Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

Improvisational comedy venue

It has been suggested that this article be merged into Upright Citizens Brigade. (Discuss) Proposed since December 2023.

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Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

Former Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, West 26th Street, Manhattan

Type| Improvisational theatre
Website
ucbcomedy.com

The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (shorter UCB Theatre or UCB) is an American improvisational and sketch comedy training center and theatre [1] originally founded by Upright Citizens Brigade troupe members Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh.[2]

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,[3] UCB had locations in the New York City neighborhoods of Hell's Kitchen and the East Village, and on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. UCB was located in Chelsea West 26th Street location from April 2003 until November 2017, after which it moved to Hell's Kitchen, 555 West 42nd Street in December 2017. The second NYC theatre located in the East Village opened in 2011, and the Los Angeles expansion started in 2014.[4]

Members of the Upright Citizens Brigade originally trained with Del Close at Chicago's ImprovOlympic where they created their signature ASSSSCAT show, the success of which led to the troupe founding the UCB Theatre in New York City.

## Philosophy[edit]

The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre Training Center teaches long form improv, sketch, writing, parts of directing, and various other comedy skills.[1] The training center's philosophy of improv is based largely on the teachings of Del Close, with a strong emphasis on the "game" of the scene.[5] In 2013, they co-authored a manual titled The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual.[6][7] The primary improvisational form is "The Harold", and the theater in all its incarnations has had a group of "Harold Teams", house teams that perform regularly.[8]

## History[edit]

### New York[edit]

Prior to opening their own theatre, the Upright Citizens Brigade performed their signature improv show, ASSSSCAT, first at KGB Bar, and then later at Solo Arts. Solo Arts was the first semi-permanent home to the Upright Citizens Brigade's Harold Teams and is considered by some to be the group's first theatre.[9][10][11] The troupe's first permanent space was at 161 West 22nd Street, a 75-seat auditorium that used to be the Harmony Burlesque Theater, an all-nude lap-dancing club—essentially a storefront. The original theatre was closed on November 18, 2002, after a building inspector ordered the theater to be shut down due to fire code violations. In the months that followed, the theater found a temporary home at the Access Theater on lower Broadway, then moved to the Chelsea Playhouse for a short time before finding a permanent space.[2]

On April 1, 2003, the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre moved to its second official space in Chelsea, a 150-seat theater at 307 West 26th Street in NYC in the former Maverick Theater. The new venue had several advantages over the previous theater on 22nd Street, such as double capacity, a more professional tech booth, larger green room with a greater separation from the stage area, two dressing rooms, storage rooms, twice the number of bathrooms, and a "chill out room".[12][13]

In September 2011,[14] UCB opened a second theater on the Lower East Side of Manhattan, at 153 E 3rd St. This theater featured 124 seats, two lobbies, and a full bar known as the "Hot Chicks Room" in reference to an episode of the Upright Citizens Brigade TV show.[15] Often referred to as "the Beast" (a portmanteau shortening of "UCB East"), the theater was initially opened in hopes of showcasing more stand-up comedy. However, it primarily featured improv and sketch shows. In January 2019 it was announced that UCB East would close in February 2019, following financial issues.

At the start of 2017, ticket prices increased (the first in ten years).[16] In October 2017, it was announced that the UCB Chelsea location would close. The last show in Chelsea was Wednesday, November 28, 2017.[17] The next UCB space was at 555 42nd Street in Hell's Kitchen, the former home to the Pearl Theatre Company.[18] Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this location and the New York training center were closed on Tuesday, April 21, 2020, leaving no NYC locations of UCB, with no confirmed plans for revival.[19] However, on June 29, 2023, UCB announced its return to New York at 242 E. 14th Street, which will house a 130-seat theater, a bar, and a lounge. The space is expected to open in early 2024.

### Los Angeles[edit]

In 2005, the Los Angeles branch of the theater opened at 5919 Franklin Avenue in Hollywood, offering up improv, sketch and stand-up comedy shows nightly with a 120-seat capacity. Soon after, Comedy Bang! Bang! (formerly Comedy Death-Ray), a Los Angeles alternative comedy show moved from its former home at the M Bar to join the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, appearing on Tuesday nights.[20]

In 2014, UCB announced the opening of UCB Theatre Sunset located at 5419 Sunset Boulevard for November 1. The venue played home to Upright Citizens Brigade's training center, an 85-seat theatre, cafe/performance space called Inner Sanctum, video production offices, and even retail stores on street level.[21] This location was sold in December 2020, leaving the Franklin theater as the only space owned by UCB.[22]

In March 2022, former owner and CEO of The Onion, Mike McAvoy, and co-founder of Mosaic talent management, Jimmy Miller, acquired UCB and its lone remaining theater with the backing of venture capitalist, Elysian Park. They reopened the UCB comedy theater and Los Angeles training centers in September 2022.[23]

## Pop Culture[edit]

Saturday Night Live has been known for seeking top talent from UCB's pool of students.[24]

TV shows like The Chris Gethard Show created by Chris Gethard; and Broad City created by Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer started out as UCB experiments.

## Notable alumni[edit]

* Aziz Ansari[25]
* Anthony Atamanuik
* Emily Axford[26]
* Matt Besser \- founder[27]
* Nicole Byer[26]
* Kay Cannon[26]
* D'Arcy Carden[26]
* Neil Casey
* Adam Conover[26]
* Calico Cooper[28]
* Andrew Daly[26]
* Ayo Edebiri
* Ilana Glazer[29]
* Donald Glover[30]
* Ed Helms[31][32]
* Rob Huebel[26]
* Abbi Jacobson[33][34]
* Ellie Kemper[35]
* Jordan Klepper[26]
* Nick Kroll[36]
* Jason Mantzoukas[26]
* Kate McKinnon[36][27]
* Kyle Mooney[26]
* Seth Morris[26]
* Brennan Lee Mulligan[26]
* Ego Nwodim[37]
* Lennon Parham
* Josh Patten
* Aubrey Plaza[38]
* Amy Poehler \- founder[39][40]
* June Diane Raphael
* Rob Riggle[41][42]
* Ian Roberts \- founder[43][44]
* Matt Rogers[45]
* Paul Scheer[26]
* Ben Schwartz[46]
* Jessica St. Clair
* Kelly Marie Tran[26]
* Milana Vayntrub[26]
* Matt Walsh \- founder[47][44]
* Zach Woods[48]
* Bowen Yang
* Sasheer Zamata[26]

## See also[edit]

* Annoyance Theatre
* The Groundlings
* iO Theater
* Improv Asylum
* Magnet Theater
* The Midnight Show
* The Peoples Improv Theater
* The Second City
* Under the Gun Theater

## References[edit]

1. ^ a b "Classes: New York". Upright Citizens Brigade Training Center. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
2. ^ a b McKinley, Jesse (January 27, 2003). "Masters of Improv Are Stumped". The New York Times. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
3. ^ O'Connell, Mikey (22 April 2020). "Amy Poehler, UCB Co-Founders Address NYC Facility Closures: "We're Really Trying to Keep It Alive"". The Hollywood Reporter.
4. ^ Wright, Megh. "UCB Is Moving from Chelsea to Hell's Kitchen Next Month". Vulture. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
5. ^ Voss, Eric. "Improv's Babel: Defining the Game of the Scene". Splitsider. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
6. ^ Get the Laughs, but Follow the Rules, The New York Times, 20 February 2014
7. ^ "And....Scene". New York Magazine. September 25, 2011. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
8. ^ "New York: Shows: Harold Night". Retrieved 10 July 2013.
9. ^ Levy, Ariel (August 10, 1998). "The Odd Squad". New York Magazine. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
10. ^ "Jason Mantzoukas interview". jesterjournal.com. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
11. ^ "Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre Nightclub in Chelsea, NY". clubplanet.com. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
12. ^ "[UCBT] No more Chelsea". Improv Message Boards. March 14, 2003. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
13. ^ "We need this for the UCB chill out room". Improv Message Boards. March 9, 2005. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
14. ^ "Schedule - UCB Theatre". UCBTheatre.com. Retrieved 7 October 2015.
15. ^ "Comedy Troupe Delivers Its Second New York Baby". The New York Times. October 30, 2011.
16. ^ Zinoman, Jason (30 January 2017). "Upright Citizens Brigade Raises Prices. Comedy Fans Shouldn't Laugh". The New York Times. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
17. ^ McGlynn, Katla. "Comic Chaos Reigns at the U.C.B. Chelsea's Final Night". HWD. Retrieved 2018-11-26.
18. ^ "UCB Is Moving from Chelsea to Hell's Kitchen Next Month". Oct 16, 2017.
19. ^ "30 iconic NYC institutions that have now permanently closed". Time Out. 23 February 2021. Retrieved 22 April 2021.
20. ^ "Comedy Bang Bang: Standup". UCB Theatre. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
21. ^ "Upright Citizens Brigade Announces the Grand Opening of UCB Theatre Sunset - Splitsider". Splitsider.
22. ^ "Eight Months After Shuttering Their NYC Venue, Upright Citizens Brigade Closes L.A.'s Sunset Theater - Vulture". Vulture. 23 December 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
23. ^ @ucbtla (September 13, 2022). "UCB is back!" (Tweet). Retrieved 2023-04-11 - via Twitter.
24. ^ Evans, Bradford (March 14, 2013). "Second City vs. Groundlings vs. UCB: Where Do the Most 'SNL' Cast Members Come From?". Vulture. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
25. ^ "Aziz Ansari". ucbcomedy.com.
26. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "The 25 Most Famous UCB Alumni". Complex Networks.
27. ^ a b Busis, Hillary (29 November 2017). "12 Stars Who Got Their Start at the U.C.B. Theatre". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 2021-05-05.
28. ^ Ellwood-Hughes, Pip. "Calico Cooper interview". Entertainment Focus ldate=July 24, 2013. Retrieved September 25, 2023.
29. ^ "Ilana Glazer". ucbcomedy.com.
30. ^ "Donald Glover". ucbcomedy.com.
31. ^ "Ed Helms". ucbcomedy.com.
32. ^ "Ed Helms". Biography.com. 5 September 2019.
33. ^ "Abbi Jacobson". www.ucbcomedy.com.
34. ^ "Abbi Jacobson". MICA.
35. ^ "Ellie Kemper". www.ucbcomedy.com.
36. ^ a b Snierson, Dan. "Wild times at UCB with Amy Poehler, Ilana Glazer, Nick Kroll and more". Entertainment Weekly.
37. ^ "Ego Nwodim". egonwodim.ucbcomedy.com. Archived from the original on 2018-10-20. Retrieved 2021-07-19.
38. ^ "Aubrey Plaza". www.ucbcomedy.com.
39. ^ "Amy Poehler | Bio | Broad City". Comedy Central Press.
40. ^ "Amy Poehler". ucbcomedy.com.
41. ^ Weldon, Annie (16 June 2011). "Rob Riggle at House of Blues: From Marines Brigade to Upright Citizens Brigade". OffBeat Magazine.
42. ^ "Rob Riggle". ucbcomedy.com.
43. ^ "Ian Roberts". ucbcomedy.com.
44. ^ a b Cohn, Gabe (14 June 2020). "Upright Citizens Brigade to Overhaul Its Leadership". The New York Times.
45. ^ "28-Year-Old Sudi Green is a Comedian on the Forefront". Forbes.
46. ^ "Ben Schwartz". ucbcomedy.com.
47. ^ "Matt Walsh". ucbcomedy.com.
48. ^ "Zach Woods". ucbcomedy.com.

## External links[edit]

* Official website

* v
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Chelsea

Manhattan, New York City

Buildings

| 14th–23rd Sts|

* 100 Eleventh Avenue
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|

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Hotels|

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* Center for Jewish History
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Former|

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Green spaces and recreation

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Transportation

| Subway stations|

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|

PATH stations|

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Related topics

* Chelsea Arts District
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Green spaces

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Culture

| Restaurants/
nightlife|

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|

Theater|

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* The Public Theater
* Joe's Pub
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* Village East by Angelika
* WOW Café

Stores|

* Barbara Feinman Millinery
* Ray's Candy Store
* Strand Bookstore
* Trash and Vaudeville

Museums and galleries|

* Anthology Film Archives
* Brant Foundation
* Merchant's House Museum
* Swiss Institute Contemporary Art New York

Other|

* 4th Street Food Co-op
* Alamo
* C-Squat
* The Houston Bowery Wall
* Museum of Broken Windows

Former|

* 8BC
* A7
* Angel's Share
* Astor Opera House
* Cagen
* Charas/El Bohio
* Club 57
* Dos Blockos
* Fez
* Five Spot Café
* Gem Spa
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* Jewel Bako
* Kiev Restaurant
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* New Theatre Comique
* New York Vauxhall Gardens
* Now Gallery
* Old Reliable Theatre Tavern
* Other Music
* Paresis Hall
* The Ritz
* The Saint
* SideWalk Cafe
* Sin-é
* St. Mark's Bookshop
* St. Mark's Playhouse
* Ukiyo
* Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre

Other buildings

* 51 Astor Place
* 339 Lafayette Street
* 640 Broadway
* 770 Broadway
* Astor Place Tower
* Bayard–Condict Building
* Bracetti Plaza
* Christodora House
* Colonnade Row
* Firehouse, Engine Company 33 and Ladder Company 9
* First Houses
* Hamilton Fish House
* Hamilton-Holly House
* Isaac T. Hopper House
* Metropolitan Savings Bank Building
* Riis Houses
* Robbins & Appleton Building
* Schermerhorn Building
* Silk Building
* Tompkins Square Lodging House for Boys and Industrial School
* Stuyvesant Polyclinic Hospital
* Van Tassell and Kearney Horse Auction Mart
* Village View

Transportation

| Subway stations|

* First Avenue
* Second Avenue
* Third Avenue
* Astor Place
* Broadway–Lafayette Street/Bleecker Street
* Eighth Street–New York University

|

Streets|

* First Avenue
* Second Avenue
* Third Avenue
* 4th Street
* 6th Street (Curry Row)
* 8th Street and St. Mark's Place
* 14th Street
* Astor Place
* Avenue A
* Avenue B
* Avenue C
* Avenue D
* Bleecker Street
* Bond Street
* Bowery
* Broadway
* Cooper Square
* Great Jones Street
* Houston Street
* Lafayette Street
* Taras Shevchenko Place

Regions

* Alphabet City
* Book Row
* East 10th Street Historic District
* East Village/Lower East Side Historic District
* Little Germany
* St. Mark's Historic District
* Yiddish Theatre District

See also: Manhattan Community Board 3, 9th Precinct

40°44′51″N 73°59′51″W﻿ / ﻿40.7475°N 73.9976°W﻿ / 40.7475; -73.9976
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