The New Movement

Such a nice theater! We ended up seeing a sketch comedy show here in which the players performed a short skit about all 50 states. It was great! I am a huge comedy fan and I absolutely love improv and sketch comedy, so I know that I will make more of a point to see shows here.
The space itself is pretty small, but I actually like the intimate feel and there was plenty of seating and space for everyone. A man working mentioned that they are adding a bar area soon, so I’m sure that will be a draw for some people. I look forward to seeing more shows at TNM and having a good laugh.

We attended a show on our stay in New Orleans on a recommendation from a friend. I have to say I was a little hesitant at first due to the fact that I had never been to an improv show. I was not disappointed. The two groups did an amazing job and we laughed hysterically the entire time. Definitely worth the trip!

The guy and I came here last weekend at his suggestion. He had been here before, I had not. This seemingly small, but very laid back place is great! I am going through a period where I want to see small, local acts that are really going to hit the big time, and I really think that this improv group and company that teaches improv is going places. It is a tiny room that lends itself to a level of intimacy that is awesome. The show was hilarious, and very cheap.
I would definitely come back, and I will bring a beer next time, as it is BYOB. I really think that this is a great start and that within a few years, they will be selling out a much larger venue.

The shows are hilarious and cheap! The classes are delightful (staffed by the top performers from the theater) and bring you into a warm community of nerds, artists, and funny people. A great place to entertain and be entertained whether you are native or new to New Orleans.

Easily the best source for comedy in New Orleans. Smart (and appropriately goofy) long-​form improv shows four nights a week plus sketch and standup. Their classes are approachable and make it easy to get stage time early and frequently. This place is the epicenter of comedy in this town.

The Sketch Writing class is worth your money. Mike is a positive, knowledgeable, teacher who gives 115%. You want to write with a smart, good — natured team of people? Come to The New Movement and get everything in that crazy head of yours out onto paper. No idea is too big or too small or too odd-​shaped. YEAH!

My girlfriend and I are improvisers in NYC, so when we went to New Orleans, naturally, we wanted to check out the comedy community in the city. We found ourselves at The New Movement on our 2^nd night for Student Union and Lights Up — we had a blast. We met all the performers afterwards when they invited us out for drinks; it really seemed to be a talented, vibrant and warm group of improvisers. We felt so welcome. Did I mention the shows were hilarious? They were! If you’re in town, this is a must-​go!

I’ve been to this theater twice — once during Hell Yes Fest in 2012 and again this past weekend to watch Duocity. The three different acts that we saw were very talented and extremely funny. If you want to see local talent, this is definitely the place to go. The theater also offers classes if you are interested in learning improv!
The theater is very tiny and it is BYOB so make sure to bring a bottle of wine or a six pack (or even just some bottles of water).

I have been attending shows at The New Movement for nearly a year now. I have seen a lot of students turn into regular performers that kill it on stage. The owners are both incredible, and they have a team of strong improvisers/​actors/​previous or current educators behind them. I have not taken improv classes here, but for a person to go through 5 levels of improv and come out as strong as I have seen some of them– that speaks volumes about the curriculum Chris and Tami are implementing, and the people they have entrusted to help teach classes.
The theatre also has a show called Shipwrecked! on stage once a month. Many of the other reviews are about it, actually. Two improvisers created this show to create an amazing experience for the audience. No stones are unturned– there is live music from local musicians, six personal and hilarious/​sad/​happy/​emotional stories, and art galleries/​food tastings from local bakeries or restaurants/​piñata parties/​life-​sized jenga games. This is truly a showcase about the amazing things in the city of New Orleans– its people, its music, its food, its art: its stories.
I told a story a few months ago and it was an incredibly powerful experience. Not to mention every night ends with a sticker and a homemade vegan cookie– which I love.
The theatre has a strong culture and bond between the performers. If you are looking for friends/​a new community/​good people/​funny people/​a fun time/​jokes/​inexpensive activities– go to The New Movement. No other improv theatre I have been to– in Seattle/​Chicago/​Atlanta– can compare.

Ah, a comedy venue! I think this place is a year old, but the first time I went wasn’t too long ago. We saw the Stupid Time Machine and they were great. However, the acoustics in the place could be better. There were times I couldn’t hear the comedians and consequently missed out on the joke.
It’s a very tiny venue in the middle of a residential area. Get there early to avoid standing the entire time. BYOB and there’s also bar about a block away. I’d go again with a good group of friends.

⁴⁄₅ love shipwrecked
this is such a great, intimate space. i look forward to the events here, but do come early/​on time because if you’re trying to get into an open show, the seats will be limited and you may find that there’s no more room!

Disclaimer: I have friends who took improv classes and have friends that are part of the New Movement.
I was going to take off a star because when I went to a Shipwrecked show it literally was standing room only but I can’t really complain because I got a seat (albeit it was on a riser but who cares!). Plus it’s cheap, like $ 8 and there was a live band, awesome storytelling that made me laugh and cry, free stickers, and a free vegan cookie made by Sophie at the end. What more could you want?
I’ve been to numerous student shows when they operated out of the printshop on Oak street and the Stupid Time Machine shows were hilarious! It was always a good time. Didn’t catch them when they were in the Howling Wolf bc I don’t like going downtown. But I love the new Marigny location! We were able to park on the street, get in line and get seated pretty quickly. Fortunately we came right when it opened bc people bought their tickets ahead of time and we were afraid they would be sold out.
So be smart and buy your tickets ahead of time! :) Love supporting the local arts down here and The New Movement is as cool as they come. Did I time took that after some stories people were actually snapping fingers like beatniks. It was kind of surreal.
Anywho, have fun! They’ll make you laugh, cry, and everything in between! Good people!
Have fun!

Went to the student show last night. So fun! The sketchers (actors? comedians?) were great — really funny. I especially liked the intro video about a cat getting fitted for a wedding dress a la «Say Yes to the Dress». Hilarious. The theater is cute, convenient and cheap — only $ 5 for the show we saw. And you can bring your own booze. Need I say more?

I’ve never been the big comedy show fan… And the New Movement may just change that. I’ve been to a few of their shows (one in the old space at Howling Wolf and a couple at the great re-​purposed space on Burgundy) and I giggle, I laugh, I wince. What more could you want from a comedy show?

The New Movement is an amazing theater filled with the smartest and funniest minds I’ve ever encountered. If you love to laugh, go see one of their many weekly shows at TNM Theater on Burgundy, The Howlin Wolf Den on S Peters or at one of the several other sweet venues around the city (Republic, HOB, ShadowBox Theater, One Eyed Jacks, etc).
If you love to act, perform, or even just speak to other humans on a regular basis, I highly recommend taking an improv class from these guys. The teachers know their stuff and work with each person, in a group setting, to ensure everyone is comfortable and progressing the way they need to as individual performers. 10 Stars. I love these guys and couldn’t be happier that they’ve come to New Orleans. My only regret is that I have to work and can’t play with them every day.

I’ll be honest. Normally I avoid improv comedy the way I avoid Walmart and supermarkets. But, good news, folks. TNM has changed my improv-​hatin’ ways.
For starters, the thing is, unlike most improv I’ve seen in my life, it’s funny. And that’s an understatement. It’s hyper intelligent, which is what I think most comedy should be… I’m sorry, but cheap laughs really do suck. And I think the human race has moved beyond this (actually, that’s just wishful thinking. As long as Jimmy Fallon is still making bank at the box office). Second, you don’t have to force yourself to laugh because you feel bad for the comedians who are performing right in front of you, desperate to be «on» and making funny. The typical cringe-​worthy moments where you’re one with the crickets are not here. In fact, I could at times barely hear the actors because everyone around me was laughing so hard.
TNM’s story is an inspiring one. The founders moved to Austin after Katrina, where they did their comedy thang to great success. They then moved back to New Orleans and hooray for that because we deserve ‘em. Now they have their own brand spankin’ and sparklin’ new theater in the Marigny.
I’m not going to attempt to describe any of the show I saw last night, which may be laziness on my part, but not really. You need to be there, that’s all. Think uncensored SNL sketch comedy (and pretty fucking raunchy at that), and with improv thrown in. I don’t think all of it is improv (yes, I’m a super-​sleuth) because if that were true, these people would possibly be Mensa-​ites… who knows, maybe they are.
This should be an endorsement to take TNM classes so you, too can be the funny genius on stage getting all the laughs. I was dead set on doing so as I walked out, all inspired and with an aching gut. But somehow I don’t think I have what it takes.

Really? Five stars is the MOST I can rank a thing?! I want to rank this thing TWENTY MILLION STARS. I am Googling «How To Hack Into Unilocal To Give Twenty Million Stars.» Unfortunately, Google only produces a glowing review for a steakhouse in Vermont. C’mon Google. Get on your game.
Life is short. It’s a shame that we spend so much of it sort of twiddling our thumbs and wishing there were more fun things to do out there. But, we think, until someone builds that giant, adult-​sized ball pit that everyone’s been daydreaming about since they graduated from the sixth grade and were deemed «too big» to throw balls at children by Chuck E. Cheese (that guy’s kind of a dick, actually), it really feels like there’s no fun to be had. All the fun was had when we were children. Now we are forced to wallow away in carpeted cubicles. Now we must watch videos on the Internet of children (and kittens and pandas) having all the fun that we are too big to have.
NOT SO, PEOPLE OF THE WORLD! The answer is out there, and the answer is IMPROV.
Improv, at its best, is when grown people get together and play make-​believe, for hours on end, and it’s FUNNY and it makes other people LAUGH. It’s an all-​out fun festival of funnest fun possible. However, there is potential for improv (like theatre) to get not-​so-​fun. For example, sometimes there are people who have done improv for a long time who decide that they know all there is to know about improv and get up on a high horse of improv-​supremacy and shout their improv-​rules down to the minions. It’s like when Ashley told me that I wasn’t playing Unicorn World right when I was six, and that I had been banished from the Unicorn World and would have to find new friends. Yes, improv has the potential to be kind of life-​sucking in the same way that Ashley was. Luckily, Ashley got fat. (Thanks, Facebook!)
ALSO LUCKILY, THE NEW MOVEMENT IS THE OPPOSITE OF GROSS IMPROV-​SUPREMACY. Really! The folks that run classes there are nice, encouraging people who believe in every single student who takes a class there. They pedal the kind of improv that capitalizes on supporting your teammates and having THE MOST FUN POSSIBLE.
To take a class at The New Movement Theatre is to discover tomato sauce in a world where for some horrible reason you’ve never had tomato sauce. Imagine pizza without it! Imagine pasta! Imagine tomato-​based curries! They would be bland and tasteless without tomato sauce. Without The New Movement, my LIFE was bland and tasteless, although I did not know it. When I realized what I’d been missing, I was instantly hooked and wanted to try The New Movement on everything. And luckily, I COULD, because The New Movement is CALORIE-​FREE.
From the bottom of my heart, I am telling you that this group of nice people fundamentally changed my life and my outlook on improv. It’s an incredible, incredible company that can’t really be described with words or pictures. If you doubt me, just go to a show. There are always shows. Go to one. And then know that that could be YOU having all that fun up there. And then take a class. If you do it, you’ll thank me for the rest of you life. I will probably get named in your will, just for having written this review. That’s how awesome this experience will be for you.

I started taking classes with The New Movement last year and it completely changed my life. I was in a rut and not feeling great about where I was in my life, then I started level 1 and EVERYTHING changed. I found myself surrounded by a group of people who had passion and drive and genuinely cared about me. I started with a reasonably priced improv class and I’ve ended up with a family. If you have an opportunity to take classes or see shows here I would highly recommend it.

It all started on a boring Tuesday night. I was talked into attending a Stupid Time Machine show at the Howling Wolf Den. I laughed so hard I cried. Next thing you know, I’m saying «Sure, why not?» to taking an improv class. And the rest… is history. Well, maybe not history but I am now taking Level 1 improv class from The New Movement and having a blast. I have found everyone in TNM from performers to instructors to be extremely friendly and pee-​your-​pants hysterical. The classes are a well worth the money, not only for the eight weeks of instruction but also the bonus of getting into their comedy shows for free! I highly recommend trying out the Level 1 class, which is comprised of people from all walks of life so there is no need to be intimidated, just go have fun. Take advantage of one of the few times in your adult life where you will be encouraged to play. Chris and Tami are awesome and welcoming from the moment you meet them.
Overall — Funniest group of people in NOLA. Whether you are looking to laugh on a boring Tuesday night or you want to learn how to express yourself better through comedy, check out all that The New Movement group has to offer.

So I’m sitting here at the Republic, watching The Real Chris Trew Show, and it (like all things TNM) is hilarious. Like, tummy hurting, my face is sore from smiling kind of laughs. They also teach improv classes, which rock. @YelpNOLA «Elite-​r» Lindsay A and I are currently taking TNM’s improv classes at Shadowbox Theatre on St. Claude.
Seriously, the improv class on Saturday mornings is the first thing I’ve done… um, ever… that I’m actually excited to get out of bed for in the morning. Which, if you’ve ever tried to wake me up in the morning, you know is saying a lot. Like, a lot lot.
Why am I reviewing TNM? Right now? When I could simply be enjoying the hilariously awesome show? Well, for one, because they are super badass, and also because I’ve been meaning to review them for weeks now. I’m loving the Level 1 Improv classes. However; the REAL reason I’m reviewing The New Movement right now is because @ChrisTrew totally put me on the spot and asked a tough question: can someone get up on stage and live-​review the Republic, right now, during the show? Um… not exactly…
Reason I love the idea: The Real Chris Trew Show does this fascinating real-​life/​social media hybrid thing where we are live posting on people’s facebook walls and telling them what an amazing show they’re missing. Also, we’re doing a Twitter follower benefit for @krmraz, who needs more followers. But…
It’s an awesome idea, but that’s not exactly how Unilocal works. Unilocal is all about real reviews from real (awesome), people, and therefore Unilocal discourages businesses from soliciting reviews. You can total tell people to check you out on Unilocal,and create a check in offer, to make your biz listing more visible and encourage Unilocalers to check out your listing. If you check in (on Unilocal) at a business, the next time you visit the site from a computer, it’ll remind you to write a review. I love this, because I tend to be forgetful; in fact, it annoys me if, for some reason (dead phone, lost phone, random strangers are reluctant to let me borrow their iPhone) I can’t check in at a venue. If I don’t check in, I might forget that I was there, and how am I supposed to remember to review a place I don’t recall having been inside? I mean, seriously?
Okay. This is why you don’t write live reviews. Because you miss the show. I’m going to listen to The Breton Sound now and enjoy @RepublicNOLA. Have so much more to say. Stay tuned.
To be continued…