List of Locations for Improv

Are you teaching an improv class? Are you taking an improv class? You need to know something! If you are an improviser, or thinking about taking an improv class you should know....Improv Suggestion Fatigue happens! ISF happens to everyone. It’s not just you.

Whether you're playing short-form improv games, or crafting a long-form Harold, narrative, etc. every show uses suggestions. Of course, I shouldn't say "every." There are a handful of shows that don't, but 95% of shows will turn to the audience and ask, "what's the best place to vacation in the summer?" Sometimes we're out of ideas, our brains are spent. We worked all day, we're tired, and we have to come up with suggestions to inspire our students, or team?

If "yes, and" is the cornerstone of improv, audience suggestions are the stone to build that corner. Suggestions help you find inspiration and even connection between characters. Variety is nice, but ISR (Improv Suggestion Rut) happens.

How many times have you heard, or maybe even given 'Starbucks' as a suggestion? How many times can we take 'Starbucks' and discover something unique? Scenes can easily start looking familiar because the suggestion is the same. That seems pretty human. If you notice yourself doing that, don't beat yourself up. We can try to live-in-the-moment, but the same suggestion could trigger some similar ideas. We can fall into familiar tropes, characters, and even events. A few minutes later, and we feel like we're in the well-worn territory. How can we get out? This is unintentionally happening (side note: I spelled this word so badly in Microsoft Word that Grammarly suggested I meant "sentimentally." I don't want to brag, but I got the 'ally' part correct at least. )

I'm here to help! I compiled an extensive list of locations. Some of these places are specific (Grand Canyon), and others are very broad (street). I hope this is helpful. Maybe while you're peering off the ledge of the Grand Canyon you discover a new character just waiting to get out. Maybe the Arc de Triomphe Paris will help you recognize a new relationship between characters. Most importantly, I hope this adds fun to your improv class or team.

Just a quick note....these are ALL locations. I created a list of Improv Locations. I am working on more lists, and will be releasing those soon, too. I hope you have a great rehearsal, class and show! (or maybe you're an audience member preparing for the show you're attending this weekend. You just asked out Sarah and you know she really loves the creative types, so you're taking her to improv. You want to impress her with all those location suggestions you can throw out during the show. I get it. She'll be dazzled. Thanks for looking over the list. But you might also want to be yourself. She said yes when you asked her out. There's a spark there. You know what didn't cause that spark? A List of Locations. You did. You caused that spark you charmer you. She likes you for you. Not because you know a lot of locations. Now, go get out there and be yourself)

LIST OF LOCATIONS

A Villa
Acadia National Park
Acropolis, Greece
Ad agency
Aircraft
Airport
Alamo
Alcatraz
American Museum of Natural History
amusement park
An Oasis
Animal Kingdom
antique shop
apartment building
appliance store
Aquarium
Arc de Triomphe
Arcade
Arches National Park
Area
Arena
Arena Di Verona
Argentina
Arlington National Cemetery
Army Base
army surplus store
Art Gallery
art museum
AT&T Stadium
Atlantic City
Atlantic City Boardwalk
Auditorium
Audubon Aquarium of the Americas
Australia
Austria
automat
Badlands National Park
Bakery
Balboa Park
Balcony
Bank
Barbarbershop
Barracks
Baseball Diamond
Basement, cellar
Bat Cave
Beach
beauty salon
bed and breakfast
Bedroom
Behind a Waterfall
Belgium
Bellagio
Belmont Park
Berlin
Berlin Wall
Big Ben
Biltmore
Bistro
Black Mountain, Kentucky
Blue Lagoon
Bonaventure Cemetery
book store
Bourbon Street, New Orleans
Boutique
bowling alley
Bran Castle
Brewery
Bridge of Sighs
Brighton Pier
British Museum
Broadway
Brooklyn Bridge
Brothel
Bryce Canyon National Park
Buckingham Palace
Buffalo National River
Bus
bus stop
Busch Gardens Tampa Bay
butcher shop
Cafe
Cafeteria
camera store
candy shop
Cape Cod
capitol building
Capitol Hill
car dealership
Car Wash
Caravan, campervan
Catalina Island
Cedar Point
Cemetery
Central Park
Chaco Culture National Historical Park
chain store
Chapel Bridge
Chicken coop
Children's room.
Chimney Rock National Historic Site
Christ the Redeemer - Rio De Janerio, Brazil
Chrysler Building
Church / Chapel / Cathedral
Cinema
Circus
city hall
civic center
Clinic
Clock Tower
clothing store
coffee shop
College
Cologne Cathedral
Colosseum
community center
consignment shop
convenience store
convention center
copy shop
courthouse
Cow Pasture
Crater Lake
Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve
Crematorium
Cyber Space
dance studio
Daytona Beach, Florida
Death Valley
Declaration of Independence
Deli
Dentist
department store
Desert
Devils Tower National Monument
Diamond Head
Diner
discount store
Discovery Cove
Disney World
Disneyland
Disneyland Paris
doctor's office
dollar store
Double Decker Bus
Dressmaker
drive-in movie
Drive-through
drugstore
Dungeon
Edinburgh Castle
Eiffel tower
electronics store
Ellis Island
Ellis Island Immigration Museum
Emergency Room
Empire State Building
emporium
Epcot
Everglades National Park
fabric store
Factory (assembly line)
factory outlet
Falling Water
Faneuil Hall Marketplace
farmer's market
Farmhouse
fast food restaurant
feed store
Festung Hohensalzburg
Finger Lakes National Forest
fire department
Fire Station
Fisherman's Wharf
five-and-dime store
fix-it shop
Florist
food court
Ford's Theater
Forest
Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine
Fort Sumter National Monument
France
Freedom Tower, Ground Zero
Freedom Trail in Boston
French Quarter
funeral home
furniture store
Gallery
game store
Garage
Gas Station
Gateway Arch
Germany
Ghost Town
Giant's Causeway
Glacier
Glacier National Park
Golden Gate Bridge
Graceland
Grand Canyon
Grand Central Terminal
Great Buddha
Great Wall of China
Greenhouse
Griffith Observatory
grocery store
Guest room
Guggenheim Museum (Bilbao)
Gym
Haberdashery
Hagia Sophia
Hairdresser
Harbor
Hardware store
Harvard University
Heaven
Helicopter
High-rise building
Historic Charleston
hobby store
Hollywood Sign
Hollywood Studios
Hollywood Walk of Fame
home improvement store
Homestead National Monument of America
Hoover Dam
hospital
Hot Springs National Park
hotel
house
ice cream shop
Ice station
Indianapolis Speedway
inn
Internet cafe
Italy
Japan
Jazz Club
jewelry store
Junkyard
Kennedy Space Center
Key West
Kick Boxing Studio
Kilimanjaro
Kindergarten
kiosk store
Kitchen
Kremlin
Kronborg Castle
Lake Michigan
Lake Powell
Lake Tahoe
Las Vegas Strip
Lascaux Caves, France
Laundromat
Lawyer's chambers
Leaning Tower of Pisa
Liberty Bell
Library
Library of Congress
Lighthouse
Lincoln Memorial
Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument
Living room
Loch Ness
Lombard Street, San Francisco
London Eye
Lost City
Louvre Museum
lumberyard
Machu Picchu
Madison Square Garden
Madrid Palace
Magic Kingdom
Mall
Mall of America
Mammoth Cave National Park
Manneken Pis, Brussels
Marina
Mark Twain House & Museum
Market
Martha's Vineyard
Massage pactice
Matterhorn
Mayan Pyramids of Chichen Itza
Meadow
Meat Packing Plant
Mecca
meeting house
Mercedes-Benz Superdome
Mesa Verde National Park
Meteor Crater
Metropolitan Museum of Art
Mexico
Miami Beach
Mill
Millau Bridge, France
Millennium Park
Mississippi River
Moai
Mojave Desert
Monastery
Mono Lake
Mont St. Michel, France
Montezuma Castle National Monument, Arizona
Monticello
Montpellier
Monument Valley
Moody Gardens
Motorcycle
Moulin Rouge
Mount Etna
Mount Everest
Mount Fuji
Mount McKinley (Denali)
Mount Rushmore
Mount St. Helens National Volcanic Monument
Mount Washington, New Hampshire
movie theater
Munich
Museum
Music room
music store
Myrtle Beach
Nail salon
Napa Valley
National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum
National Mall
National Zoological Park
natural history museum
Navy Pier
Netherlands
New York
Newgrange
Newport Mansions, RI
Niagara Falls
No Man's Land
North Cascades National Park
Notre Dame
nursery
Oak Alley Plantation
Oasis
Observation tower
Ocean Floor
Office
Oil Rig
Old Faithful Geyser
Olympic National Park
On the bridge
open air market
Optometrist
Orchestra Pit
Orthodontist
outlet store
Oxford University
Paris
parking garage
Pawnshop
Pentagon
pet store
Petra
Petronas Twin Towers
Pharmacy
Piazza Del Campo, Siena
Piccadilly Circus
Pier
Pike Place Market
Pirate Ship
pizza place
Playground
Plymouth Rock
Police Station
Pompeii
post office
Prague Castle
Prison
Pub
public garden
Public radio station
Pyramid
Pyramids of Giza
Quick Sand Pit
quilt store
Rain Forrest
Rainbow Bridge National Monument
Rainforest
real estate agency
Recording Studio
Red Rocks Amphitheatre
Redwood National Park
repair shop
Restaurant
retailer
Rialto Bridge
Rio Grande National Forest
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
Rock of Gibraltar
Rockefeller Center
Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado
Rodeo Drive
Roller Rink
Route
Royal Gorge Bridge
Russia
Sagrada Familia
Salon
Saloon
San Andreas Fault, CA
San Antonio River Walk
sandwich shop
Santorini
Sausage stand
Savannah
School
Sea World
Sears Tower Skydeck
second hand store
Sedona
Sequoia National Park
Shanghai World Finacial Center
shoe store
Shooting Range
Shop
Sistine Chapel
Six Flags
Skyscraper
Slaughter House
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History
Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum
soda shop
South Street Seaport
Space Center Houston
Space Needle
Space Station
Spain
Spanish Steps
sporting goods store
Springfield
St. Basil's Cathedral
St. Paul's Cathedral
St. Peter's Basilica
Stadium
stationery store
Statue of Liberty
Stonehenge
Submarine
Summer Palace, an Imperial Garden in Beijing
Super Market
Swamp
Sweat Shop
Switzerland
Sydney Harbor Bridge
Sydney Opera House
Tailor
Taj Mahal
Tanning salon
Tavern
Tax advisor
tea house
Tearoom
Terracotta Warriors
The Forbidden City, China
The Grand Canyon
The Great Sphinx
The National WWII Museum, New Orleans
The Painted Canyon
The Paul Revere House
The Red Carpet
The White House
Theater
Thomas Jefferson Memorial
thrift store
Times Square
Tobasco Tour, Avery Island
Tokyo Tower
Tomb of the Unknown Soldier
Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve, California
Tower Bridge
Tower of London
Town hall
toy store
trade fair stand
Train
Tram
travel agent
Tree House
truck stop
Tsarskoye Selo (Catherine Palace), St Petersburg, Russia
U.S. Space & Rocket Center
Undertaker
Union Station
Universal Studios
University
upholstery shop
US Botanic Garden
USA
USS Arizona Memorial
USS Constitution
USS Midway
Venice Beach
Versailles
Vicksburg National Military Park
Victoria Falls
video store
Vietnam Veterans Memorial
Vineyard
Waikiki Beach
Wailing Wall
Waimea Canyon
Walk of Fame, Hollywood Blvd, California
Wall Street
Washington Monument
Washington National Cathedral
Waterfall
wax museum
Westminster Abbey
White Cliffs of Dover
White House
wig store
Wildlife Reserve
Willis Tower (Sears Tower)
Windsor Castle
Winter Palace
World of Coca-Cola
Wright Brothers National Memorial
Wrigley Field
Yellowstone National Park
Yosemite National Park
Zeppelin
Zion National Park
Zoo

The Government Shutdown

Well, here we are. The government is still shutdown. Government employees are still furloughed, and we don’ really see any end in sight. The politics are posturing, everyone is making their speeches, and the employees are getting squeezed.

I’m not here to talk politics, but I am here to say what we’re all thinking, “this sucks for the thousands of employees who need that money.“

We can’t solve everything here at Blacktop Comedy (but if we could? Things would look different!). We can, however, do our part to help make this a little less of a burden on everyone.

“What are you trying to say Paul? Why are you burying the lead? Shouldn’t you start a blog post with something new and exciting and not something we already know. We know the government shutdown is here. What are you going to do about it?”

You’re right, let’s skip over the bad, and get to the good: FREE ADMISSION FOR FURLOUGHED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES! Money is tight, and you’re stressed over bills.

The one time you actually need to get out of the house, and go enjoy some live comedy you can’t…because it costs money. Normally. Normally it costs money. But, it’s worth repeating, this week: FREE ADMISSION FOR FURLOUGHED FEDERAL EMPLOYEES!

You need a community of support, and not a community of sniping, angry, and exhausted politicians shouting at each other. You need laughter. We have a community. And laughter. And it’s available. It’s at Blacktop Comedy.

We're offering free admission to Open Mic, Friday Improv Playground, and Saturday's show, Rollin in Riches!

Have you wanted to TRY improv? Join us for the Friday Playground! You’ll learn new improv games. It’s like an improv jam blended with a class. You’ll learn, laugh, and meet new people. It’s the oppisate of a negative furlough.

Are you looking to watch more live stand up comedy? The Blacktop Comedy Open Mic welcomes the best live, and local comedians to the stage. We even get touring comics looking to work on their set at our Open Mic. You’ll see 20 comedians in 90 minute! Guaranteed laughter.

Finally, YOU HAVE TO SEE THIS SHOW! Rollin’ in Riches is an amazing Los Angeles based duo who is making a special, one night only performance at Blacktop. This Saturday you can catch one of the best improv duos from LA (and Los Angeles has a lot of improv comedy).

How do you take advantage of this special event, open mic, and improv jam? Just bring a government \ employment ID for verification to the Blacktop Box Office.

That’s all you have to do to enjoy some incredible local and visiting comedians. We hope this helps in a small way. I know getting out of the house, seeing other people, and laughing with each other is healing, and helps us tap into a positive mindset. I think we could all use more of that right now.

ALSO! Important….let’s be honest…I don’t think this blog readership is large. If you read my blog…thank you! Could you help me and share this post? Could you let a furloughed employee know what we are doing? I want everyone to know they’re invtied to join us this week. Open Mics are Wednesday, Friday Improv Playground is…well….on Friday, and Rollin’ and Riches do their thing this Saturday. See you soon!

Making a Difference: NorCal Bully Breed Rescue

When I think back on 2018 I’m so grateful we have a theater and venue that can offer a stage to wonderful organizations trying to help the world. Our venue has been a great spot for fundraisers in 2018, and we look forward to continuing to work with the best nonprofits in 2019.

NorCal Bully Breed Rescue is just such a group. They held Paws for the Cause in 2018 at Blacktop Comedy, and money raised went to help at risk dogs in Sacramento and Placer.I had the chance to talk with Leah Kelsey, who organized the event, and learn more about the Rescue. If you were not able to attend Paws for the Cause you can still help NBBR. Leah was nice enough to provide some links below.

What does NorCal Bully Breed Rescue (NCBBR) offer the local community?

NBBR provides temporary foster homes to dogs pulled from shelters, strays, and medical dogs at risk for being euthanized and adopt them out to loving safe homes. The rescue also strives to educate the public on the importance of spaying/neutering and vaccinating your dog. The work that the rescue does helps with decreasing the amount of homeless dogs that are caused by abandonment and dogs that are not spayed and neutered in our community.

How long have you been with NorCal Bully Breed Rescue?

I have been involved with the rescue for a little over a year now. I am unable to foster so I help with dog transport from the shelter, events, and dog sitting. A group of us also helped walk dogs at a facility out in Chico during the Paradise fires.  

What's the best part of working with NorCal Bully Breed Rescue?

One of the best parts is to see the volunteers and owners in organization come together with so much love for these dogs and do whatever needs to be done to get them to a safe place. It isn’t always easy and can be emotionally taxing to see what these dogs go through and provide the care they need. The women in this group are some of the strongest, most caring, bad ass women I have ever met. Even after a long work week or balancing their personal lives they all step up to the plate to get the dogs to the vet or care for medical dogs with extreme needs, or drive long distances to do home checks. They do all of this without batting an eyelash and with so much love in their hearts, that to me is one of the best things to be a part of. 

What do you hope people learn tomorrow at Paws for the Cause?

The rescue does not only pull in bully breeds but I would like people to gain insight that bully breeds are so sweet and loving. I feel breed discrimination can be diminished with education and people giving these dogs a chance. I also want people to understand the importance of dog ownership, it is a long term commitment. Too many times dogs are given up to shelters or neglected which causes overcrowding in shelters and euthanasia of their pet. 

Where did you come up with the idea for Paws for the Cause?

The rescue has helped me in the past and I wanted to give back to them the best way I knew I could. It was so nice for my employer to help in hosting this event that brought in $2,800 for the organization. We also had a lot of local business’s chip in and Paul providing BlackTop Comedy as the venue for this occasion was beyond helpful!

If someone wants to help, but couldn't make Paws for the Cause, how can they get involved with NorCal Bully Breed Rescue?

There are multiple ways to help! You can visit their website to get details on using Amazon Smile that would donate a portion of items you purchase, you can send money donations via pay pal, or inquire on their Facebook page on how to ship needed items for their dogs.

If there are people interested in fostering dogs they can apply on the NBBR website as well!

Website - http://norcalbullybreedrescue.com/

Pay Pal - https://www.paypal.me/NBBR

Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/norcalbullybreedrescue/

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

Teleportation! Travelling would be much cheaper. 

What's something you know now, that you wish you knew 10 years ago?  

I wish I would have known more about overcrowded shelters and how many dogs on a daily are being dumped. I would have gotten involved in helping the rescue much sooner!