Paul procrastinates by uploading pictures to the blog

Enjoy some hot pics from Friday Night's STALKER. The Geva crew kicked off St. Patrick's day weekend with a gripping tale of squirrels, revenge, and personal discovery.


Shawnda consoles a grieving Liam.


Paul fulfills a lifelong fantasy.


Nick always looks great in this wig.


TR, Shawnda, and Liam watch from the side.


Brian is arrested for being violent. Why was he violent? We'll never know.


When I first saw TR grab that hook and made that long hook thing, I thought to myself, "Ah, he's going to play Captain Ahab." Playing a great white shark myself, I prepared to engage him in a naval battle. "Kick ass, I love Ahab scenes," I mused.
In this picture, TR is actually Triton, Lord of the Deep. Nick is playing his son, Francis.


We were looking at... something.


Fortunately, Newscopter 5 was there to to take all of these great pictures!

Just kidding, all of our pictures are taken by Kevin Leas. Here is a charming pic of the often photographing rarely photographed Leas celebrating St. Patrick's Day with Brian. Brian was later beaten for not wearing green on St. Patrick's Day. We take that kind of thing really seriously.

T.R. FORGETS TO SET CLOCK AHEAD, Remains wholly unaffected for entire day

By Benjamin Franklin
GCI Time Keeper/Resident Lightning Rod

Citing confusion and general uncertainty in regard to the exact date of daylight savings time, T.R. neglected to set his clock ahead early Sunday morning.

“I inquired about the time change earlier this week, but my roommate was equally uninformed. I knew it was coming up and also mentioned it to several of my colleagues but I actually thought it was next week. You can imagine my surprise when I found out that I had completely missed it!”

The realization came a full 13 hours after the appointed 2 am time shift when T.R. picked up a copy of the Democrat and Chronicle and spied a headline about switching clocks ahead one hour.

“I thought, oh great, now I can find out for certain what day I need to set my watch ahead while I loudly exclaimed; ‘Hey, when are we supposed to change our clocks anyway?’”

Several staff members at the Geva Theatre Café along with a House Manager were present onsite as the shocking revelation manifested itself.

In response to T.R.’s audible query, the House Manager (who wishes to remain anonymous) responded; “It was last night.”

Sources close to Geva revealed that the staff were concerned when they realized that T.R. had actually arrived on time to house manage a show on the Nextstage.

“It’s pretty amazing when you think you about it…here’s a guy who was walking around all day an hour behind the entire World, yet he miraculously shows up to work on time for some unknown reason - SPOOKY…”

Local authorities are still investigating, but a spokesman from the Sheriff’s office offered a likely scenario:

“At this juncture, we have reason to believe that Mr. Ryan was relying almost primarily on his cell phone clock in the hours preceding his arrival to the theatre.”

When confronted with these most recent findings, T.R. had only this to say:

“Wow, look at the time, I really have to be going now.”

GEVA COMEDY IMPROV ATTENDS OSCAR PARTY: ROCKS IT HARDCORE

This past Sunday, Geva Comedy Improv performed at the George Eastman House Academy Awards Party. Many laughs were laughed, glasses clinked and mini-quiches devoured; when the blinding flash-bulbs of the paparazzi faded, GCI brought the ruckous and carved the marble dance floor of the Conservatory into a sculpted mosaic of epic dance moves. Stay tuned for more pictures and updates from our glamorous evening with Oscar and Rochester's social elite.

Exciting Improv Workshop!

This Saturday 2/23/08 GCI will be hosting a 2-hour improv workshop at Geva Theater Center! Learn the tricks of the trade or just come to play around. Either way, it will be a good time. The workshop is being taught by Nick DiCola and Paul Nellis.

Geva Theatre Center
1:30pm
$20.

Chutes and Explosions

Hey, John here. This past weekend some friends and I ventured to the majestic paradise known as Erie, PA. "Why would he drive close to three hours to visit such a soul-crushing place?" you may ask. The simple answer to that is.. Waterslides!!! Erie has one of the biggest indoor water-parks in this region of the country! They have a lot of great slides, as well as an arcade and a hot-tub for grown-ups (impoortant for those of us with a limited tolerance of children). of all the fun waterslides, though, one stood head and shoulders above the rest: Hurricane Hole. By far one of the most fun activities named after a naural disaster, the hurricane hole consists of a relatively straight tube leading downwards towards a bowl similar to that found in your common lavatory. after building up 40 mph in the tube, the rider is shot into the bowl where they careen in circles for about a half-minute until dropping out the bottom into a pool of water. Note Figure 1:


(Fig. 1)

Needless to say, plenty of fun was had at the water park. More good times were to be had, however, when on the way home we saw this sign on the side of the highway:



That's right! Fireworks and martial arts, baby! The actual name of the store is Fireworks and Karate Supplies, and the sign that actually hooked us (but was passed too fast to get a picture of) Read: Fireworks!! Swords, Knives, Pepper Spray and Stun Guns!!! Holy Geeze, that sign could only be better if it contained pornography and whip-its! I can see now that I've already surpassed my exclamation point quotient on this post, so I'll just sign off now.

Have a good one.

Paul Nellis unveils Nellis Pale Ale

Last Thursday evening, I invited the cast of GCI over to my apartment to watch LOST and try the new microbrew I made under my sink. Here is a photo of the cast enjoying the new brew.

The beer was cold and delicious. Pizza tasted better when it was washed down by this delicious brew. I made the beer using a Mr. Beer brewing kit that my brother gave me for Christmas. The beer fermented for about three weeks under my sink (which made it quite potent) and then another ten days of carbonating in the fridge. The result was simply to die for. I am currently planning for my next batch, which I believe will be a Nellis Lager.

Oh yeah, the new episode of LOST ruled!

Check this out. Now.

Put on some headphones and click on this.

http://media.putfile.com/virtual-barbershop

Neck Snaps

There recently has been public outcry surrounding Geva Comedy Improv's performances, claiming that perhaps we snap each others necks too often. Isn't there another creative way to kill someone on stage quickly when they say things that make no sense?

I think not. Neck-snapping is hilarious. It's quick and painless. Our only form of capital punishment should be neck snaps. It would save hundreds of thousands of taxpayer dollars every year! People of Rochester, please consider neck-snapping when performing one of your signature acts of street violence. Save me the trouble of going to the hospital and dying painfully, but rather rid my body of all life instantly by simply snapping my neck. It is the right thing to do.

Still not convinced that a neck snap is the best way to do away with someone? Please enjoy Steven Seagal's Letterbox 2000 and then see how you feel.



And quit your whining.

Shoelace Express Dominates Nextstage

In a contest that can only be described as heated, the Shoelace Express steamrolled the Roc-City Rackateers last night with a score of 19-15. Thanks to a stage invasion by the cast of Cabaret, they left the first half of the show with a healthy lead.


The second half of the show started with a more focused effort from the Roc-City Rackateers which culminated with a heart-warming birthday gift to 24 year old Caroline in the form of a Mocha Nipple Jam. The Shoelace Express lashed back with an epic Rock Opera chronicling the adventures of two nuns on a holy crusade to retrieve the banana of Jesus.



Stay tuned for more hot improv announcements and pictures from the show.

Geva Comedy Improv is back on the Nextstage March 23rd and 24th.

Theatre Sports Notes!

The Pretentious Improv Group struck out into an early lead last night with key first half successes in Columns and Sounds like a song. The Beowolves struggled to find their footing in Three-Way Dub and the Ratings Board.
At the half PIG was in the lead with a score of 9 - 4.

The laughs came easier for the Beowolves in the second half and when the match was called by the Referee the teams were tied with scores of 13 - 13. PIG challenged the Beowolves to a dance contest to Right Said Fred's "I'm too Sexy." The two teams marveled the audience with the majesty of their dancing prowess, and thanks to an entrance worthy of an 80's romantic comedy by Nick DiCola, the Beowolves won in the end.



Don't Miss tonight when the Roc-City Racketeers take on the Shoelace Express!

This Weekend's line-up!

Tonight! The 2008 season of Theatre Sports kicks off at 10:30pm!

This evenings line-up:



VS



See who wins in the Nextstage tonight, and tomorrow its...




VS



Choose your favorite team and come root for them!

BE THERE.

Geva Theatre Center Nextstage
Jan. 25th and 25th 2008, 10:30pm
Theatre Sports Kick - Off
$7 (cheap)

SUPER TERRIFIC JAPANESE PIZZA TIME

Super Terrific Japanese Pizza Time Dancing vegetables, crying pizza slices. You guessed it! It`s another wacky Japanese commercial!

NEW TEST RESULTS REVEAL: UNABLE TO TAKE THE PRESSURE

By T.R.
GCI Watchman

Like many people across the World who are concerned with matters of timeliness, I wear a timepiece. Shortly before the first of the year, my watch battery mysteriously died, making me something which I had hoped would not occur for many years yet to come; timeless. When such events occur, I am apt to take certain actions in order to rectify the problem and did so in this circumstance as well. After a grueling exchange with an attendant at the jewelry counter of an unnamed chronographer, I was directed to the Dakota Watch Company kiosk at the mall. The technician behind the counter was very knowledgeable and was able to switch out my watch battery quite efficiently, but then became very concerned when she realized:

“Oh…I never quoted you a price for the battery, did I?”

This confused me, as I have never been in a situation where I felt I needed to get multiple quotes on a watch battery, and assured the young lady that whatever the charge was I would be more than happy to pay it. She appeared relieved, which only further confused me into thinking I should have turned this simple errand into more of an elaborate inconvenience as I traversed the greater Rochester area for the lowest priced watch battery I could find. I quickly dismissed this idea on the grounds of complete absurdity and watched (no pun intended) as the technician placed my watch into some kind of an electro-mechanical device (see picture above) which I assumed to be some kind of automatic watch cleaning machine…it turns out, I was wrong and would soon be told some shocking news.

With all the sincerity and gravitas of an emergency room physician who has the unfortunate task of informing family members of their loved one’s prognosis, the watch technician looked compassionately at me from behind the gleaming glass of the display case and spoke:

“I just put your watch through a pressure test to gauge the integrity of its water resistance and it…FAILED. Your watch is rated for 165 feet…I strongly recommend that you DO NOT go any further than 135 feet underwater.”




I was dumbfounded. This is not a diving watch, nor do I engage in SCUBA activities, but if I did, and if you are familiar with the watch that I typically wear, you would share the same sentiment that no one in their right mind would wear this watch outside of a strictly urban setting, let alone submerge it hundreds of feet below sea level. At this point, I deliberately shut my brain off and allowed myself to get dizzy as she proceeded to give me an in depth seminar on the water resistant elements of horology. After several minutes of technical jargon, discussion of dual o-rings around the crown and bezel and the prospect of preventative maintenance and the replacement of faulty parts, I smiled charmingly, handed over my debit card and replied:

“Thank you for the information, but to be honest with you, If I happen to be 165 feet underwater, the internal structural integrity of my watch will be the least of my concerns. In fact, at that point, I don’t think owning a watch will be necessary at all, unless I wanted to accurately account for the remaining seconds of my life as I tried to remember the bizarre and unlikely events that transpired which led me to be 165 feet underwater.”

In a world already wrought with innumerable stressors, I am now forced to add yet another line item to my long list of things I need to worry about – are the o-rings on my chronograph a mere 30 feet from structural failure? Ironically, I am forced to gaze upon the very device in question and live everyday in uncertainty – for only time will tell. Well, that and a hell of a lot of water...

Aggressive New Blogging Strategies stalls when Paul Nellis is out of town

Good thing I'm back bitches! Happy Monday to anyone reading this at work. Yes, it's true, I was out of town for a few days and neglected the blog-postings. For those of you with a daily thirst for all things GCI, I must apologize. Please, enjoy this picture of John Zaffino at his birthday party last night.
Yes - that IS a ceramic Samurai drink holder John is drinking from. How delightfully tacky! The 27th birthday celebration was one to remember - it had all the classic elements: the Japanese Hibachi show, the drinking of the drinks, the going to the bars, and the changing of the tire. Ah, memories.

3 Movies

Hey. John here. I noticed something while cleaning this weekend. I found three movies in my collection that could be used to make people rebel against society. Yeah, I totally did! The movies would all have to be watched back to back marathon style to really work, but once the credits started rollin' on that last flick you'd have a full fledged rebel on your hands. I want to see what you guys think about this list, so without further adeu, here's the movie marathon of nihilism.

1.) Office Space - Start things off light: "Boy, the office sure stinks; don't ya hate traffic?; bosses can be jerks"; etc.. This movie reminds people of what a bummer the day to day grind can be. An important step in removing the shackles of society, before the next step: taking it a step further!

2.) Cool Hand Luke - By far the most depressing entry in the movie marathon of nihilism, the movie centers on Luke. Luke is just about the coolest guy you could imagine, getting himself sent to a labor prison cause there was nothin' better to do. Luke cools it up for a while and attempts to escape a few times *Spoiler Alert* but the prison breaks him. watchin the last couple scenes really angries up the blood.

3.) Fight Club - Ok, anyone with a Y chromosome thought "Dude we should totally start a fight club!" when first watching this movie. They did a great job of making the deterioration of society look not only like a blast, but a pretty good idea (who needs vaccines and automobiles, we know how to fight!). After seeing the previous two movies, destroying credit unions will seem like a neccesity.

****Warning: Any persons watching these three movies in succession will quit thier job and try to fight you. Please use with extreme caution.

So there's the list, and required discliamer. Anybody have any additions or subtitutions they think would up the ante on turning people against their keepers?

Check out our amazing new homepage

In case you just check our blog, you should also check out the stunning graphic beauty that is our new home page.

www.gevacomedyimprov.org

I also like some of the new headshots. Check these out:

Chris, why are you biting your lip like that? Are you hot with anticipation for the new website?




Swithun your hair is all standing up on end. And just what is that in your mouth? A stirring straw? Why would you be chewing on a stirring straw?





Apparently when someone tells Ted to smile he looks like he's going to cry. And with that beard it looks like the Brawny man is going to cry. This is too sad. And too creepy.





My picture is by far the worst. You can't see my eyes and the expression I'm making indicates that I'm experiencing some sort of frustration. It's almost inappropriate. This picture has ruined any chance I have with any woman who ever sees it. I hope it's not in the program.

Another Lazy Saturday

And here I am, degree in creative writing, and nothing to freaking say. Great shame I have brought upon my family. All of my skills have withered and died. Is this the end of the new year's resolution to blog more??

FEAR NOT! Did you know that in China they have the same word for crisis as they do for opportunity? I've heard everyone say that before, so perhaps if I force myself to sit down and blog everyday my head will soon be exploding with ideas for blog postings so funny that you'll be checking back everyday for my new material. Probably not, but possibly.

Still, trying to find something funny to write about is tough and everyone knows writer's block isn't funny - it's just boring. Allow me to recall what I've been up to since I quit my job. Absolutely nothing. Crap I'm screwed need to pull the cord on this one... ah... uh... oh I know! Hilarious pictures from our show Thanksgiving weekend!

I don't know what happened but I bet it sure was funny when Beki gave Nick a ride in that car!

In classic Mookie fashion, he tries not to fall down!!
Brian and Ted are the BEST of friends! One more...
Our most colorful selection yet... looks like Liam can handle himself but Chris is laughing and Paul Nellis is about to lose it. Just too much fun. Oh we can't leave out Swithun, here he is...
Perhaps a little bit on his side - but rest quietly - that's Swithun all right, sagacious as always.

*All photos by the dear Kevin Leas.

Another Hilarious Clip!

Satan in the bushes?

Exciting new picture!!

Now those are some pretty faces. Tim Goodwin just sent this in! Everyone got together for a cast photo, but apparently no one told Brian or JZ. So now what seems to have happened is that Tim Goodwin pasted in pictures of them from different parts of the night.

So while everyone else looks like they just did a show, Brian looks like he's about to ask me to marry him. JZ looks like some sort of homicidal manic who kills people with golf clubs. Also Adam Litz, up from PA for the night, looks like Lex Luthor. Nick kind of looks like the bad guy Jason Lee did the voice for in The Incredibles.

Pictures are fun! If you have pictures from our show, send them in! We love pictures!

Thanks, Tim Goodwin, you really saved us this time. Oh and congratulations on your new year's eve 'victory.'

Geva Comedy Improv Makes New Year's Resolution to Blog More in 2008

All,

Happy New Years! Happy 2008!

Anyway, thanks to anyone who came out last night and rang in the New Years with us in true GCI style! A grand time was had by all! By the end of the night (which was sometime around sunrise) Geva Comedy Improv, not unlike many of you out there in Internet-land, made a New Year's Resolution for 2008. We solemnly promise to do out best to provide more hilarious blog material in 2008. We at GCI are painfully aware in the disappointing decline in blog postings on what was once voted the best locally-based blog by Rochester's City Newspaper.

We would like to start 2008 off right with this amusing picture taken sometime around 5am.
Enjoy and have a great year!

Hilarious Clip

It didn't happen at our show, but maybe it'll tide you over til we get some pictures up!

Swithun No's Poetry Corner

Dylan Curry presents "Humpty Dumpty" revisited by Edgar Allen Poe.



I would have preferred "demons from hell" instead of "demons below" personally, but then again I'm not Poe.

Swithun No's Poetry Corner

If you're wondering how GCI prepares for campfire improv, it's by watching things like this:

A random musing.

YOUR RESEARCH IS USELESS AND YOU'LL NEVER MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE SO WHY DON'T YOU JUST GET A JOB YOU DAMNED HIPPIES!!!

There... I said it. I think I'll go register for the republican party now.

-Nellis

Mr. Peanut invites you to GCI's Super Spooky Halloween shows

Looks like Mr. Peanut has gotten into the Halloween spirit, and you should too! Plan on attending our Terrifyingly hilarious Halloween shows, October 26th and 27th!

This show may contain nuts or traces of nuts.

Geva Comedy Improv Places a Classified Ad

Click To Play

Courtesy of GCI's Videographer en residence, LIZ LARAKIS

GCI wants Swithun to do this for Halloween

Geva Comedy Improv launches 5th Anniversary Season; Awards "SUPER SECRET FANCY PRIZE"

This past Saturday, Geva Theatre Center kicked off its 35th Anniversary Season with a grandiose black tie optional Opening Night Gala. There were many fancy people in attendance wearing fancy clothes, eating fancy food and having fancy conversations. Therefore, we at GCI acted in kindred spirit and in commemoration of Geva Comedy Improv’s 5th Anniversary Season, we promised a “SUPER SECRET FANCY PRIZE” to anyone who showed up to watch our Saturday night show in formal wear. Well, the lacy gauntlet was thrown and a special thanks to all of our audience members who had the guts and the wardrobe to step to our challenge. The odds were staggering, and the attire was spectacular but in the end, there could only be one winner…


GCI is proud to announce that MICHAEL SHEEHAN is the lucky winner of our “SUPER SECRET FANCY PRIZE”

Friend of GCI MICHAEL SHEEHAN is escorted to the stage by the GCI Cast moments after learning he was the big winner of the evening.

GCI cast member TED fends off the ubiquitous paparazzi

MICHAEL anxiously awaits the announcement of the SUPER SECRET FANCY PRIZE

He is besieged on all sides by the Cast's congratulatory remarks and well-wishing

MICHAEL and the GCI Crew show their first reactions to the prize

Excitement and astonishment abound...

MICHAEL takes possession of the prize certificate as the audience weeps silently

The audience cheers and a final round of handshakes are in order for friend of GCI MICHAEL SHEEHAN, the winner of Geva Comedy Improv's SUPER SECRET FANCY PRIZE!

What did he win you ask? Stay tuned to the blog for actual footage of the award ceremony in which the SUPER SECRET FANCY PRIZE is revealed!

Can I love this? Is that okay?

The Ugly Stuff - Part 2"

And now for the highly anticipated conclusion of "The Ugly Stuff" the comic book. Based on Geva Comedy Improv's Improvised Western movie, it's the perfect thing quench your late summer thirst for whiskey so bad it's ugly.