Upright Citizens Brigade

{{About|the comedy troupe|the television series|Upright Citizens Brigade (TV series){{!}}Upright Citizens Brigade (TV series)}}

{{Infobox theatre group

| name = Upright Citizens Brigade

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| formed = {{start date and age|1990}}

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| genre = {{hlist|Improvisational comedy|sketch comedy|stand-up comedy|surreal humor|theater|variety shows}}

| location = Chicago, Illinois, U.S.

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| homepage = {{URL|https://ucbcomedy.com}}

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The Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) is an improvisational and sketch comedy group that emerged from Chicago's ImprovOlympic in 1990.{{Cite web |last=Raftery |first=Brian |date=September 25, 2011 |title=And... Scene. |url=http://nymag.com/arts/comics/features/upright-citizens-brigade-2011-10/ |access-date=January 26, 2016 |website=New York}} The original incarnation of the group consisted of Amy Poehler, Matthew Walsh, Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, Adam McKay, Rick Roman, Horatio Sanz and Drew Franklin. Other early members included Neil Flynn, Armando Diaz, Ali Farahnakian and Rich Fulcher.

In 2013, Besser, Roberts and Walsh wrote The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual.{{Cite news |last=Zinoman |first=Jason |date=February 20, 2014 |title=Get the Laughs, but Follow the Rules |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/arts/upright-citizens-brigade-writes-its-book-on-improv.html?_r=0 |access-date=January 26, 2016 |work=The New York Times}}

History

File:11.4.10UprightCitizensBrigadeTheatreByLuigiNovi1.jpg

The Upright Citizens Brigade began performing improv and sketch comedy at Kill the Poet in Chicago. Their first show was called Virtual Reality. The group followed with shows titled UCBTV, Conference on the Future of Happiness, Thunderball, Bucket of Truth, Big Dirty Hands, The Real Real World, and Punch Your Friend in the Face.

In 1993, the Upright Citizens Brigade (Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, Amy Poehler, Adam McKay, Rick Roman, and Horatio Sanz) were regular guests on stage at the New Variety produced and hosted by Richard O'Donnell at the Chicago Improv comedy club, 504 N. Wells.{{Cite news |last=Spitznagel |first=Eric |date=October 11, 1993 |title=The New Variety Just Might Make Comedy Dangerous Again |work=The Third Word}}

In 1996, prior to opening their own theatre, the Upright Citizens Brigade relocated to New York performing 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.{{cite web|last=Levy |first=Ariel |url=http://nymag.com/nymetro/arts/features/3044/ |title=The Odd Squad |publisher=New York Magazine |date=August 10, 1998 |access-date=December 24, 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.jesterjournal.com/IntMantzoukas.htm |title=Jason Mantzoukas interview |publisher=jesterjournal.com |access-date=December 24, 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.clubplanet.com/Venues/133647/New-York/Upright-Citizens-Brigade-Theatre |title=Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre Nightclub in Chelsea, NY |publisher=clubplanet.com |access-date=December 24, 2011}} The shows and classes at Solo Arts were so popular that the UCB were able to open their own theater, the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre, at 161 W. 22nd Street in Chelsea on February 4, 1999.{{Cite web |title=Upright Citizens Brigade Theater |url=https://www.ucbtheatre.com/faq |access-date=January 26, 2016}} This was 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.

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".{{cite web|url=http://www.improvresourcecenter.com/mb/showthread.php?t=12091 |title=[UCBT] No more Chelsea |publisher=Improv Message Boards |date=March 14, 2003 |access-date=December 24, 2011}}{{cite web|url=http://www.improvresourcecenter.com/mb/showthread.php?t=34286&highlight=chill+out+room |title=We need this for the UCB chill out room |publisher=Improv Message Boards |date=March 9, 2005 |access-date=December 24, 2011}}

In July 2005, the UCB opened at the Tamarind Theatre in Los Angeles at 5919 Franklin Avenue (between Tamarind & North Bronson Avenue).

In September 2011,{{cite web|title=Schedule - UCB Theatre|url=https://east.ucbtheatre.com/schedule/09/2011|website=UCBTheatre.com|access-date=7 October 2015}} 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.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2011/10/31/arts/upright-citizens-brigade-theater-opens-in-east-village.html?_r=0 |title=Comedy Troupe Delivers Its Second New York Baby |work=The New York Times |date=October 30, 2011}} 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. This venue ran smaller-scale shows for $10 or less.{{Cite news |last=Deb |first=Sopan |date=10 January 2019 |title=Upright Citizens Brigade to Close East Village Location |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/01/10/arts/upright-citizens-brigade-closing-east-village.html |access-date=10 January 2019 |work=The New York Times}}{{Cite web |title=UCB East |url=https://east.ucbtheatre.com |website=Ucbtheatre.com}} The UCB East permanently closed on February 9, 2019. In its stead, the group once (but no longer) offered three nights of programming per week in the nearby SubCulture theatre on Bleecker Street.

At the start of 2017, ticket prices increased (the first in ten years).{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/30/arts/upright-citizens-brigade-raises-prices-comedy-fans-shouldnt-laugh.html?action=click&module=RelatedCoverage&pgtype=Article®ion=Footer|title=Upright Citizens Brigade Raises Prices. Comedy Fans Shouldn't Laugh.|work=The New York Times |date=30 January 2017 |access-date=2018-11-26|language=en |last1=Zinoman |first1=Jason }} In October 2017, it was announced that the UCB Chelsea location would close. The last show in Chelsea was Wednesday, November 28, 2017.{{Cite news|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2017/11/ucb-theatre-chelsea-closing-night-improv|title=Comic Chaos Reigns at the U.C.B. Chelsea's Final Night|last=McGlynn|first=Katla|work=HWD|access-date=2018-11-26|language=en}}

The next UCB space, from November 30, 2017, was at 555 42nd Street in Hell's Kitchen,{{Cite news |last=Ugwu |first=Reggie |date=December 2017 |title=An Upright Citizens Brigade Theater Closes With Filthy Fanfare |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/01/arts/an-upright-citizens-brigade-theater-closes-with-filthy-fanfare.html |access-date=2018-09-09 |work=New York Times |language=en}} the former home to the Pearl Theatre Company.{{Cite web|url=http://splitsider.com/2017/10/ucb-is-moving-from-chelsea-to-hells-kitchen-next-month/|title=UCB Is Moving from Chelsea to Hell's Kitchen Next Month|date=Oct 16, 2017}}

The Upright Citizens Brigade has performed in the Comedy Tent at the Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic,{{cite web |last1=O'Connell |first1=Mikey |title=Amy Poehler, UCB Co-Founders Address NYC Facility Closures: "We're Really Trying to Keep It Alive" |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/lifestyle/lifestyle-news/amy-poehler-ucb-founders-address-nyc-facility-closures-we-trying-keep-it-alive-1290602/ |website=The Hollywood Reporter |date=22 April 2020}} UCB had locations in the New York City neighborhoods of Hell's Kitchen and the East Village, and on Sunset Boulevard in Los Angeles. 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.{{cite web |title=30 iconic NYC institutions that have now permanently closed|url=https://www.timeout.com/newyork/things-to-do/25-iconic-ny-institutions-that-have-permanently-closed |website=Time Out |date=23 February 2021 |access-date=22 April 2021}} However, on June 29, 2023, UCB announced its return to New York at 242 E. 14th Street, featuring a 130-seat theater, a bar, and a lounge. The space officially reopened in September 2024. {{cite web |title=Upright Citizens Brigade NYC reopens this week with new 14th Street venue |url= https://evgrieve.com/2024/09/upright-citizens-brigade-nyc-reopens.html |website=EV Grieve |date=9 September 2024 |access-date=1 April 2025}}

=Los Angeles=

In 2005, the Los Angeles branch of the theater opened at 5919 Franklin Avenue in Hollywood, offering 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.{{cite web|url=http://losangeles.ucbtheatre.com/shows/745 |title=Comedy Bang Bang: Standup |publisher=UCB Theatre |access-date=December 24, 2011}}

An expansion in Los Angeles started in 2014.{{Cite news|url=https://www.vulture.com/2017/10/ucb-is-moving-from-chelsea-to-hells-kitchen-next-month.html|title=UCB Is Moving from Chelsea to Hell's Kitchen Next Month|last=Wright|first=Megh|work=Vulture|access-date=2018-11-26|language=en}} 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.{{cite web|url=http://splitsider.com/2014/10/ucb-announces-the-grand-opening-of-ucb-theatre-sunset/|title=Upright Citizens Brigade Announces the Grand Opening of UCB Theatre Sunset - Splitsider|work=Splitsider}} This location was sold in December 2020, leaving the Franklin theater as the only space owned by UCB.{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2020/12/upright-citizens-brigade-closes-los-angeles-sunset-theater.html |title=Eight Months After Shuttering Their NYC Venue, Upright Citizens Brigade Closes L.A.'s Sunset Theater - Vulture |work=Vulture |date=23 December 2020 |access-date=April 20, 2021}}

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.{{cite tweet |user=ucbtla |url=https://twitter.com/ucbtla/status/1569778465632813056?s=20&t=KvS4EeM4iiid4MoZ5PXGEQ |number=1569778465632813056 |lang=en |title=UCB is back! |access-date=2023-04-11}}

Theatre

The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (shorter UCB Theatre or just UCB) is an American improvisational and sketch comedy training center and theatre, originally founded by UCB troupe members Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh.{{cite web|url=http://newyork.ucbtheatre.com/classes/ |title=Classes: New York |publisher=Upright Citizens Brigade Training Center |access-date=December 24, 2011}}{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2003/01/27/arts/masters-improv-are-stumped-losing-permanent-theater-no-joke-for-comedy-troupe.html |title=Masters of Improv Are Stumped |first=Jesse |last=McKinley |work=The New York Times |date=January 27, 2003 |access-date=March 7, 2022}}

=Philosophy=

The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre Training Center teaches long-form improv, sketch, writing, parts of directing, and various other comedy skills. 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.{{cite web|last=Voss|first=Eric|title=Improv's Babel: Defining the Game of the Scene|url=http://splitsider.com/2012/11/improvs-babel-defining-the-game-of-the-scene/|publisher=Splitsider|access-date=10 July 2013}} In 2013, they co-authored a manual titled The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual.[https://www.nytimes.com/2014/02/23/arts/upright-citizens-brigade-writes-its-book-on-improv.html?_r=0 Get the Laughs, but Follow the Rules], The New York Times, 20 February 2014{{cite web|url=http://nymag.com/arts/comics/features/upright-citizens-brigade-2011-10/|title=And....Scene|publisher=New York Magazine|date=September 25, 2011|access-date=July 4, 2012}} 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.{{cite web|title=New York: Shows: Harold Night|url=http://newyork.ucbtheatre.com/shows/view/5|access-date=10 July 2013}}

Screen ventures

The original group, Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, Ian Roberts, and Amy Poehler, have had two TV shows—Upright Citizens Brigade and The UCB Show—and their show ASSSSCAT has been televised twice. In addition, they had a TV movie called Escape From It's a Wonderful Life and appeared weekly on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in the '90s.

In 2002 they created and starred in the film Martin & Orloff, and made another movie in 2007 titled Wild Girls Gone. Neither film was particularly successful or well received.

The group has participated in web series including the ongoing series UCB Comedy Originals, created in 2008, which occasionally shows sketches, and I Hate Being Single, created in 2012.

In 2016, Universal Cable Productions announced signing Upright Citizens Brigade to a first-look production deal.{{Cite web |last=Holloway |first=Daniel |date=21 June 2016 |title=Upright Citizens Brigade Signs Deal With Universal Cable Productions |url=https://variety.com/2016/tv/news/upright-citizens-brigade-signs-deal-universal-cable-productions-1201800342/ |access-date=21 June 2016 |website=Variety}}

Pop culture

Saturday Night Live has been known for seeking top talent from UCB's pool of students.{{cite web|title=Second City vs. Groundlings vs. UCB: Where Do the Most 'SNL' Cast Members Come From?|url=https://www.vulture.com/2013/03/second-city-vs-groundlings-vs-ucb-where-do-the-most-snl-cast-members-come-from.html|website=Vulture|date=March 14, 2013|access-date=April 22, 2019 |first=Bradford|last=Evans}}

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

Aziz Ansari{{cite web |title=Aziz Ansari |url=https://ucbcomedy.com/user/2067 |website=ucbcomedy.com |language=en}}
Anthony Atamanuik
Leigh Daniel Avidan
Emily Axford{{Cite web|url=https://www.complex.com/pop-culture/2013/02/the-25-most-famous-ucb-alumni/ben-schwartz|title=The 25 Most Famous UCB Alumni|website=Complex Networks }}
Matt Besser - founder{{Cite magazine|last=Busis|first=Hillary|title=12 Stars Who Got Their Start at the U.C.B. Theatre|url=https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/photos/2017/11/ucb-theatre-alumni-amy-poehler-matt-walsh|access-date=2021-05-05|magazine=Vanity Fair|date=29 November 2017 |language=en-US}}
Nicole Byer
Kay Cannon
D'Arcy Carden
Neil Casey
Adam Conover
Andrew Daly
Katie Dippold
Ayo Edebiri
Ilana Glazer{{cite web |title=Ilana Glazer |url=https://ucbcomedy.com/user/8509 |website=ucbcomedy.com |language=en}}
Donald Glover{{cite web |title=Donald Glover |url=https://ucbcomedy.com/user/3970 |website=ucbcomedy.com |language=en}}
Ed Helms{{cite web |title=Ed Helms |url=https://ucbcomedy.com/user/465 |website=ucbcomedy.com |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Ed Helms |url=https://www.biography.com/actor/ed-helms |website=Biography.com |date=5 September 2019 |language=en}}
Rob Huebel
Brian Huskey
Abbi Jacobson{{cite web |title=Abbi Jacobson |url=http://www.ucbcomedy.com/user/8134-title=Abbi |website=www.ucbcomedy.com |language=en}}{{cite web |title=Abbi Jacobson |url=https://www.mica.edu/art-articles/details/abbi-jacobson/ |website=MICA |language=en}}
Ellie Kemper{{cite web |title=Ellie Kemper |url=https://www.ucbcomedy.com/user/2983 |website=www.ucbcomedy.com |language=en}}
Jordan Klepper
Nick Kroll{{cite magazine |last1=Snierson |first1=Dan |title=Wild times at UCB with Amy Poehler, Ilana Glazer, Nick Kroll and more |url=https://ew.com/tv/2018/06/28/amy-poehler-ilana-glazer-nick-kroll-upright-citizens-brigade/ |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |language=en}}
Jason Mantzoukas
Kate McKinnon
Kyle Mooney
Seth Morris
Brennan Lee Mulligan
Ego Nwodim{{cite web |title=Ego Nwodim |url=http://egonwodim.ucbcomedy.com/ |website=egonwodim.ucbcomedy.com |language=en |access-date=2021-07-19 |archive-date=2018-10-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181020040344/http://egonwodim.ucbcomedy.com/ |url-status=dead }}
Lennon Parham
Josh Patten
Aubrey Plaza{{cite web |title=Aubrey Plaza |url=https://www.ucbcomedy.com/user/3831 |website=www.ucbcomedy.com |language=en}}
Amy Poehler - founder{{cite web |title=Amy Poehler {{!}} Bio |url=https://press.cc.com/series/broad-city/bio/431972 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151205033556/http://press.cc.com/series/broad-city/bio/431972 |url-status=dead |archive-date=December 5, 2015 |website=Comedy Central Press}}{{cite web |title=Amy Poehler |url=https://ucbcomedy.com/user/2186 |website=ucbcomedy.com |language=en}}
June Diane Raphael
Sam Riegel{{cite book |last1=Marsham |first1=Liz |title=The World of Critical Role |collaboration=Cast of Critical Role |date=October 20, 2020 |publisher=Ten Speed Press |isbn=9780593157435 |pages=27–108}}
Rob Riggle{{cite web |last1=Weldon |first1=Annie |title=Rob Riggle at House of Blues: From Marines Brigade to Upright Citizens Brigade |url=https://www.offbeat.com/news/rob-riggle-at-house-of-blues-from-marines-brigade-to-upright-citizens-brigade/ |website=OffBeat Magazine|date=16 June 2011 }}{{cite web |title=Rob Riggle |url=https://ucbcomedy.com/user/901 |website=ucbcomedy.com |language=en}}
Ian Roberts - founder{{cite web |title=Ian Roberts |url=https://ucbcomedy.com/user/1426 |website=ucbcomedy.com |language=en}}{{cite web |last1=Cohn |first1=Gabe |title=Upright Citizens Brigade to Overhaul Its Leadership |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/06/14/theater/upright-citizens-brigade-reorganizing.html |website=The New York Times |date=14 June 2020}}
Matt Rogers{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/rosaescandon/2019/06/28/28-year-old-sudi-green-is-a-comedian-on-the-forefront/?sh=17b3f476beb3 | title=28-Year-Old Sudi Green is a Comedian on the Forefront | website=Forbes }}
Paul Scheer
Ben Schwartz{{cite web |title=Ben Schwartz |url=https://ucbcomedy.com/user/2641 |website=ucbcomedy.com |language=en}}
Jessica St. Clair
Drew Tarver
Kelly Marie Tran
Milana Vayntrub
Matt Walsh - founder{{cite web |title=Matt Walsh |url=https://ucbcomedy.com/user/2292 |website=ucbcomedy.com |language=en}}
Zach Woods{{cite web |title=Zach Woods |url=https://ucbcomedy.com/user/314 |website=ucbcomedy.com |language=en}}
Bowen Yang
Sasheer Zamata