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Crumbs is the improv comedy theatre duo hailing from the cold lonely prairies of Canada. Stephen Sim and Lee White have been working together in the comedy biz since 1989-1990 but have been using the CRUMBS name since 1997. The duo have toured all over the world including: Berlin, Vienna, Graz, Ljubljana, Zurich, Winterthur, Antwerp, Hamburg, Heidelberg, Mannheim, Frankfurt/M., Munich, Toronto, Vancouver, Seattle, Regina, and of course Winnipeg.
Awards-Winner of the world's largest international improv event ever the 2006 FIFA World Cup of Improv. (CRUMBS member on Team Canada) -Voted Winnipeg's #1 theatre company five years in a row by Uptown Magazine's readers' poll. -Crowned International Theatresports champions 2004 at Edmonton's Improvaganza International Improv Festival. -Crowned International Catch23 tournament champions 2005 at Toronto's International Catch23 Improv "Tournament of Wonders".
Showscrumbs classic
WorkshopsWorkshop Overwiew character (where do characters come from?)-classic and brand new character games help you understand what makes character work good -nice transitions from character to story and transitions longform intro (understand how to make it long and good) -perhaps you want to make a transition from short form to long form -perhaps you have been doing improv and now want the expert long form guidance -this is what we do longform tweaking (take your show and then we make it awesome) -you have been doing improv for a while now -you have been doing longform for a while now -it is time to kick it up a notch and CRUMBS kicks it for you new longform creation (make your own) -you are bored with the forms you know -you want to learn new ones -you want to be able to develop your own -you want the skills to be able to make one up during the show (we call it freestyle) scenework in depth (how to not suck) -if the scenes suck, the show sucks -we attack your scenes and make them not suck games and story (and keeping balance) -okay okay you have the skills, you know the "rules" now it is time to throw them away and have fun again organic edits (and how to create them) -the transitions from one scene to another -how to make them look invisible -how to invent them each show Longform Workshop This Intro to longform is for groups that have decided to give longform improv a try, or have been making the transition from shortform improv to longform. CRUMBS have been spreading the popularity of longform improv in Canada and Europe for several years now. CRUMBS will guide you through the uncharted territory of the longform improvisational performance. Everything from the basic elements of an improvised scene, that is essential for entertaining theatre, to the intricasise of editing from one scene to the other. CRUMBS is known for their longform improvisation that blurs the line between comedy and tragedy. This workshop will explore the use of truth and reality within fantasy and the absurd to create comedy with the pathos of tragedy within the journey of the character through storytelling. CRUMBS pulls heavily from their own experiences and use monologues to convey the mood of their performances. They will observe and offer advice on how to better serve your audience by ensuring that you are clear in how you communicate the improvised story to them. The use of clean edits to not confuse the audience and to trust what one another is doing and always moving the story forward even when it feels like it isn’t moving at all. CRUMBS will help your troupe realize their own style and have the confidence to create new longforms. CRUMBS specializes in a formless improv set that focuses more on the tools of the longform improv then the actual form. CRUMBS can help the improv beginner just dipping their toe in the improv pool, all the way to the advanced professional group looking for expanded techniques and pointers on how to bring their performances to the next level. CRUMBS has taught workshops all over Canada and Europe. They have done intensives focusing on longform creation, exploring the Harold, editing techniques, movement, voice, scenework and directing/coaching improv groups to reach new artistic heights. So you have tried long form and you think you know it all now right? Wrong! There is always more, and always better. Crumbs takes good improv and makes it great improv. How? you will have to sign up for this workshop and see. Editing:Crumbs will guide you through several improv scenarios and help you master several editting techniques as well as let you in on editting philosophies. This will help you when it is time to recognize an edit, and will also help you develop new edits. Edits are the transitions between scenes. the edits are both offers and techniques to keep a story moving forward. It is also a valueable escape from a scene or character that just isn't working. An edit can be your best friend in an improv show. CharacterGreat long form improv is built from the character up. The character is the foundation that the story and context is built on. With a shaky character comes a shaky story, which means you will have to do more work to make it work. That is a lot of work, and improv should be play. The solid character writes the story for you, and lets you relax and let the story unfold around you. Crumbs will guide you through character building exercises as well as letting you in on techniques to give you that relaxed feel, while always having the character discovering something new. How would you like to have an outside eye observe and critique your work? Now, now would you like to have two eyes, well, actually four eyes? Hve the eyes of Crumbs watch your scenes and enhance them with their input. Have Crumbs watch your edits and transitions and give you hints on how to improve those signals and make them clearer. Have Crumbs analyze the work you do, understand the work you would like to be doing and work with them to acheive your full potential. Why are you improvising? Let us try and answer that question. CRUMBS longform improv workshop Long form improv (or impro in Europe) has been the popular movement of the art form in the last few years and a lot of companies have been making the switch from playing matches and short form improv. Long form improv involves much more character developement and has more focus on story. This is why it is garnering more respect as improvised theatre then its little brother short form. Crumbs has been practitioners of long form for several years, have trained in its use and have developed their own style when it comes to performing it. Crumbs starts right at the beginning of your leap into long form by strengthening your improv skill set, introducing you to new tools and enhancing your understanding of the techniques needed for you to navigate through an improvised performance that will fit together seamlessly. Crumbs has worked with many professional groups across Canada, the United states and Europe. They have also worked extensively with improv first timers and readied them for the stage, and have even thrown them into long form games. Weather you are a first timer, or a seasoned veteran of improv, Crumbs will be able to elevate your performances to the next level.
ActorsStephen Sim has been performing improv and comedy as a coping mechanism all his life. Finally joining an actual troupe in 1992 and performing in actual public shows, he has not looked back since--but he says he mostly does it so as not to see the wasted life behind him. Our Stevie is a very busy Improv man. Some might call him an Improv "maniac" or even a "guru", in the Timothy Leary sense (the clinical term is Obsessive Compulsive Sponteniety Disorder. Steve is currently under court order to recieve treatment and has been on the run from the law since June of 1996.) Along with doing CRUMBS (and various other improv jam shows) he teaches improv at Prairie Theatre Exchange--has taught across Canada and in Europe--started and still runs the Winnipeg Improv Festival, AND runs the Manitoba Improv League in association with the Canadian Improv Games. Jesus eh? Stephen also has been experimenting with stand-up comedy. Which is frightening, but most say he's getting quite good at it. Stephen hopes to one day make something of himself and then look back on his life and smile. Lee White started performing on the vaudeville stage at the age of 5, tap dancing and singing Rick Springfield songs, with his partner the late Sheker Migiller. At the age of ten Lee hit the streets of Budapest, basket weaving for tips. But after 3 years and the great Budapest basket fires, he was forced to flee to the sheep fields of Egypt. Hiding as a sheep he fled to his homeland Manitoba where after years of radiation therapy was awarded fanciest pantsed lad in all the land. He then used that fame to launch his acting career. After receiving poor reviews in the starring role at Rainbow Stages production of Fat Albert and the Gang he joined CRUMBS in 1997 to many peoples notice.
Press clippings"... Some critics have (wrongly) accused Crumbs of pre-scripting their performances, but one can see why: they move effortlessly between scenes and characters, while demonstrating a near telepathic ability to follow each other's cues." "Once again, Winnipeg's perennial improvisational sharpshooters manage to hit the comedic bull's-eye with no target in sight." "-a masterful feat for improv." "Stephen Sim and Lee White are at the height of their improv powers" "It's hard to say what makes CRUMBS so good. Maybe it's the zen-like concentration with which they juggle their multiple characters. Or maybe it's their uncanny ability to build ridiculous metaphors on the fly. Or maybe it's the way they make the audience complicit in the process of creating comedy, so even when they step out of character, hilarious things happen. Whatever the reason, the CRUMBS are on fire." "They've turned down the suck and turned the funny up to 11." " If the banal "Who's Line is it Anyway" is Kenny G., The Crumbs are Charlie Parker." " I can honestly say, these guys know what their doing, they left me feeling as though I had wet myself.." "You never know what you're going to get at an improv show, but over the years, a ticket to the CRUMBS has proven to be a wise investment." "Hilarious and entertaining. Go see them twice, three times..." " These guys are the masters of long form improve. So see them, be astounded, and then see them again." "It takes uncommon talent to make up a story on the spot capable of amusing everyone from teens to grandparents but these pranksters do it better than anyone." "This trio is incredibly talented and work so well together." "Watching improv is like eating a Japanese blowfish-really tasty if it's done right, excruciatingly painful if the chef doesn't know what he's doing. Thank God the improv trio CRUMBS are master chefs." "The first Crumbs show at this year's festival was brilliant, but who knows what the remaining performances will be like? All I can say is ... go twice! " "... CRUMBS is top-notch, a skilful marriage of brain and brawn." "... CRUMBS is a first-rate act, an impressive mix of individually interesting actors and brainy humour..." "In a 50-minute skit advertised as improv but actually scripted (with a plot and everything), the Crumbs show signs of imminent wit." "With plenty of acting talent they show the art of IT: ...the show hangs like a football in the middle of the field..." "The three boys from Winnepeg had the fastest mouths and the most flexible limbs." "The show of the three Canadian boys lived from the bizarre ideas and looked perfect, not like being invented in the moment, but more like a written grotesque. "
Photographshttp://www.kbmm.net/index.php?option=com_remository&Itemid=8&func=select&id=52 |
