Last Clark Street Shows

Tonight Deep Schwa had our last show at iO on Clark. It was a packed and enthusiastic crowd. Deep Schwa is iO's longest running Harold team, 18 years strong, and it was always my favorite team to watch. It's been a real gift and pleasure to have played on the team for the past two years and I'm excited to see what the new space will bring. I expected to get emotional but didn't feel much in-particular, even with Jeff announcing, before he took our suggestion, that it was our last show it didn't really hit me. Like is so often the case with major change, it'll take time to process.

We had a real fun show, the only time I've felt like when all eleven of us were there that we stayed fluid. It's interesting to be part of a team with so much history, to carry the name and the reputation on. It means a lot to me, if it wasn't for Schwa I may not have stuck with improv, it showed me the amazing sometimes magical possibilities improv can hold. I'm sure the night held more significance to Brett, Craig, Jeff and the other folks who've been around longer than I have but to me it felt very satisfying, one last show with a full cast and a house filled to capacity.

Later Prime had our last show. The team has had an interesting journey. Initially opening up for 3033 was Middle Age Comeback, after Jim left Craig did a show U Who? where he would get a guest, that kind of sputtered out and towards the end of it he got Scott Nelson and I to play. The show was really fun and after Craig asked both Scott Nelson, Scott Morehead, and I to play with him consistently. Everyone is incredibly talented and fast but if I'm being honest I think Craig simply liked the idea of introducing us as "two Scotts, two Nelsons and a Uhlir". After we ran for a couple months Scott and Scott both got Second City gigs, we had some sit-ins, Brett played with us for a while before going on a boat and then Sabine started to play with us. In the past couple months we've really hit our stride, consistently putting up fun, fast, challenging shows. We've even developed a loose(very loose) form: start with a group scene where we like each other, cut away to any thing we talk about that seems like a scene, Scott Nelson plays most if not all celebrities referenced, callback the first scene until it comes to some sort of conclusion.

The show tonight was great, absurd and sweaty, we even pimped Craig into doing the only two impressions he can: Richard Nixon and Gilbert Gottfried. It felt great to have my final show on the iO Cab stage be with three immensely talented friends I respect especially Craig my one time teacher, coach and mentor. I noticed a couple friends in the crowd but Nicole was there for both shows which meant the world.

It was a great ending but not a permanent one. The new iO space will open sometime in the near future. And as of tonight I have no regrets and couldn't be more grateful.