BY LUCIA MAURO
Fuzzy Gerdes majored in computer science; Shaun Himmerick majored in accounting–both at Purdue University. And they are the feverish brains behind FuzzyCo, a four-year-old Chicago improv-based production company that continues to push the boundaries of the form–especially the cross-pollenating of improv and film. Which goes to show that improv draws its inventive energy from sources as vast as audience suggestions for a long-form set.
Both men, friends since 1993, quickly found themselves taking the improv/theatre plunge–learning in crash-course fashion on the job how to balance the artistic and business sides of running a company. They met through an improv group–National Velveeta–at Purdue and went on to perform with a variety of improv troupes, separately and together: ComedySportz, TheatreSports, serious improv drama, Chicago-style long-form, ImprovOlympic and The Playground.
FuzzyCo’s "empire" also stretches beyond creating their own improvised shows to producing other artist’s work (like Andy Eninger’s One Man, seen last year at WNEP Theater), photography, videography and graphic design.
"FuzzyCo is a production company, not a theatre company," stresses Gerdes.
Continues Himmerick, "We wanted to really push improv–to get it out of the theatre. That’s why we’re a production company."
Most recently, FuzzyCo pushed its improvisers into the streets of Chicago to shoot a fully improvised film on location over 22 minutes based on a one-word suggestion. A hit that moved from WNEP Theater to ImprovOlympic earlier this year, The Neutrino Project concept was inspired by Manhattan-based improv group Neutrino during a Del Close Marathon. In it, the audience essentially watches what just happened a few blocks away with only a couple of minutes’ delay. And, from there, tape after tape is delivered and an entire show unfolds onscreen.
Gerdes’ latest film-improv hybrid, Cinema 2.0, is running through May 4 at The Playground. Inspired by Woody Allen’s What’s Up, Tiger Lily?, the live actors fill in new improvised dialogue for a classic B-movie–like Laser Mission with Ernest Borgnine or One-Eyed Jacks with Marlon Brando. FuzzyCo–a regular on the improv festival circuit–will be featured in the Chicago Improv Festival May 15-16.
Himmerick believes that "digital video brought improvised film to the masses" and contends, "We’re barely scratching the surface of what we can do with video."
But FuzzyCo does not restrict itself to cinematic improv either. Other productions since Gerdes and Himmerick moved to Chicago and officially formed the company in 1999 include Bare’s Actual Theatre and Armando Diaz’s Eventé.
After graduating from Purdue, they polished their improv/theatre skills in other cities. Gerdes stayed in Lafayette, Ind., where he improvised and performed in scripted plays, like All in the Timing and The Imaginary Invalid, at Lafayette Civic Theatre. Himmerick–who discovered improv when asked to be an audience volunteer in a show–moved to Denver, where he served as executive director of the Denver Civic Theatre from 1997 to 1999. While there, he streamlined the theatre’s budget and started an improv series. He also ran Denver TheatreSports for a while.
Both agree that they had a chance to hone their management and public relations skills in smaller markets. Himmerick, who handles FuzzyCo’s press, says he was able to apply skills from his day job as a business project manager to publicity. Their Web site (www.fuzzyco.com) is an excellent and regularly updated resource for the Chicago improv community at large.
In 1999, Gerdes had been taking improv classes at the Annoyance Theatre. Then he enrolled at ImprovOlympic and got tired of the commute between Lafayette and Chicago. "It was easier for me to move here than drive back and forth," says Gerdes.
The same year, Himmerick reached his improv limits in Denver and joined Gerdes in Chicago. They immediately formed Bare to explore the possibilities of a two-man ensemble. Bare’s Actual Theatre debuted at WNEP Theater under WNEP’s Don Hall’s direction, who pioneered the idea of an improv show that did not have a definitive ending. Either performer would often storm out of the theatre as a deliberately ambiguous finale.
"The show was basically us working out knowing each other for so many years," explains Gerdes. "Shaun and I are very good friends but very different people. What we were trying to do was not therapy on stage, but putting our pain on display for other’s enjoyment."
"We pushed each other’s buttons," adds Himmerick.
With Bare (which falls under the FuzzyCo umbrella), they performed at the Seattle Festival of Improv Theater, Minneapolis Improv Festival, Chicago Improv Festival, SAK Orlando Foolfest, Toyota Comedy Festival, New York Improv Festival, Columbia Improv Festival and Toronto Main Event.
"The festivals allow you to see what everyone else is doing," says Himmerick. "I think it’s very important for Chicago improvisers to see as much improv outside the city as possible."
After all, The Neutrino Project was inspired by New York’s Neutrino. Besides taking in the broad possibilities of the form, both men seek out ensemble members who are improvisers and highly trained actors.
Gerdes, who realized his natural improv acumen when a friend asked him to join Purdue’s National Velveeta, continues to be intrigued by the art of improv: "What keeps me interested in improv is the notion of making something artful right away with instant feedback from the audience–then it’s gone."
Would FuzzyCo ever consider consolidating its vision into a permanent space?
"Quite intentionally, we don’t want our own space," responds Himmerick. "We love the flexibility of not being tied to a space. For what we do, we don’t need to be in a true theatre–we can perform in a bar, in a movie theatre–really anywhere."
For more information, contact Fuzzy Gerdes at fuzzy@fuzzyco.com or Shaun Himmerick at shaun@fuzzyco.com. Website: www.fuzzyco.com.