September is National Sketch Writing Month

Free Sketch Comedy Template (good for all situations)

loserbeam — Mon, 10 Jun 2013 14:15:46 -0400

Funny Person: Hey, I sure am in this location right now.
(Straight Person enters)
Straight Person: Excuse me, Funny Person?
Funny Person: Yes?
Straight Person: What's the deal with this odd occurrence that's currently happening?
Funny Person: Oh, that's just our wacky premise.
Straight Person: Your what?
Funny Person: Our wacky premise. It's because of this just-on-the-side-of-plausible justification.
Straight Person: Wait, so you're doing this reasonable assumption?
Funny Person: No, we're doing this humorous example.
(Continue for about two more humorous examples of escalating silliness)
Straight Person: What you're doing is wrong! I will now explain to you why this doesn't work in our reasonable society!
Funny Person: Wow. You may be right. I guess I will stop with the wacky premise.
(Secretary enters)
Secretary: Hey, Funny Person? Something's happening that either reverses what we know or proves it to be worse than originally assumed.
(Everyone smiles at audience. Play popular song from the 80s whose chorus glancingly references the premise. Wait for huge stacks of sketch cash as well as pussy and/or dick depending on your personal preference)

NaNaSkeWriMoSkeShow: The National “National Sketch Writing...

jonbershad — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 00:59:50 -0400

NaNaSkeWriMoSkeShow: The National “National Sketch Writing Month” Sketch Show

Alright, guys! Chicago had their chance to show off sketches this past weekend so now it’s New York’s turn!

Everyone head on down to the UCB Theatre in Chelsea this Friday at Midnight to check out what some of the craziness that the Big Apple writers cooked up last month!

Chicago National Sketch Writing Month Jam Tonight!

mullaney — Sun, 07 Oct 2012 13:19:08 -0400

If you are in Chicago and you participated in National Sketch Writing Month, you are invited to come to an open mic/sketch reading party on October 7th. Bring copies of your favorite sketches you wrote for this year’s NaSkeWriMo and we will read it together.

Chicago NaSkeWriMo Jam
@Upstairs Gallery
Sunday, October 7th, 7:30pm
FREE (suggested donation $5)
BYOB & BYO(S)ketches

September is National Sketch Writing Month: Showcases!

loserbeam — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 11:43:22 -0400

September is National Sketch Writing Month: Showcases!:

jonbershad:

willchoy:

naskewrimo:

Well everyone, the month is almost over, and as you scramble to get your counts up to 30, here’s the info on some of the upcoming showcases.

For New York, from Andy Beckerman:

Hi NaSkeWriMo participants!

On Friday, October 12th at midnight at UCB Chelsea, we will be putting up a show…

By popular demand, the submission deadline has been extended to Friday! Get those sketches in or sign up to join our pool of actors.

Hey, everybody! Check this out and pass it along! In case you didn’t know, there’s going to be a NaSkeWriMo showcase show at Chelsea! I did this last year as a writer and had a ridiculously fun time. This year, I’m joining Andy and Will in reading every sketch we receive and throwing this show together.

All fun people, submit!

hypehypehype

CONGRATS TO EVERYONE WHO MADE IT TO THIRTY SKETCHES!

loserbeam — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 18:36:48 -0400

*if you would like to be removed from this list, or are supposed to be on it but aren’t, let us know.

Penultimate Day!

loserbeam — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 17:18:26 -0400

Just one more day in September after this one—will you make it to 30 sketches? We’ll be posting everyone who does, so write ‘em up!

(this post was mostly an excuse to use the word ‘penultimate’)

Showcases!

loserbeam — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 13:48:52 -0400

Well everyone, the month is almost over, and as you scramble to get your counts up to 30, here’s the info on some of the upcoming showcases.

For New York, from Andy Beckerman:

Hi NaSkeWriMo participants!

On Friday, October 12th at midnight at UCB Chelsea, we will be putting up a show featuring sketches written as part of NaSkeWriMo (http://newyork.ucbtheatre.com/shows/view/2846). Participation in the show is open to anyone who wrote as part of NaSkeWriMo. Just sign up with the form below and perform your favorite piece from this month!

What we’re looking for is people who want to put together an actual staged show. If you don’t know any actors, we’ll do our best to help you find some people. And if you want to help out, why not volunteer to act in someone else’s sketch?

Sketches should be no longer than five minutes and should have minimal tech cues, since the tech guy will be doing this cold.

Deadline to sign up is Wednesday, October 3rd at midnight. If accepted, we’ll inform you by Sunday the 7th. We are accepting sketches on a first-come, first-served basis.

If you have any questions, you can let us know at naskewrimoshow [at] gmail.com.

Sign up here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dEFHTnVGYnNUcWtPWDBKVEh5TlN4c3c6MQ

your pals,
Jon, Will and Andy

And for Chicago, from Kevin Mullaney:

Chicago here: https://www.facebook.com/events/355565351190139/

If you have any questions, drop us a line! Happy September y’all! Keep writing!

jonbershad: poupak: A sketch I wrote and directed for...

loserbeam — Fri, 07 Sep 2012 20:30:02 -0400

jonbershad:

poupak:

A sketch I wrote and directed for NaSkeWriMo last year - promoting today for Star Trek’s 46th anniversary!

I’m in this! Only, because of one of the big support beams in the UCB audience, I’m completely invisible in this video!

So, there ate two possible solutions. Either assume I’m like an alien member of the crew from a race that’s just like an unseen being of light, or pretend I’m in a separate radio play while everyone else is doing Poupak’s sketch! Either way, fun!

Ps. I’m helping organize this year’s NaSkeWriMo show. Details aren’t finalized yet but it will definitely be a whole lot of fun!

This could be you! You could be Jon Bershad! (You can’t be Jon Bershad, Jon Bershad is Jon Bershad)

There are plans in the work for shows in NYC, Chicago, and a few folks are starting up conversations about a meet up in LA—join the conversation on our facebook page!

One week is through—are you up to seven sketches? Keep writing y’all!

NaSkeWriMo Chicago

mullaney — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 16:07:00 -0400

If you are in Chicago and you are participating in National Sketch Writing Month, you are invited to come to an open mic/sketch reading party on October 7th. Bring copies of your favorite sketches you wrote for this year’s NaSkeWriMo and we will read it together.

NaSkeWriMo Chicago Afterword
@Upstairs Gallery
Sunday, October 7th, 7:30pm
FREE (suggested donation $5)
BYOB & BYO(S)ketches

Script writing software

loserbeam — Tue, 04 Sep 2012 10:31:00 -0400

Sick of typing your sketches into Microsoft Word? Hate it when you edit a line and end up screwing up the formatting? Can’t get solid notes back on your scripts because no one can figure out what’s stage direction and what’s dialogue?

Switch to a script writing program. They’re designed to format your script in a readable and professional way so you can focus on what matters—the comedy.

We recommend Celtx, which is free. The software is easily usable, and allows you to export your scripts in .pdf (which you can upload to google docs and share on our website, if you’d like) or in .txt (which you can then copy and paste into your blog or into a word document, if you prefer that).

Happy September y’all! Keep writing!

Chicago Sketch Writers

mullaney — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 12:07:59 -0400

I’m working on getting a show together in early October, really more of a gathering/party/celebration/open mic to share our sketches. If you are a Chicagoan and you are participating in NaSkeWriMo, follow the main Tumblr and look for posts tagged ‘Chicago naskewrimo’.

-Mullaney

NaSkeWriMo.org

mullaney — Sun, 02 Sep 2012 10:08:19 -0400

NaSkeWriMo.org:

The site for the National Sketch Writing Month is ready for your sketches. Record your progress and share your sketches.

larhunter: Give us sass, D Brow!

benzado — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 22:27:55 -0400

larhunter:

Give us sass, D Brow!

Trey Parker and Matt Stone: License Mr. Hankey as the official ambassador for rectal cancer

benzado — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 22:26:12 -0400

Trey Parker and Matt Stone: License Mr. Hankey as the official ambassador for rectal cancer

patbaer: khealywu: kellyqehudson: stephaniestreisand: Michell...

benzado — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 21:12:07 -0400

patbaer:

khealywu:

kellyqehudson:

stephaniestreisand:

Michelle Dobrawsky died this afternoon.

This is a picture of me, Michelle and Skinner at my first Del Close Marathon. We are about to get ready to go on stage to perform Immortal Kombat at 5AM. I think I am 16 or 17 in this picture.

I really liked her. Everyone liked her. She was so funny. She was one of my first friends at UCB. Her humor was silly and wacky and I loved it. We met in a level 3B, took a level 4 Immortal Kombat class together, performed that form together and we did UCBW together. She’s given me so much valuable advice over the years in comedy and in life. She was a wonderful person.

It is still a shock to me and I am having trouble accepting that Michelle is gone. She was an amazing human being. I am very sad.

This is really really really fucking horrible. I heard from Michelle not too long ago and it seemed like she was pulling through.

Me, Emily, and Dan shot a pilot for a new series with her last fall and I will debut that next week. I’ve been waiting around for god knows what reason. I feel like it might be a good time to see Michelle being funny and having fun though. Oh my god, this feels so bad you guys.

No no no no no, I hate this.

Michelle and I meet in 2003. We were in a few classes together. It wasn’t until she came into UCBW that we got the chance to actually work together. She was always kind and up for anything.

I’ll miss you, Michelle.

chamberlain: Losing Michelle Dobrawsky this afternoon is just...

benzado — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 21:07:36 -0400

chamberlain:

Losing Michelle Dobrawsky this afternoon is just too horrible.

Saturday would be a good day to start writing.

LATER IS NEVER

ucbw: A brief note from UCBW Producer Zach Linder: All of us at...

benzado — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 21:06:50 -0400

ucbw:

A brief note from UCBW Producer Zach Linder:

All of us at UCBW are very saddened today to learn about the passing of Michelle Dobrawsky.

Michelle was a fearless competitor who had a truly remarkable sense of humor about everything, including herself. She was tremendously kind and generous, and always gave 110% at everything she did. Michelle was a true New Yorker in every sense of the term.

We could not be prouder to say that we had the privilege of performing with her, and this is an enormous loss to everybody that knew her.

Michelle will always be a MegaStar.

Some lucky people stumble onto opportunities. Most people work...

benzado — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 20:57:55 -0400

Some lucky people stumble onto opportunities. Most people work hard to make opportunities for themselves. And then there are a few rare, generous people who work hard to make opportunities for others.

I wish I could say I knew Michelle Dobrawsky better. I knew her from around the New York comedy/improv scene. I knew she co-organized SuperEgo Comedy, which was not just open-mic comedy show, but a supportive environment where a lot of comedians first attempted stand-up. She was a contributor to I Can Bring Home The Bacon, a blog offering advice to and promoting women operating their own businesses. I knew her from the Improv Resource Center message board, where she seemed to appear in nearly every thread where somebody needed help, be it comedy-related or not.

It was on such a thread, about finding motivation to write, where Michelle posted:

I say we declare September NationalSketchWritingMonth - one sketch per day, thirty days, thirty sketches. Boom! Who’s in?

The funny thing is, this discussion took place in the last week of July, with August right around the corner. I don’t know why she picked September. Maybe it was for the alliteration. Maybe it was because September offered a nice round 30 days, compared with August’s 31. Maybe she realized people needed more than a few days to ramp up to the idea of writing one sketch a day for a month.

I never thought to ask her. And now we’ll never know.

For over a year, she had been fighting rectal cancer. Michelle was tough, reliable, and generous, and it honestly never occurred to me that she might not win.

Earlier today, Michelle passed away.

Goodbye, Michelle. We’ll miss you.

— Ben

ucbw: A brief note from UCBW Producer Zach Linder: All of us at...

loserbeam — Wed, 29 Aug 2012 19:34:19 -0400

ucbw:

A brief note from UCBW Producer Zach Linder:

All of us at UCBW are very saddened today to learn about the passing of Michelle Dobrawsky.

Michelle was a fearless competitor who had a truly remarkable sense of humor about everything, including herself. She was tremendously kind and generous, and always gave 110% at everything she did. Michelle was a true New Yorker in every sense of the term.

We could not be prouder to say that we had the privilege of performing with her, and this is an enormous loss to everybody that knew her.

Michelle will always be a MegaStar.

We’re very sad to say that Michelle Dobrawsky, who helped conceive and create NaSkeWriMo, has passed away. If you have any words to share with the community, feel free to contact us and we’ll lend a hand.

It's almost September

loserbeam — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 10:44:01 -0400

…and that means it’s almost NaSkeWriMo! Want to participate? You can log your sketches (and share them if you like) at our website. You can also join our facebook group for updates or, of course, follow our blog here.

What do you have to do? Write a sketch every day for the month of September. What do you get? $2.35/word. Just kidding! We’re poor, you get nothing. (There are plans in the work for showcases in NYC and in Chicago, details to come as they’re clarified.)

Happy September, y’all!