Say it like you mean it!

This week I decided to find out. I called Gary, the owner, and told him I wanted to audit a class...he welcomed me with open arms. When I arrived, the class had just begun. There were a dozen men and two women listening raptly to adorable Al Isaacs their teacher, who's been doing comedy since he was 18-years-old. "I actually started out in an improv class with Kevin James from King of Queens and his brother Gary Valentine who plays his cousin on the show. Back then I did a bunch of shows with Ray Romano..." says Al who has been teaching at the Brokerage Club for the past year. "The students pay for the class by the week ($15)...there's no contract," he explains. "Everyone comes in with a different strength. Some people are very good with impressions, others are just fast on their feet. Some people really want to pursue stand-up, some are into acting, some want to write comedy and others are salespeople who just want more confidence. There's a little something for everyone..."I have a student named Billy. He's been doing improv for about six months and he's getting really good. He's been on Howard Stern's show about a dozen times because he does a great Ozzy Osbourne impression."Then there's Dan. He's got a very dry and dark sense of humor. He's a natural...a lot like Jonathan Winters. All you have to do is give him a hint of an idea and he's off and running with it. He's also a terrific writer. He's got a great mind for comedy."Scott...actor/comedian...is terrific with dialects and voices, also very fast on his feet. He's naturally gifted and very comfortable on stage and in front of an audience. There are very talented people in the class. I have a ball with them!" This is obvious when watching them perform. Al laughs, as his class practices different scenes, then offers his commentary. It seems there are many rules when it comes to improvisation. "Say it like you mean it," Al declares. One of the easiest, yet most overlooked tricks in improv is the simple act of speaking definitively. Adding an adjective seems to always be a good idea. Instead of saying the cat...the mangy cat offers a much more vivid picture. It's important that you trust the person you're on stage with, make him look good, listen carefully to everything he says and know when to shut up. And always go with the unexpected. "Most importantly, don't try to be funny," adds Al. "If you try and think of a joke, chances are you're not listening to the other person on stage and chances are they are feeding you a line that will be funny. It's all about being there for the other person."It's totally unique...unlike anything else. You feed off of the audience's energy and the energy of the person/people you're on stage with. You just let your imagination take over. "I think everyone should try it. Everyone's welcome to come and take a class. Whatever your strength is we'll find it and whatever it isn't we're going to work on it. And every second Thursday of the month we do a showcase at the Brokerage Club where we get up in front of an audience. "Whenever a student thinks he/she is ready, we work him/her into the show. During the class we try to build up a student's strengths. During the show we show off what their strengths are."Come and take a class or just show up on the second Thursday of the month to check out Al's students. It's so much fun.

The Brokerage Comedy Club

6 to 8 Thursday nights
$15 per class
For more info call 785-9349