BY LUCIA MAURO
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Families who play together, stay together. Or, in the case of improvising clans at The Playground, at least they can establish a united front for experimentation and confidence building. A co-op of improv ensembles, The Playground, was born in 1997 and jumped around various locations (including Jacko’s Pizza and Café Ashie) before settling two years ago into its permanent 60-seat space at 3341N. Lincoln.
For the past four years, its 10 member ensembles and weekly guest groups have performed steadily, on a rotating basis, every Friday and Saturday night. All players are equal "shareholders" in the organization. A volunteer board of directors, consisting of one representative from each member team, meets weekly to govern the organization, observe an ensemble and offer constructive criticism.
"We were founded to promote improv," says Doug Diefenbach, The Playground’s president, who considers anyone who participated in those early meetings in his living room a founding member. "This is a place created by and for improvisers.
"In improv, you learn your craft and typically find that your performance opportunities are limited or that they’re not in your control. We encourage artistic and marketing self-determination, along with a willingness to cooperate with other groups. Everybody’s gotta be doing good work and take responsibility for what they’re doing."
He believes that The Playground’s name captures the essence of the co-op: "A playground is all about freedom," adds Diefenbach. "It’s a place of barely contained but delightful chaos."
Here are some of the ways the not-for-profit organization advances the art of improv: By providing a supportive atmosphere where both veteran and novice improvisers can grow as performers; by presenting shows characterized by experimentation, variety, exuberance and professionalism; by maintaining a player-run co-op organization that emphasizes open decision-making, mutual responsibility and shared rewards, and by attracting a diverse audience.
The theatre, whose unique co-op structure distinguishes it from other improv training-performance centers in the city, receives support (in the form of teaching and fundraising resources) from The Second City, ImprovOlympic and Annoyance Theatre. Diefenbach, like most members, received his training at The Second City and ImprovOlympic.
"There are lots of opportunities here for veteran improvisers who want to work with different artists and ensembles," Diefenbach explains, "and for younger improvisers who want more stage time and get a chance to find where their group wants to be.
"We have the widest range of improv styles you can see on any one stage. We give improvisers the freedom and direction. They don’t have to fit into a specific improv box."
The Playground currently has over 110 improvisational actors divided among 10 member-ensembles and six "incubator" groups. The theatre also features weekly guest ensembles from Chicago, Kansas City, San Francisco, Minnesota and Japan. Member ensembles have performed more than 1,200 shows since 1997.
Special appearances have included the Chicago Improv Festival, Kansas City Improv Festival, Big Stinkin’ Improv Festival (Austin), Around the Coyote Festival, Taste of Chicago and the Museum of Contemporary Art’s Summer Solstice. This year, The Playground will be a showcase venue for the Chicago Improv Festival.
Its "incubator" program takes talented but unattached improvisers and teams them up with other improvisers to form ensembles. They are then assigned a director for weekly rehearsals and guaranteed prime-time performance slots. The Playground has no paid staff, and each ensemble is responsible for working the box office and cleaning the theatre.
Current member ensembles are Diefenbach’s Cinco de Bob, Homey Loves Chachi, Chicago Comedy Company, Black Sheep, Plain Cake Donuts, Judo Intellectual, St. John’s Wort, Inside Vladimir, Malice and Mr. Fancy Pants. Incubator ensembles include Sandbox Bullies, Stinky Pete & Tiger Boy, Storytime John, The Union and White Noise.
On Thursdays, the Playground invites non-profit organizations to host a fundraiser in its space, setting all the ticket prices and keeping 100 percent of the proceeds, with no rental charge. Ensemble shows are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., with late-night and other week-night slots available for improv and a gamut of theatrical rentals. Sunday nights are devoted to the theatre’s Directors’ Series.
In addition, The Playground is involved in community programs. RECESS–which stands for Really Excellent Creative Enhancement through Silliness and Satire–teaches free improvisation workshops to schoolchildren in the classroom. "OneDayFunDay" is a playful session of introductory "low impact" games and scene work for curious members of the general public.
Master’s workshops offer advanced instruction to experienced improvisers. These three-hour classes, taught by top instructors from training centers across the city, focus on specific skills and are tailored to the student’s needs.
The co-op even applies a playful mentality to its fundraising efforts. For "The Playground Bullies’ Challenge," eight of its board members have challenged the other 80-plus players in The Playground to solicit gifts from friends, family and co-workers. For every $2 raised by those players, the board challengers will contribute $1 from their own pockets (up to the limit of funds pledged by the challengers, now in excess of $5,000). The purpose is to motivate the players to raise more money, since by raising $2 they really raise $3.
According to Diefenbach, The Playground pursues improv as a mission, not a business. The overriding philosophy is that improv goes beyond mere entertainment: "Improv demonstrates how teamwork, trust and support can make something wonderful out of absolutely nothing."
"We’re a place for people who are really committed to improv," continues Diefenbach, "for those who have gotten past that first blush of being on stage. Improvisers need to know that they can make The Playground their theatre, and they will be embraced. We want people to come here and take over the place."
For more information on The Playground, call 773/871-3793.