Welcome to the Home
of the Improv Miami Prizes or "Impy's"
The 2nd Annual Improv Miami Prizes or "Impys" for
the Best Comedy Awards will be held this December at a location
to be announced.
South Florida's top improv troupes
will be honored in the event with additional awards given for
Best Stand-up Venue, Best Improvised TV Show, Best Sketch Comedy
TV Show and Best Improvised Film.
Nominees in the troupe categories must have performed at least
five times in venues in South Florida during 2005 and indicated
a desire to participate in this event. While specific pieces are
considered and mentioned in the nominations, voting will also
take into account a wider variety of issues including their overall
body of work and contributions to the improvisational art form
during the past year.
The nominations for the non-troupe categories are listed below.
2005
Nominations
Best Improvised TV
Show
This category is for the best television show whose material is
primarily improvised. The voting criteria are the best shows for
performance and their positive impact on the public acceptance
of improv as an artform.
The nominees are:
A.S.S.S.S.C.A.T.: Improv
With the original members of the Upright Citizens Brigade,
Bravo TV has brought a major competitor into the field. You collect
the best improvisational actors and combine them with an NBC backed
network and you have a powerhouse.
Nick Cannon Presents Wild'n Out
Nick Cannon has provided a new twist on the team improv show to
provide a fresh "hip hop" approach to appeal to newer
audiences. With spirited competition and slammin' comedy, it's
certainly a new challenger with attitude.
Reno
911
Character dialogue is almost completely improvised in this send-up
of police reality shows on Comedy Central. With truly outlandish
plot lines and hilarious characters, the popularity of the show
makes it a strong contender among a field of contenders that have
received more critical acclaim.
Unscripted
Blending improvisation and reality to follow actors making their
way through the minefield that is Hollywood. This 10 episode series
brought to light a totally different look at the Hollywood establishment,
without scripts.
World Cup Comedy
Teams compete for the "World Cup Comedy...cup" in a
collection of two minute scenes based on an odd mixture of a purpose
combined with a genre that doesn't quite fit. Some of the greatest
improvisers that never got their shot on TV finally have their
chance to strut their stuff in front of the camera. A lot of recognizable
names and faces show up and fight it out in PAX TV's contribution
to the improv world. This should be a strong contender and with
auditions already being held for next years show, it's probably
going to be a mainstay in this category for the next few years.
Best Improvised Film
This category includes feature films with largely improvised,
or improvisationally created, dialogue.
The nominees are:
Blackballed: The Bobby Dukes Story
This mockumentary directed by an actual documentary filmmaker
follows paintballs' first superstar, Bobby Dukes, as he seeks
to redeem himself after being banned for ten years from the sport
he popularized. With Robb Corddry from the Daily Show and Paul
Scheer, Rob Riggle and Billy Merritt, the film is a regular improv
"Who's Who."
Blue in Green
Selected for the International Beverly Hills Film Festival and
the American Cinematheque Alternative Screen, this film explores
desire and its effect on the life of several characters. Truth
versus harsh reality of loneliness. A devastating combination
in an improvised full-length feature.
Jiminy Glick in Lalawood
This film follows Martin Short as the pudgy Jiminy Glick at the
Toronto Film Festival interviewing a variety of celebrities in
a no-holds-barred improvised confrontation leading to the hilarity
and mayhem than Jiminy Glick is known for.
Last Days
HBO Films produced a film by Gus Van Sant about the last days
of a fictional rock star who spends his last few days dealing
with his inner turmoil. Working off a simple map of a script where
the actor simply has to hit milestones rather than scripted dialog,
the full-length film allows the actor to relate his own internal
torment into the piece.
Return of the Jackalope
A mockumentary about a reunion of cast and crew of a horror film
after 10 years. The comedy/horror film was filmed by Cougars Film
Group in Atlanta and has 3 credited writers, though all the dialog
was improvised. Any improvisor knows horror, and knows comedy.
Combine the two and you get this film.
Yes And
A mockumentary about the birthing pains of an improv troupe where
everything that can go wrong does. Every improviser will recognize
the problems faced and the humor truly strikes close to home.
From their own theatre, corporate gigs, internal politics and
a festival performance, they travel the rough road of improvisers
with a total lack of payment. A film on very familiar ground for
improvisers.
Best Sketch Comedy
TV Show
This category includes television shows that focus on sketch material.
The nominees are:
Blue Collar TV
The Blue Collar Comedy Tour took America by storm. While SNL and
MadTV concentrate on the blue states, the red states have gone
Blue Collar. With a homespun appeal and charm, their unique sketch
approach has been entertaining audiences and taking a large market
share.
Kelsey Grammer Presents: The Sketch Show
From Frasier himself, a 30 minute sketch show with the fast-paced
style of a Laff-In and the off-the-wall humor of the British.
A combination of quick site gags and status shifts make this an
interesting selection.
The Lance Krall Show
An innovative sketch comedy show comes from SpikeTV. Yes, SpikeTV.
Pushing the envelope and stretching comedy to the limit seems
to be their mission as they have created an ensemble with unique
talent and an off-kilter vision that is sometimes disturbing and
usually funny.
MadTV
Fox developed MadTV as an answer to SNL. The show has become a
mainstay of Saturday night television and has entered the syndicated
wars with SNL. Scenes from the show are regularly quoted as part
of the American comedy landscape and is seen as a major player.
Saturday Night Live
Considered the standard by which all other shows are measured,
SNL has a long tradition of excellence in the field. With years
of making audiences laugh on NBC late night, and a breakneck production
pace, can this years' cast win out?
Best Stand-Up Venue
This category includes venues for stand-up comedy in South Florida.
The nominees are:
The Miami Improv - Coconut Grove
A South Florida standard has really upgraded through renovations
this year that have improved the location and helped to create
a favorable environment.
The Seminole Paradise Improv - Hollywood
The reincarnation of Uncle Funny's at the Hard Rock in Hollywood.
Part of the national chain with nationally recognized comics performing
regularly.
Palm Beach Improv - Palm Beach County
Part of the national chain, this club features nationally recognized
talent in a location favorable to our 561 counterparts.
New York Comedy Club - Palm Beach County
Formerly BocaNuts, this stand-up staple is also the home for Name
Change Pending. With ample parking and a location convenient to
I-95, they are a large part of the success of stand-up in South
Florida.
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