Funny folks will surely stand up

8th annual Out of Bounds comedy fest draws from near and far.

By Kaitlin Ballard
AMERICAN-STATESMAN STAFF
Thursday, August 27, 2009

Wearing sod on the shoulders of your jacket is the new thing. Maybe you didn't get the memo, but at least 300 people did, and they plan to compete in a mini-golf tournament for the Ridiculous Jacket, which is part lawn, part random swag and modeled after the Masters Tournament green winner's jacket.

Although that grand prize is one reason to gather in Austin next week, the other is for the camaraderie of the comedy community. Improvisers, stand-up comics, sketch troupes and comedic filmmakers from near and far will come together Tuesday through Labor Day for the eighth annual Out of Bounds Comedy Festival.

Through the years, Austin has become a hub for this art form, thanks to its thriving art scene and welcoming attitude.

"It's really gotten on the map for its comedy scene. \u2026 and part of it has to do with the festival. It has close to tripled in size," said Michael Jastroch, the festival's publicity director, who is expecting several thousand people this year. "People are starting to notice what's happening in Austin."

Out of Bounds started in 2002 with about seven local troupes and one national one and lasted a few days. It is the brainchild of Jeremy Lamb, who has trained with Second City and ImprovOlympic in Chicago.

"Jeremy really likes the idea of improv that isn't safe," Jastroch said. "He likes things that take risks, and he also likes things to be constrained. His idea was to see how much of this art form can be expressed and in how many different ways." That's the origin of the festival's name.

But the scene wasn't always as evident as it is today. If there's one trend in comedy right now, it's growth, thanks in large part to the Internet. Beforehand, improvisers and comedians had little or no way of connecting, causing a segmented national scene. As message boards gained popularity, an outlet for performers to learn and spread their methods formed, and the community blossomed.

"Before 1999, none of us really knew each other; then the message boards started sprouting up, and people could talk to other improvisers from other cities and share ideas," said Jill Bernard of the one-woman improv show "Drum Machine."

Bernard makes a living from what she does best and is one of this year's seven headliners. She lives in Minneapolis, where she mixes improv and hip-hop in what she calls an "improvised musical." She interviews a willing audience member and then asks for a historical suggestion, which she turns into a long-form story with songs. What is sometimes a 70-minute show started out as a five-minute piece that was meant to be 10.

Recalling her first show, at a cabaret, Bernard said, "I kind of freaked out halfway through and said, 'thank you, goodnight' and ran away."

Bernard fell in love with the theater when she 5 years old. She saw an outdoor production of "Oklahoma" and thought, "I can do that." It led her to study theater at the University of Minnesota and upon graduation in 1993, she joined ComedySportz-Twin Cities. She's still a part of the national club but has since founded HUGE Theater , performed countless national shows, worked with improv greats such as Del Close , taught national workshops and even appeared on an episode of MTV's "Made."

At Out of Bounds, she'll perform with Joe Bill in their duo SCRAM and also teach a workshop called "If it makes you happy."

Although the Austin festival started with mostly improv troupes, it's grown to include stand-up comics like Bob Biggerstaff. His name might sound unfamiliar — at least to those outside the comedy realm — but his face is not. He appeared on Season Five of "Last Comic Standing." He is also a headliner this year. His style is "self-deprecating, sports-related," and he's not afraid to make fun of himself.

He had always been interested in comedy but wasn't sure how to make it happen, so he became a bouncer at the Laff Stop in Houston, where he lives. Eventually, Biggerstaff started performing at open mic night there.

Out of Bounds isn't just an industry festival, though many of the performers see each other's shows. It's evident through the training centers and theaters that have formed over the past couple of years and sparked a diverse comedic voice. Austin has more training centers than New York, says Jastroch, who traveled there recently for a show.

As improv gains steam, "it's not about trying to be funny; it's more about playing pretend with your friends on some level, so a lot of people can actually do this that wouldn't even think that they could," said Jastroch, who has been a performer since 2003.

Over seven days, Jastroch says, festivalgoers will experience "one part party, one part trade show to one part high school reunion and then one part theater explosion."

kballard@statesman.com

Out of Bounds Comedy Festival

When: Tuesday through Sept. 7

Where: ColdTowne Theater, 4803-B Airport Blvd.; the Hideout Theatre, 617 Congress Ave.; the Independent, 501 N. Interstate 35; Salvage Vanguard Theater, 2803 Manor Road.

How much: All shows $10 except ColdTowne Marathon shows, which are $5. Headliner shows $15 or $25 for both. Passes $55 to $80.

Workshop highlights: Jill Bernard's `If it makes you happy,' Joe Bill's 'The improv scene and intensive feedback buffet,' Craig Cackowski's 'Sustaining a scene' and Rich Talarico's 'Plotless Improv.'

Shows: Through Monday.

Parties: Kickoff party at Momo's, 8 p.m. Tuesday; closing party Sunday.

More: www.outofboundsimprov.com