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Mindy Sterling, Karen Maruyama, Patrick Bristow, and Phil LaMarr performing in The Alumni Show. … [+] Photo Credit: Sam Gooley
Photo Credit: Sam Gooley
Laraine Newman insists that she is not good an improv.
“Character monologues are really my forte,” she says. “But I am always trying to get better at improv.”
Newman might hold this view, but she’s responsible for the very successful group, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.
An improv and sketch comedy troupe and school, The Groundlings is based in Los Angeles, California and has been in operation for the last half century.
Famous alumni include Paul Reubens, Jon Lovitz, Maya Rudolph, Jennifer Coolidge, Will Forte, Lisa Kudrow, Jimmy Fallon, Mikey Day and Heidi Gardner, among many others.
As one of the original founding members, Newman, who spent five seasons on the ground-breaking, perennial series Saturday Night Live, details the evolution of the group, saying, “In the beginning, it was simply just improv workshop. It was for people who just wanted to kind of goof around. I was at Cal Arts at the time, and other people were film students at USC, etc., but there were also people like Pat Morita, Tim Matheson and Valerie Curtin, who were working actors who wanted to broaden their skill set.”
Laraine Newman, founding member of The Groundlings.
Photo by Rob Lewine.
She says that the group started having what they called ‘scene nights’ during which, “people would present sketch ideas or maybe a character they were working on.”
The audience consisted of, according to Newman, the performer’s friends, but then, as she says, “because of word of mouth, there started to be bigger and bigger audiences, and not just people that we knew.”
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Soon, a class structure was set up by founding member and then-Artistic Director Gary Austin.
“Back in the day, improv wasn’t on TV and there weren’t really any classes in it or anything like that,” says Groundling member Phil LaMarr.
LaMarr studied drama at Yale and after graduation began working as a transcriptionist and delivery person for court reporters while he pursued an acting career. After joining the troupe in the ‘80s, he worked as a company member from 1992 to 1998, later segueing into teaching for the company. He’s since became a successful actor, specializing in voice work.
‘There was a point after The Groundlings stared when improv broke into the mainstream and people started to think, ‘hey there’s something magical about this,” says LaMarr.
While working with the group, he was able to craft several characters that he’s proud of.
“The greatest feeling is when you see an audience respond to a character that you’ve created. You take a step back and you say, ‘wow, look what I’ve done and how happy it makes people.’ There’s nothing like experiencing that,” says LaMarr.
Michael Churven performing in The Groundlings sketch, Family Road Trip.
Photo credit: Aly Isaeff
Moving from Australian to the U.S. in his ‘20s in the mid-2000s, Michael Churven, was a practicing attorney when he began working on his improv skills via The Groundlings.
“What’s great about being part of the group is that you’re just constantly writing and performing, so you get really, really sharp at doing those things. And that’s one of the reasons why I think members of the group go on to be part of so many facets of entertainment throughout the world,” he says.
He points out that like every member of the group, the work he did with The Groundlings allowed him to ‘find his voice’ and develop characters that only he can play.
After being a part of the main company for several years, Churven has also worked as a teacher, which he says very fulfilling,
“I really enjoy the process of someone putting in the time and work. They start with like a lump of clay and I get to help them shape that by saying, ‘you just need to tweak a little bit here, shave off this, maybe pump this up a little bit, reduce that, and then it can start to work,” says Churven.
While the school does train people for professional careers, there are classes that are open to people who just want to explore improv, explains Churven. “Anyone can jump in and give it a try, and they can say, ‘nope, not for me,’ or if it’s something they decide they like, they can join.”
From The Alumni Improv Show with Mindy Sterling, Phil LaMarr, and Jon Lovitz.
Photo Credit: Sam Gooley
To keep The Groundlings, which has an annual budget of approximately $3 million, operating, the organization has several ongoing fundraising efforts.
Business Manager Lauren Martin-Zumaeta, would like the general public to understand that, “We are an iconic theatre as well as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which means engagement from our community is a huge part of our legacy.”
Carrie LaFerle Gergely, who serves as Managing Director, adds that funds raised also help Groundling members and alumni in severe financial strife. “And we have a scholarship named for Gary Austin, that people can contribute to, which supports students in our school,” she says.
In conjunction with the 50th anniversary celebration, the troupe has been hosting special events, including alumni shows, and currently they’re hosting a silent auction.
“The proceeds from the campaign and auction will go towards our scholarship programs, expanding our community outreach efforts, and providing necessary equipment and improvements to our 50 year-old theater and school,” says LaFerle Gergely.
Groundlings Original Members Laraine Newman and Tracy Newman.
Photo credit: Courtesy of the Groundlings
Outlining reasons she feels people should contribute, LeFerle Gergely points out that, “In challenging times, laughter is priceless. Our theater isn’t just a place for entertainment; it’s a sanctuary where people can come together to escape their worries, connect with others, and build confidence. Every contribution, no matter the size, makes a difference. We ask that donors help us keep the laughter alive.”
Or, says LaMarr, “One of the easiest ways to support The Groundlings is to come to a show. “It’s guaranteed that you’ll laugh….a lot! You will get your money’s worth and you’ll be helping the organization as well. It’s a win-win way to go.”
Churven says that everyone should really think about all of the amazing people and characters that have come out of The Groundlings and how this has enhanced comedy, including Kristen Wiig’s “Target Lady,” and many of the creations of Will Farrell and Melissa McCarthy, to name a few.
He explains the process, saying that it’s not easy, “When you’re developing characters, you start out as, like, a miner, digging for stories, and then you spend hours and hours, weeks and months testing it and perfecting everything. It’s a lot of work. But, when it hits and the audience gets it, it’s all worth it.”
For LaMarr, the best part of The Groundlings is the camaraderie. “Once you’re a member, you’re always a member. When you do improv with other people you feel connected for the rest of your lives.”
He adds that, “When you think about how this all started — with people who came together to do something they loved and then created this great company and how hard they’ve worked to keep it going, I believe that that dedication is why we‘re still going 50 years later.”
For Newman, the anniversary has provided her a chance for reflection, “I was looking at my life recently, seeing how fortunate I’ve been from this thing that we started just for fun, that became a home for new and innovate styles of writing and character performance, and I realized that I really think the legacy of The Groundlings is that what we continue to do is elevate the art of comedy, and that’s really special.”
On a personal level, Newman says that, even after all these years, she still feels like she’s not that great at improv, but she’s still fully committed to doing it. “There’s an improv workshop that I’m part of that is all Groundlings alumni. We meet up every Saturday for about three hours. So maybe I’m getting better at it, but if not, that’s ok, it’s still just really fun to do it, so I’ll keep at it.”
For more information about ‘The Groundlings,’ or to direct tax deductible donation to the theatre or school, a please visit their website.
Currently, the organization is hosting a silent auction with bidding open until midnight, October 19th. To bid on items, please click here.
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Anne Easton
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