right in, you can - space and time permitting.
Q: Is it scary?
A: Yes! And no! It can be scary to get up in front of people and talk. But we create a very safe environment. We are supportive and friendly to encourage risk taking. Because you need to take risks in order to improve. Being yourself in front of other people. Knowing when to censor yourself and when to let it rip. How to create pacing to hold people's attention. The tricks to dynamics. Developing the actual voice. Understanding how much writing is useful to you personally before you get up on stage so that you are not under- or over-writing.
These are just a few of the specifics we address. And I can guarantee that if you work with our system you will make a breakthrough. Whether that means more gigs or just a better understanding of yourself.
Q: How big is each class?
A: Each class is limited to fifteen students. That way each student gets substantial personal feedback from us at each session.
Q: Do I have to register for a full session?
A: You want to register for the whole session. We encourage you to sign up for a full session because there is a cumulative effect over time and an ongoing class gives you deadlines and structure for the work. There are some people whose schedules absolutely never let them do that. If that is the case and you let us know when you sign up, we will TRY to arrange for you to do part of one session and part of another session, or pro-rate the classes you can take. Life is tough. We try not to be. Except in the most loving possible way when it comes time to give you notes.
Q: What happens first?
A: Each session begins with each participant introducing themselves to us and the group. You give us a thumbnail of your background in terms of writing and performing and what your goals are for the session. Sometimes these goals are very clear, for instance you might want to more real and less hacky in your stand-up material. Or you're developing a one-person show. Or you might be an actor who wants to be more comfortable with yourself while auditioning. Or a TV writer who needs to be better at pitching. But some goals are less clear. For instance you might feel you are in a creative rut. Or that you are 'off track'. You might have a story to tell and you are not sure what medium to tell it in. Or you might just want to do something fun and funny on Sunday afternoons.
Q: Will I get up on stage every session?
A: Yes! Unless you don't want to. Every now and then we have a student who wants to take in the instruction without getting on stage. But otherwise yes! You will get on stage for at least five minutes per session. And after that we give you very personalized feedback. During that time you are encouraged to ask us questions about your direction and experience. In that time we will help you define your goals, figure out techniques geared to get you there, work out special assignments for you.
Q: Are there assignments?
A: Besides the personalized assignments (see above) there are weekly suggested topics. These themes are ones I've worked with myself over the years and we've tested out at both Un-Cabaret and Say The Word shows and have proven to incite extreme creativity. You can hear FREE DOWNLOADS at audible.com/uncabaret!
Having an assignment gives you a loose structure. And it's interesting to see the way different people deal with the same topic. But we always encourage students to ignore the topics if they are onto something exciting, or if something is happening that is very pressing. We find that there is nothing more compelling to an audience than the present and in fact have developed many ways to get you to be present. In some ways the whole class is a course in presence as much as comedy, because nothing is as important to being truly funny than being truly present.
Additionally, we've developed a whole program of exercises designed to help you generate material and refine your point-of-view. The workshop is an ongoing forum in which to develop artistically.
Q: Does Beth lead the group?
A: Yes I do. With Un-Cabaret producer Greg Miller. I come at it from the point of view of having been right where you are. From the point of view of a working artist. If you're not familiar with the whole Beth Lapides thing then hello new person, and click here for my bio and credits. If you are then you know I have been an innovator in comedy, the visual arts and writing. I have also worked as an actor, a TV personality, a radio host and commentator, a TV producer and print journalist. My first book is being published in November 2006 (“Did I Wake You?” Soft Skull). I believe in and have studied what it takes to stay actively engaged creatively in a world that tries to regiment and homogenize. I also understand the imperative to bring the fruition of your work to the marketplace.
Greg brings a whole other skill set to the table. He came to Hollywood as a screenwriter and worked as one for a number of years before I sucked him into my evil scheme to revolutionize the comedy world. He is amazing at working with talent -- and I’m not just saying that because I sleep with him! He has extensive experience as a TV, radio, web, audio and live theater producer. Currently he is producing Un-Cabaret for audible.com, a comedy series for the Skirball Cultural Center, my new one-woman show, video for MySpace, and a pilot of our Other Network series for Shout Factory. He understands things about scriptwriting and pitching that I don’t and I understand things about being on stage and generating material that he doesn’t.
This results in a class where much of what we teach is principals of creativity and techniques for being more creative and funnier and none of what we teach is abstract. You benefit from our years of success. And failure. And the fact that we are always working hard on new things and bringing that experience to the table.
Q: Is there a lot of interaction with other members of the class?
A: At the beginning of each class we have ten to twenty minutes of discussion. The topics range from dealing with writer’s bloc to how to decide on what material to use. We might discuss ways for you to live more fully inside your work or the art of finding the right beginning. We discuss any particular frustrations you might be having or successes!
Additionally, in some sessions the group really clicks and there are coffee and drink get togethers, e-mail swapping and creative collaborations.
Q: Where does the class take place?
A: We like to teach in a music club. We teach the LA class at M-Bar, the same club where we do the Un-Cabaret standup shows. You get to stand on the same stage and experience the microhpone and lights that all our performers deal with. Of course, you don't have to deal with a drinking, paying audience or the performance pressure of a live show. The rest of the class is supportive and responsive enought so that you get a sense of potential audience reaction to your material. The room is dark and intimate. It also does tend to run hot and cold so you should wear layers.
Q: What else should I bring to the first class?
A: Excitement, enthusiasm, something to take notes with. Maybe an audio or video recording device to tape your performance.
In the first class, as in every class after that, you will get up on stage for five minutes. So bring something you want to do. There is no theme assignment for the first class, we get a better way of seeing where you are starting from that way. You can choose to bring in:
1. Nothing. You can work off the top of your head and respond to something someone else has done.
2. A favorite story about yourself, one that you would tell at a dinner party meeting new people.
3. A rant about something that is really bothering you or something you are totally excited about.
4. A piece about what is happening in your life right now. What is driving you to take this course.
5. Some thing that you have been performing and that you like but that isn't working for some reason.
Don't bother trying to memorize your material. You are free to bring notes up on the stage at all times, and if you have problems with notes, we will teach you how to create helpful ones. If you want to read a fully-written piece, you are welcome to do so, but we'll encourage you to gt off paper over the course of the workshop.
We look forward to working with you!
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If you have more questions about the Lab, check out the alumni testimonials, e-mail info@uncabaret.com, come audit or register for THE UN-CAB LAB writing and performance workshop.
BETHLAPIDES.COM is the homepage for Beth, creatrix of the Un-Cabaret, alternative comedy guru and leader of the Lab.
UNCABARET.COM is the home page for Un-Cabaret, "the mother-show of alternative comedy" (LA Times).
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