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Timely Musical

Friday, November 06, 2009

Three members of the improvisational musical comedy group The Made-Up Musical Tara Copeland, Michael Martin, and Frank Spitznagel, demonstrate the art of "improv musicals."

Call for Ideas! Suggest a song title, pulled from the headlines, for the instant musical.

Check the Schedule for the First Annual New York Improv Festival (November 6th - 7th, 2009)


Comments

  • [1] James from Manhattan November 06, 2009 - 10:42AM

    CEOs getting the Swine Flu Vaccine


  • [2] Dale from Chelsea from Chelsea November 06, 2009 - 10:42AM

    Something about Dede Scozzafava


  • [3] Dan Abrams from The Village November 06, 2009 - 10:43AM

    Song titles:

    I met my love during the fort hood tragedy!

    10% unemployment, but I don't care

    My wife said if the Yankees win, she'll divorce me


  • [4] brian November 06, 2009 - 10:44AM

    song title: "Jon Corzine, we hardly knew ya"


  • [5] dana from monsey ny November 06, 2009 - 10:44AM

    "camel jockey"


  • [6] Seth Skiles from Manhattan November 06, 2009 - 10:44AM

    Let's hear a song about Balloon Boy!


  • [7] Nya from New York, NY November 06, 2009 - 10:44AM

    Musical Improv suggestion:

    NYC DOE Hiring Freeze


  • [8] Geoffrey Berliner from Chelsea November 06, 2009 - 10:44AM

    song improv title: I'm mayor yet again but this time I have a MANDATE!


  • [9] SuzanneNYC from Upper West Side November 06, 2009 - 10:44AM

    Rhyme for comptroller:

    John Liu! New comptroller

    He ain't no holy roller!


  • [10] John Collis from Brooklyn November 06, 2009 - 10:44AM

    Comptroller: High Roller

    OR

    Blue politics


  • [11] John Koch from Soho November 06, 2009 - 10:45AM

    How about Comptroller and High Rollers?


  • [12] Telegram Sam from Staten Island November 06, 2009 - 10:45AM

    Whoa, hey, time to go get some coffee.


  • [13] Susan from Dix Hills November 06, 2009 - 10:45AM

    It's good to be King!!


  • [14] Chuck from Brooklyn November 06, 2009 - 10:45AM

    The arrogant rich, complacent middle class and the meek poor.


  • [15] the truth from bkny November 06, 2009 - 10:46AM

    Oh for the love of Peter! Turning down my speakers immediately!


  • [16] Jay F. from manhattan November 06, 2009 - 10:47AM

    Please, please, please... Stop that infernal noise.


  • [17] John Koch from Soho November 06, 2009 - 10:48AM

    Thomas the Tank Engine that Couldn't


  • [18] Justin from Brooklyn November 06, 2009 - 10:49AM

    Yikes. This is bad news. What are you doing, Brian? Why is this taking time on your show?


  • [19] Ron Phlegar from Briarwood, Queens November 06, 2009 - 10:49AM

    Song idea: Money can buy happiness.

    The Mayor buys an election.

    The Yankees buy a Championship.

    $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$!!


  • [20] Michael from Brooklyn November 06, 2009 - 10:49AM

    The Ballad of a Million Trees


  • [21] Jim B from W. Orange, NJ November 06, 2009 - 10:50AM

    Colbert said it best last night:

    Yankees Win World Series! Proof the Free Market Works!


  • [22] Ron Palais from NYC November 06, 2009 - 10:50AM

    Song title: Let's Go Mets 2010!


  • [23] edfreeze from West Village November 06, 2009 - 10:50AM

    This is a joke right? Like a Christopher Guest movie?

    So we're invited to laugh at them, not with them? I get it! Ha ha ha!


  • [24] Steve from Morris Township November 06, 2009 - 10:51AM

    How about Hadron Collider? :)


  • [25] Teresa from New York November 06, 2009 - 10:55AM

    the rhyme is less important than the integrity of the song? apparently, so is voice quality...


  • [26] Brian from Brooklyn Heights November 06, 2009 - 10:55AM

    This is really painful and out of tune. Good improv is great, this isn't it. By the way, Matsui is Japanese, so the Hong Kong Fuey riff in the Matsui improv song is both misplaced and on the edge of offensive.


  • [27] tricia from Clinton Hill November 06, 2009 - 10:55AM

    I like the improv element, but are they singing badly on purpose?


  • [28] hjs from 11211 November 06, 2009 - 10:55AM

    can i rhyme matsui with chop suey?


  • [29] anonymous from Queens November 06, 2009 - 10:56AM

    Whatever happened to WNYC's broadcasts of the Capital Steps' shows? I'd love to see those come back.


  • [30] Tom November 06, 2009 - 10:56AM

    LOVE Brian's show but I'm sorry but this is torture!!!!!


  • [31] Mohsin Sheikh from Easton, Ct November 06, 2009 - 10:57AM

    Wal-Mart pushes itself into India


  • [32] cat from home November 06, 2009 - 10:57AM

    The Roots do this better every night! This is painful!

    Please STOP!


  • [33] eric from brooklyn November 06, 2009 - 10:58AM

    getting long, no? now appreciate even more Drew Carey and co.: Wayne Brady, Ryan Stiles, Colin Mochrie... those cats are masters.


  • [34] Suki from Williamsburg November 06, 2009 - 10:59AM

    ENOUGH. These people are NOT FUNNY. Nor are they talented.

    "No time for another song."

    Thank god.


  • [35] jon bozak from brooklyn November 06, 2009 - 10:59AM

    I've been slowly losing my hearing over the year. Unfortunately, I wish it would happen more quickly thanks to this brutal racket.


  • [36] amanda from Bed Stuy November 06, 2009 - 10:59AM

    I can find you 20 brooklyn teenagers who can freestyle way better than these folks.


  • [37] Dan Abrams from The Village November 06, 2009 - 11:00AM

    Magnet Theater is 254 W. 29th St, between 7th and 8th, not 354 w. 29th st.

    Come on, Tara.

    Great performances all around.


  • [38] hjs from 11211 November 06, 2009 - 11:00AM

    you people are mean! brian does a great job so he misses the ship every once in a while, just go with it and don't act like a bunch of babies


  • [39] Lavinia from nyc November 06, 2009 - 11:00AM

    Yowza.....that was like chewing on tin foil.


  • [40] Jay F. from manhattan November 06, 2009 - 11:00AM

    Free classes! You couldn't pay me enough money to attend free improv classes with these two.


  • [41] Ryan from Manhattan November 06, 2009 - 11:01AM

    Agreed, I would never suggest that finding two hours of quality content per day is anything less than herculean, but please... no musicals... ever.

    Thanks.


  • [42] Calls'em As I Sees'em from McLean, VA November 06, 2009 - 11:02AM

    Wow, did that stink. I can't imagine a worse segment. This should have been on Sound Check and it would have stunk there, too. Only Yoko Ono was worse.

    I guess I have to go back to work as soon as my ears stop bleeding.


  • [43] Ron Palais from NYC November 06, 2009 - 11:07AM

    Funny stuff!


  • [44] Cara from NYC November 06, 2009 - 11:31AM

    Musical improv is so hard, just wish there were peeps from Broadway's Next Hit Musical instead. I'll be checking out their show tomorrow at 6:30 at the musical improv festival this weekend.


  • [45] eric from brooklyn November 06, 2009 - 11:44AM

    @Brian from Brooklyn Heights - yep, I thought that was a Hong Kong Fooey riff!! But didn't believe. You just wouldn't think they'd be so pat as to throw an Asian catch-all at a Japanese person. The segment became a public radio parody, disrespecting music and improv with the off-key that I first thought was a joke speaks right to a public radio stereotype - unwitting 'smugnorance' wrapped in hyperliteracy. one day the learned might learn. Now: Let the "lighten up" "it's a joke" "they didn't mean it" begin.


  • [46] Warren from Brooklyn, NY November 06, 2009 - 11:49AM

    I've seen Michael and Tara perform. They're both very talented. Sorry this wasn't up to the usual standard. Broadway's Next is really good too. Check them out if you get the chance.


  • [47] Lacy November 06, 2009 - 02:46PM

    I've seen them perform before. It's a lot of fun. It's more impressive in person. The visual and visceral elements of improv are lost on radio.

    I LOVE TARA COPELAND!


  • [48] Ned from Queens November 07, 2009 - 02:22PM

    Night # 1 of The New York Musical Improv Festival was a resounding success. Night # 2 will no doubt be the same.

    As for the disgruntled haters who decried yesterday's radio performance, thanks for taking enough time from writing antisocial feedback on YouTube postings to write the same here.


  • [49] Henry K from The World November 08, 2009 - 03:38AM

    I love these folks... Some of the kindest and smartest people I know, so back the pluck off!


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