Posts Tagged ‘Armando’
Thursdays at 10pm in August!
This Thursday at 10pm is the debut of “The Weave” directed by Rick Andrews! The show is the latest installment of the Magnet Theater’s Director Series, a monthly series of performances where a director presents a different improv form with a completely different cast. The only rule is that there are no rules. Watch Magnet’s best improvisers perform organic freeform improvisation in two mind blowing parts! Featuring: Russ Armstrong, Peter McNerney, Chet Siegel, Alan Fessenden, Frank Bonomo, Alex Marino and Special Guests!
For more information, take a look at our Facebook event!
Join us afterwards for a special opening night party at Smithfield!
In a city of over 8 million strangers, it’s incredible to find a place that feels like home. Yet, in it’s 7th year, the Magnet Theater continues to do that for many improvisers, actors and comedy addicts. The Magnet’s supportive atmosphere focuses on following your gut and “yes and”-ing in a grounded and personal way. There is no fast track, improv is like anything else, it takes time to master. At the Magnet, there is no pressure to be anybody other than yourself. Much of that comes from co-founder Armando Diaz, who dreamed that the Magnet would “facilitate people making comedy and meeting each other.” I sat down with Armando Diaz and inquired about this very important milestone:
Willy Appelman: What was the first show in the Magnet Theater space?
Armando Diaz: I was teaching an Evente class and we had our first show in the theater. The stage wasn’t finished. It was an experiment for all of us. We (Ed Herbstman and Alex more
Tomorrow night at the Magnet is the 5th anniversary of some very special fellows and ladies. Hello Laser, The Boss, and Junior Varsity, The Magnet’s most veteran house teams, all turn five years old.
Five years is a long time to be an improv team, and you can see that experience borne out every Thursday in the playfulness, patience, trust and skill that these teams exhibit every time they hit the stage.
Come on out tomorrow night and laugh until your silly once again. Vets Phooka will open up the night at 8pm, followed by Laser, Boss and JV. At 10pm, there’s a big mix-em up with all the teams as players swap sides for a set or two. Join everyone at local watering hole Mustang Sally’s after the show for the official after party.
Whew. We can’t wait. It’s been a crazy ride. To celebrate their achievement in longevity, we at the Mblog thought it’d be fun to take a look back at some old photos of these teams so you can see what they were like through the years…
2007
Here's the Hello Laser boys back in year 1, right after being cast by Armando Diaz, and right before finding that dead body and getting threatened by local greaser Jack Bauer.
Armando Diaz Improv Resource Center Podcast Interview
Magnet Theater founder Armando Diaz was recently interviewed by Kevin Mullaney for the Improv Resource Center podcast. In the interview Armando discusses the lessons he has learned by opening his own improv theater, how he has evolved as a teacher, how he helps students connect with their scene partners, scene initiations and more! If you are an improv comedy nerd this is definitely a great interview to listen to!
