A few months ago I participated in an improv show online on E-mpov. I saw the potential of Improv online as a way to connect the improv community worldwide. I had a chance to interview the Artistic Director of this online adventure Amey Goerlich to chat with her about:
NICK: How did E-EMPROV start?
AMEY: Terry Withers Created E-MPROV.COM here is what he had to say about it:
I wanted to perform more than I was. My son was 6 months old and Jenn needed help. I was still doing improv shows when I could but they put an amazing strain on our day to day. I knew about video conferencing and I decided to look into it. I couldn’t believe that you could just broadcast a video conference. That blew my mind. I decided I would try to figure out how to do that, certain that either my lack of tech knowledge or old computer would stop me. Somehow they didn’t. I wanted there to be a way for a show to happen and build momentum for the next one. YouTube didn’t really lend itself to that. I decided I would try to design a website, guessing that my lack of tech knowledge or old computer would stop me. Once again I was wrong. Then I invited a bunch of improvisers to give it a shot. Since improvisers tend to be wonderful people, they agreed to give it a shot.
NICK: What is the goal of E-MPROV?
AMEY: E-MPROV is dedicated to embody and celebrate the principals of long form improv as an equal opportunity performance option to all. We are devoted to the widespread promotion of long form improv nationally and internationally. Combining electricity and improv to create a new way to universally connect to others through the power of Improvisation.
NICK: What do we have to look forward to with e-mprov?
AMEY: We are creating a lot of new shows like our College face offs where we have two college improv teams compete against each other and the team with the most likes on their e-mprov set will move on to the next College face off.
We are also connecting with improvisers globally. We have one international team that performs live every sunday at 10am and we just started International Jams.
We have Improv talk shows, Bit shows, Regular house teams which includes a High School improv team. I’m even doing a monthly show where i improvise with kids under 4 years old called Look who’s talking improv.
NICK: How can improvisors get involved?
AMEY: Easy go to our website E-MPROV.COM and on the bottom of our front page you can register as a team or an individual. We have 3 Jam shows a week one being international where you can play with people from France, Tokyo, England, Australia and many more countries.
NICK: What have been your biggest challenges?
AMEY: Probably the technology on google hangouts. We have so many ideas and it’s just a matter of trying to play with the format to do different things with it. Also the international aspect of E-MPROV is tough because they want to also do shows live but at prime times for them which usually means 7 or 10am EST in the US. But we are game for anything.
Nick Armstrong
Nick Armstrong is Founder and Camp Director of Improv Utopia an improv retreat for adults in California and Pennsylvania. He is also one of the founding members of the National Improv Network and performer and teacher at iO West as well as member of The Sunday Company at The Groundlings. He has also taught many workshops around the country.
