Destination Rocklin

It's nice to be settled in Rocklin, CA.

We're a part of the Rocklin nightlife. We're helping build Rocklin nightlife! We're excited to make Rocklin even more of a destination. For three years Blacktop Comedy was roaming,. Originally, we were in downtown Sacramento, but settled in Roseville, CA, by the new Roseville DMV. Well, in 2011 it was a rocky field, just a Roseville DMV dream. We were sandwiched between the train tracks, and the kids play place, Wacky Tacky. Everyday was a mixture of happy children, and deafening trains tearing by the theater. It was so loud we would have to justify the trains within the improv performances Want to push your creativity? Send a train by your theater every night at 9p, and try to create an original response ("Looks like the train is right on schedule," gets old fast.).

It was a small theater, but we were comfortable. The summer sun would cook that little Roseville theater, but what choice did we have? Aha! There's always a choice we discovered. We moved within the Business Center off Galilee. We upgraded to a larger space that used to work on custom.... Ferraris? Lamborghini?s I'm not sure. It was a custom shop with harsh lights, a concrete floor, and an extra wall. In a month we pushed over the wall, laid over 1600 feet of laminate flooring, and purchased some Hue Lights. First, if you want to impress an audience, buy Hue Lights with WeMo. The audiences love it, and it makes the space feel like a movie theater. You can buy Hue Lights at the Roseville Apple store. Second, if you want to feel like the Incredible Hulk of the Avengers, i suggest pushing a wall over

We had done it! We had found a new theater! We could settle into Placer county, and start producing live comedy! Weekly improv comedy shows here we come!

But, we had to move 8 months later. We needed more space.

Oh no! Not again! The third move can't possibly be the best one yet.

But it was!

We're here. In Rocklin, off Sunset Boulevard now, and we love this space! We have space to produce new shows, and brave new works. We have more Undergrounds for new local improv and sketch comedy teams. We have theater kids classes, and teen improv workshops. We have an improvised musical in July. That improvised musical will blow your mind. We were working on the details this weekend over drinks at the VC, (Vaelencia Club in Penryn).

And, we're excited to partner with the incredible TAAC (The Alternative Arts Collective), and hosting their Midtown Blue screening.

Rocklin is becoming a destination!

We'll see you soon!

People Watch in Roseville and Rocklin

The streets are empty this morning. I've been walking the dog for the last 15 minutes, and I haven't seen anyone as I drift through the Roseville suburbs. I'm beginning to miss downtown Sacramento...a little bit.

I don't miss the bad drivers who are baffled about navigating one way streets. I do miss, however, all the fantastic people watching in midtown, downtown, and east Sacramento. Sacramento was the perfect spot for an improviser looking to see the world through someone else. Want to step out of your comfort zone as a performer? Go people watch, and copy everything. You'll discover the boundaries you've set ("oh, I'm only capable of this. This is my character range,") will dissolve. Sitting down at Temple, watching how people live, and how they move is an entertaining hour. "That could be a fun character!" "I should try that gesture." "I like the way she flips the pages in the book." That was a fun hour.

This wasn't a fun 15 minutes. The streets were empty this morning, and I hadn't anyone to watch. Woe is me! Until I realized Rocklin, Roseville, Loomis, and Lincoln have some brilliant places to people watch too! Especially in the summer. Placer County has lots of summer events that bring people together. The cities are packed with people watching venues. You just have to look for them!

Let's go!

1. Food Truck Mania with SactoMoFo Johnson-Sprinview Park is a beautiful place, and even more beautiful when you're holding a KrushBurger or Bacon Mania's Jack Back Sammie. It's a an inside/outside grilled cheese sandwich! What's not to love? These are the reasons hundreds attend Food Truck Mania. The 4th Thursday every month, 5-9pm. Come hungry! Check it out tonight!

2. Downtown Tuesday Night The event has been a round for years, and brings thousands of people to Downtown Roseville Vernon Street, every Tuesday, 6-9pm. Sponsored by the Downtown Roseville Merchants, the event bring together vendors, food trucks, a farmers market, car show, musical acts, and even a T-Rex. The always incredible Stand Out Talent at Tower Theater offers BIG SCREEN KARAOKE during Downtown Tuesday Nights.

3. Thursday Loomis Family Fest I know. I was just talking about Family Fest, but it's worth mentioning again. It's similar to Downtown Tuesday Nights with a focus on the family. Send the kids off to enjoy the Kids Fun Zone of bounce houses, pony rides, go carts and face painting, while you go people watch at the food court, live music stage, and beer and wine garden.

4. Galleria Mall It's right there! Off highway 65! Over 100 stores, and air conditioning. Sweet, sweet air conditioning. Sit down, get comfortable and people watch. Looking to develop a certain character? Hipster? mom? geek? Aloof old-money fuddy duddy...who uses terms like 'fuddy duddy'? You have front row seats to Apple, Gamespot, Forever 21, Nordstrom, Ruth's Chris Steakhouse, Burberry, and Destination Maternity. Time to develop that cast of characters.

5. Thunder Valley Casino It's a big building. Take your time. You have restaurants (High Steaks, and Red Lantern), bars (Thunder Bar, and Mingle), and clubs (Illusions). Oh....and hundreds of table games and slot machines. Thousands of people, from every walk of life, dealing with emotional highs and lows. In 5 minutes at the Thunder Bar you'll see every emotion possible. Enjoy!

**I know there's always Starbucks, Origin, Bloom, etc. to people watch. I love these places too! I am looking for a higher concentration of people, though. The ol' people/time equation (technically it's not an equation without a '='. But, you know what I mean.)

Five Best Improv Apps

Have you heard of Rule 34? Let me cut and paste the official description from Urban Dictionary:Rule 34: Generally accepted internet rule that states that pornography or sexually related material exists for any conceivable subject.

Everything has been porn-ified. And, after years of using iOS and Android devices, everything has been app-ified as well. Rule 35 should state, An app exists for any conceivable subject.

There are apps for everything. Thousands and thousands of apps to wade through. Many of them can help an improviser. Should you get to searching and discover them yourself? NO! You don't have time for that. You're a busy improviser who has "yes, anding," to get to.

Let us help. Here are five apps we find indispensable throughout the week. These are Android Apps. I will create an iOS post soon. They're all free too, so put away your credit card.

1. Desk Bell

So simple. So helpful. There are lots of improv games that involve bells. If you want to stop scrambling for a bell, and muttering, "I thought I left it over here," do yourself a favor and download Desk Bell. Tap the screen and enjoy that sweet bell sound. It offers a continues looped bell sound when you want to signal the end of a game. WARNING: the looped bell sound can drive you crazy after 10 seconds. (imagine a toddler hyped up on 3 Red Bulls relentlessly ringing a bell. Sounds like that. It's can get annoying. Also, don't give toddlers Red Bull.)

2. Improv Toolbox The app was created by the Gainesville Improv Festival. If you're running a short form improv games show, you'll want this app. This is your one stop shop for timers, suggestions, and a soundboard that includes a knock, airhorn, and "yay" sound effect (I hope you have people in the audience and don't have to use this). I particularly love the suggestions, as it gives you options like genre, emotion, event and occupation.

3. Improv Hoedown Remember Whose Line is it Anyway with Drew Carey? He sure loved the Hoedown. The audience loved it too. Heck, audiences still love it. You can stop searching for the music. Just download the app. It can offer suggestions, play the music, and record your masterpiece. The creators offer a Paypal button if you'd like to donate, but the app is free.

4. SimpleMind Free Mind Mapping It's efficient, and effective. Even the name is efficient! Is it simple? Yes. Is it free? Yes. Does it offer Mind Mapping? Yes. SimpleMind Free Mind Mapping! When you need to just let your mind wander, but trace all the brilliant ideas you had along that wandering, this is the app for you. It's a great way to see how you and the team got from one place to another. I use it with the teams I'm teaching or coaching to show the progression from idea to idea, and how it influenced the scene.

5. Improv Game Dictionary

Sometimes, you just want to discover new improv games. Improv Game Dictionary offers up a collection of 40+ improv games. While many of them, Freeze, New Choice, and World's Worst are improv classics, you might find some new gems for your improv show.

I hope this article helps you out when you're preparing and performing your shows. Like I said, there are hundreds of apps out there. What are some of your favorite? What have you been able to use for improv? We can help the improv community discover new and exciting apps.