Late in 1992, Barb and Steve North founded the Standup Repertory Company at the L.A. Connection in Burbank in Southern California.
The Standup Repertory Company was the first group of standup comedians to be part of a workshop and cast. The unique media of “cast standup” gained popularity with audiences and received rave reviews.
The idea behind the Beyond Standup is to provide a publicly successful show to serve as a home-base for professional performing and showcasing, where cast members could be seen by the public, agents, casting directors, etc.
The format, which became “Beyond Standup” has survived consecutively for over 25 years, and is now seen on different Sunday nights each month at Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank, in the Yoo-Hoo room. Steve says, “We want to provide a complete, ongoing and long-term comedy career environment.” He says that that the Beyond Standup workshops not only teach standup, but some of the other skills comedians need: cold-reading for acting, training for personal appearances and talk show appearances, and other ways of using the comedic character outside of the standup stage.
The Norths believe that having a steady, flattering place to perform, grow, and be showcased is the key to a career in comedy. According to Steve, “there’s no law that says that a struggling comedian has to be on their own and on food-stamps. In fact, that’s not very funny, is it?” Barb thinks the “family feeling” of being in the cast keeps many budding careers nourished until opportunity comes around.
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Reviews of Beyond Standup (Formerly “Thursday Nite Live”)
“Here and There” with Ruth E. Maier
Beyond Standup at Flappers Comedy Club
The show is offered on different Sunday Nights in the Yoo-Hoo room at Flappers Comedy Club.
www.FlappersComedy.com
Flappers Comedy Club in Burbank
102 E. Magnolia Blvd.
Burbank, CA 91502