Today we’d like to introduce you to Rob Kirby.
Hi Rob, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I was always a fan of Whose Line Is It Anyway, from the original Clive Anderson-hosted British shows that were on Comedy Central when I was growing up to the current CW show. I used to (and still do) go watch a local improv troupe in Fullerton called Improv Shmimprov and found it hilarious. However, I never thought about doing improv myself. I am a writer by trade, and every professional writer I had ever talked to when I was starting out said to take acting classes because it makes you a better writer. So I did… and it really does help. Then after taking all the acting classes South Coast Repertory had to offer, I took an improv class, and I was immediately hooked. Improv was like a drug. I mainly learned improv from the legendary Greg Atkins at South Coast Repertory. After taking Greg’s advanced class for a while, I started doing occasional shows with people, a couple of college gigs and others…then things changed when my friend Paul Carganilla started Paulie’s Picnic; a variety show that has stand-up, singing, and improv with some massively talented performers with a built-in audience from a very popular show at Disneyland to kick things off.
There is so much talent on this roster that I am often in awe of being asked to play. We have world-class musicians, some who have been on Broadway, professional actors/comedians and a couple of people, like Denny Siegel, who have been on multiple episodes of Whose Line Is It Anyway. All these shows later, and scenes with Denny are still a pinch-me moment every time. I also started my own troupe called The Improv Knights that is a mixture of some Paulie’s Picnic performers and various improv people I have met through the years. The Knights are an R rated Show, where Paulie’s Picnic can be pg, pg13, or R depending on what people want. We do backyard/house shows and corporate gigs. The pandemic obviously changed all our lives. In the performing world, we had to move online. Paulie’s Picnic started doing weekly shows almost immediately, and we had more people watching those than we would have ever thought possible. The audience for our live shows ranges from 50-100 people, while some of our online shows were watched live by over 700 and have gone on to be viewed thousands of times. Even being online, it is such a rush knowing that many people are choosing to spend their time watching you for entertainment.
I took part in any “improv jams” I could find across the internet, and was eventually asked to co-host Second City’s Wham Bam Improv Jam, which was a lot of fun. I eventually found Extreme Improv and started performing regularly with them. Extreme does multiple improv shows. Aside from the Xstremed short-form shows, there have been long-form murder mystery shows, a weekly Geek Battle show, (which is right up this FILM/TV major’s ally,) and a few others. The Extreme Improv Xstremed improv show is approaching the 500-show mark and still has plenty of people watching. This was my third time partaking in the world online championship, and I had made the finals the previous two years. David Pustansky, who runs Extreme, has built a very unique company that I gravitated toward right away. It is so cool to meet and perform with so many talented people from all over the world. I love seeing new styles and incorporating them into what I do. The online shows saved me during the pandemic, and I love that they there is still a big audience for it and that they have continued on. Extreme does two short-form shows a week, and Paulie’s has many different types of shows to watch all the time, and we still do a handful of big online variety shows a year to go with our in person gigs. Both can be found on facebook, but the easiest way to look them up is: for extreme improv – xstremed.tv and for Paulie’s – all the different shows can be found on the vaudacity network on youtube.
Aside from the shows, I guest teach improv a few times a semester to an advanced scene study class at Cal State Fullerton, and also do a workshop called “Yes and Now what?…The Art of Being a Good Scene Partner” both online or in person a couple of times a year. OC and LA have a booming improv scene that continues to grow, and I am very proud to be a part of it. When my girlfriend, who is a multitalented artist herself, and I go for walks, we often play some two person improv games for fun. So if you ever happen to see us walking around OC, feel free to say hi and give us a suggestion 🙂
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Obviously, the biggest struggle was covid, all of a sudden live performances were done. The Improv Knights had just made an agreement with a local theater to do regular shows, but that theater, like so many others did not survive. (I am so happy that new ones are starting to pop up and the local arts are starting to thrive again.) I was still able to write of course, but the thrill, and for many of us, the need of entertaining a live audience was gone. However, being able to perform online not only helped overcome the need to perform, but made me a better performer playing with people from all over the world. The other big struggle I faced was; I was horrible when I started, like absolutely horrible. I have no doubt if you were to ask Greg, or the people who were in class with me at the beginning what they thought of me, the response wouldn’t be anything flattering. But I stuck with it, and all of a sudden it just clicked.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As far as improv goes, I specialize in short-form improv games. I have done some long form, but short form is where I feel at home. I am most proud of a couple of things. First, obviously is winning the world championship this year. It was completely unexpected and an incredible feeling to hear my name called. 2nd, and this is going to sound so cheesy, but I get such a feeling of pride anytime someone sends me a DM or comes up to me in person and tells me how much they like watching me, and that I make them laugh. Especially during the pandemic, myself and others would get these messages from the audience that said how much the shows meant to them and how while they watch us, they aren’t thinking about life… and that has ALWAYS been my goal whether as a writer, actor, or improv performer; so anytime I get a response like that is the best feeling there is. I will never get used to people waiting to talk to me at live shows or events though.
What sets me apart from others is a tricky question. What I think does isn’t always the feedback I get lol. So, I will say the two things I hear most often. People say that whether it’s a PG show or an R-rated show, I know how to approach, even straddle the line without crossing it…I probably have crossed it from time to time, but some jokes are just too good to pass up 😊 The other, is people say I always look like I am having a good time up there especially when I break and laugh. That is something I must admit I picked up from a conversation with, and watching Paulie. I always used to believe, and took much pride, in never breaking (which used to get me acting gigs back before digital took over and most projects were on film), but the audience definitely responds when they see you enjoying yourself, so I go with the flow more and don’t hold the laughter in as much.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
If you are interested in improv, I would definitely recommend taking classes from Greg Atkins at South Coast Repertory. If that is too far a drive, there are many great improv studios in L A and Orange County; just do it! This goes for all things in life, but especially for those starting out in any kind of performance or creative endeavor; If you truly love it, keep at it. The drug of entertaining and performing is a strong one, and don’t let not being as good as those around you deter you from following your dreams. You will get better. It is a tough business; there tend to be more lows than highs, but the highs are the absolute best feeling in the world!
Contact Info:
- Facebook: Improv Knights
- Twitter: @kirbysoze3
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.
com/watch?v=4RC0EDqZV9Y
Image Credits
Personal Photo headshot – Rachael B. Photography other photos: photo 1 champion belt pic– screen grab from Xtreme improv xstremed photo 2 bracket pic– Xstreme Improv photo 3 outdoor group pic– Matthew L. King Capture The Shot Photography photo 4 indoor group shot– Matthew L. King Capture The Shot Photography photo 5 –Holding Mic pic– Sel Sajo photo 6 –screen grab of Xstreme Improv photo 7– screen grab of Paulie’s Online Variety Show
