Upright Citizens Brigade
Chicago improv and sketch comedy troupe

Upright Citizens Brigade
Formation1990; 36 years ago (1990)
FoundersAmy Poehler, Matthew Walsh, Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, Adam McKay, Rick Roman, Horatio Sanz and Drew Franklin
TypeTheatre group
Purpose
Location
  • Chicago, Illinois, U.S. (1990–1996)
    New York City (1996–present)
    Los Angeles (2005–present)
Websiteucbcomedy.com

The Upright Citizens Brigade (UCB) is an improvisational and sketch comedy group that emerged from Chicago's ImprovOlympic in 1990.[1] The original incarnation of the group consisted of Amy Poehler, Matthew Walsh, Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, Adam McKay, Rick Roman, Horatio Sanz and Drew Franklin. Other early members included Neil Flynn, Armando Diaz, Ali Farahnakian and Rich Fulcher.

In addition to live performance, the Upright Citizens Brigade expanded into teaching and training, as well as television, film, and digital media. Members of the original group created and starred in multiple television series and films, appeared regularly on late-night television, and developed improv formats that were adapted for broadcast. UCB also produced web series beginning in the late 2000s and entered into a first-look production deal.

Alumni of the UCB community have gone on to create and staff numerous television programs, contributing to the organization's broader influence on American comedy; Saturday Night Live, for example, has been known for seeking top talent from UCB's pool of students.[2] In addition, TV shows like The Chris Gethard Show, created by Chris Gethard; and Broad City, created by Abbi Jacobson and Ilana Glazer, started out as UCB experiments.

History

The Upright Citizens Brigade began performing improv and sketch comedy at Kill the Poet in Chicago in 1991. Their first show was called Virtual Reality. The group followed with shows titled UCBTV, Conference on the Future of Happiness, Thunderball, Bucket of Truth, Big Dirty Hands, The Real Real World, and Punch Your Friend in the Face.[3]

In 1993, the Upright Citizens Brigade — Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, Amy Poehler, Adam McKay, Rick Roman, and Horatio Sanz — were regular guests on stage at the New Variety, produced and hosted by Richard O'Donnell at the Chicago Improv comedy club, 504 N. Wells.[4]

In 1996, prior to opening their own theater, the Upright Citizens Brigade relocated to New York City, where they performed their signature improv show, ASSSSCAT, first at KGB Bar and later at Solo Arts. Solo Arts became the first semi-permanent home to the Upright Citizens Brigade's "Harold Teams" and is considered by some to be the group's first theater.[5]

In March 2022, UCB was acquired by Mike McAvoy (former CEO/owner of The Onion) and Jimmy Miller (co-founder of Mosaic talent management), with financial backing from Elysian Park Ventures.[6]

Philosophy

The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre Training Center teaches long-form improv, sketch, writing, parts of directing, and various other comedy skills.[7] The training center's philosophy of improv is based largely on the teachings of Del Close, with a strong emphasis on the "game" of the scene.[8] The primary improvisational form is "The Harold", and the theater in all its incarnations has had a group of "Harold Teams", house teams that perform regularly.[9]

In 2013, Besser, Roberts and Walsh co-authored a manual titled The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual.[10][11]

Theatres and locations

The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre on West 26th Street in Manhattan, a former location

The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre (shortened to UCB Theatre or just UCB) is an American improvisational and sketch comedy training center and theatre, originally founded by UCB troupe members Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh.[7][12]

Current UCB Theatre locations are at 242 E. 14th Street in New York City, and 5919 Franklin Avenue in Hollywood.

New York City

The popularity of the Upright Citizens Brigade's shows and classes at Manhattan's Solo Arts led to the opening of the first official Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre at 161 W. 22nd Street in Chelsea on February 4, 1999.[13] The 75-seat space, formerly the Harmony Burlesque Theater, closed on November 18, 2002, following fire code violations.

After temporary residencies at the Access Theater and Chelsea Playhouse, the company relocated again. On April 1, 2003, the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre opened its second official New York location at 307 West 26th Street in the former Maverick Theater, a 150-seat venue with expanded facilities.[14][15]

In September 2011, UCB opened a second New York theater on the Lower East Side, at 153 E. 3rd Street, commonly referred to as "UCB East" or "the Beast".[16] The venue permanently closed on February 9, 2019.[17]

In October 2017, UCB announced that its Chelsea theater would close; it subsequently relocated to 555 West 42nd Street in Hell's Kitchen.[18]

The COVID-19 pandemic forced UCB to close both New York locations in April 2020.[19]

In June 2023, UCB announced its return to New York City at 242 E. 14th Street. The venue officially reopened in September 2024.[20]

Los Angeles

In 2005, the Los Angeles branch of the theater opened at 5919 Franklin Avenue in Hollywood, offering nightly improv, sketch, and stand-up comedy performances.[21]

An LA expansion began in 2014 with the opening of UCB Theatre Sunset at 5419 Sunset Boulevard.[22] The Sunset location was sold in December 2020, leaving the Franklin Avenue theater as UCB's only owned venue in Los Angeles.[23] Under new UCB management,[6] the Los Angeles theater reopened in September 2022.[24]

Screen ventures

The original group — Matt Besser, Matt Walsh, Ian Roberts, and Amy Poehler — have had two TV shows — Upright Citizens Brigade (1998–2000) and The UCB Show (2015–2017) — and their show ASSSSCAT has been televised twice. In addition, they had a TV movie called Escape From It's a Wonderful Life and appeared weekly on Late Night with Conan O'Brien in the 1990s.

In 2002 they created and starred in the film Martin & Orloff, and made another movie in 2007 titled Wild Girls Gone. Neither film was particularly successful or well received.

The group has participated in web series, including the ongoing series UCB Comedy Originals, created in 2008, which occasionally shows sketches; and I Hate Being Single, created in 2012.

In 2016, Universal Cable Productions announced signing Upright Citizens Brigade to a first-look production deal.[25]

Notable alumni

See also

References

  1. ^ Raftery, Brian (September 25, 2011). "And... Scene". New York. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  2. ^ Evans, Bradford (March 14, 2013). "Second City vs. Groundlings vs. UCB: Where Do the Most 'SNL' Cast Members Come From?". Vulture. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  3. ^ "How the Upright Citizens Brigade Conquered TV in 2014". Complex. Retrieved September 29, 2025.
  4. ^ Spitznagel, Eric (October 11, 1993). "The New Variety Just Might Make Comedy Dangerous Again". The Third Word.
  5. ^ Levy, Ariel (August 10, 1998). "The Odd Squad". New York Magazine. Retrieved December 24, 2011."Jason Mantzoukas interview". jesterjournal.com. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  6. ^ a b D'Alessandro, Anthony (March 25, 2022). "UCB Theatre To Reopen; Comedy Brand Acquired By Mosaic Founder Jimmy Miller & Former Onion CEO-Owner Mike McAvoy". Deadline.
  7. ^ a b "Classes: New York". Upright Citizens Brigade Training Center. Archived from the original on February 25, 2008. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  8. ^ Voss, Eric. "Improv's Babel: Defining the Game of the Scene". Splitsider. Archived from the original on March 19, 2018. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  9. ^ "New York: Shows: Harold Night". Archived from the original on October 8, 2014. Retrieved July 10, 2013.
  10. ^ Zinoman, Jason (February 20, 2014). "Get the Laughs, but Follow the Rules". The New York Times. Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  11. ^ Raftery, Brian (September 25, 2011). "And....Scene". New York Magazine. Retrieved July 4, 2012.
  12. ^ McKinley, Jesse (January 27, 2003). "Masters of Improv Are Stumped". The New York Times. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  13. ^ "Upright Citizens Brigade Theater". Retrieved January 26, 2016.
  14. ^ "[UCBT] No more Chelsea". Improv Message Boards. March 14, 2003. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  15. ^ "We need this for the UCB chill out room". Improv Message Boards. March 9, 2005. Archived from the original on February 27, 2012. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  16. ^ "Comedy Troupe Delivers Its Second New York Baby". The New York Times. October 30, 2011.
  17. ^ Deb, Sopan (January 10, 2019). "Upright Citizens Brigade to Close East Village Location". The New York Times. Retrieved January 10, 2019.
  18. ^ Ugwu, Reggie (December 2017). "An Upright Citizens Brigade Theater Closes With Filthy Fanfare". New York Times. Retrieved September 9, 2018.
  19. ^ "30 iconic NYC institutions that have now permanently closed". Time Out. February 23, 2021. Retrieved April 22, 2021.
  20. ^ "Upright Citizens Brigade NYC reopens this week with new 14th Street venue". EV Grieve. September 9, 2024. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  21. ^ "Comedy Bang Bang: Standup". UCB Theatre. Retrieved December 24, 2011.
  22. ^ "Upright Citizens Brigade Announces the Grand Opening of UCB Theatre Sunset - Splitsider". Splitsider. October 2014. Archived from the original on January 18, 2018. Retrieved September 12, 2024.
  23. ^ "Eight Months After Shuttering Their NYC Venue, Upright Citizens Brigade Closes L.A.'s Sunset Theater - Vulture". Vulture. December 23, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2021.
  24. ^ @ucbtla (September 13, 2022). "UCB is back!" (Tweet). Retrieved April 11, 2023 – via Twitter.
  25. ^ Holloway, Daniel (June 21, 2016). "Upright Citizens Brigade Signs Deal With Universal Cable Productions". Variety. Retrieved June 21, 2016.
  26. ^ "Aziz Ansari". ucbcomedy.com.
  27. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "The 25 Most Famous UCB Alumni". Complex Networks.
  28. ^ a b Busis, Hillary (November 29, 2017). "12 Stars Who Got Their Start at the U.C.B. Theatre". Vanity Fair. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  29. ^ "Ilana Glazer". ucbcomedy.com.
  30. ^ "Donald Glover". ucbcomedy.com.
  31. ^ "Ed Helms". ucbcomedy.com.
  32. ^ "Ed Helms". Biography.com. September 5, 2019.
  33. ^ "Abbi Jacobson". www.ucbcomedy.com.
  34. ^ "Abbi Jacobson". MICA.
  35. ^ "Ellie Kemper". www.ucbcomedy.com.
  36. ^ a b Snierson, Dan. "Wild times at UCB with Amy Poehler, Ilana Glazer, Nick Kroll and more". Entertainment Weekly.
  37. ^ "Ego Nwodim". egonwodim.ucbcomedy.com. Archived from the original on October 20, 2018. Retrieved July 19, 2021.
  38. ^ "Aubrey Plaza". www.ucbcomedy.com.
  39. ^ "Amy Poehler | Bio". Comedy Central Press. Archived from the original on December 5, 2015.
  40. ^ "Amy Poehler". ucbcomedy.com.
  41. ^ Marsham, Liz; et al. (Cast of Critical Role) (October 20, 2020). The World of Critical Role. Ten Speed Press. pp. 27–108. ISBN 9780593157435.
  42. ^ Weldon, Annie (June 16, 2011). "Rob Riggle at House of Blues: From Marines Brigade to Upright Citizens Brigade". OffBeat Magazine.
  43. ^ "Rob Riggle". ucbcomedy.com.
  44. ^ "Ian Roberts". ucbcomedy.com.
  45. ^ a b Cohn, Gabe (June 14, 2020). "Upright Citizens Brigade to Overhaul Its Leadership". The New York Times.
  46. ^ "28-Year-Old Sudi Green is a Comedian on the Forefront". Forbes.
  47. ^ "Ben Schwartz". ucbcomedy.com.
  48. ^ "Matt Walsh". ucbcomedy.com.
  49. ^ "Zach Woods". ucbcomedy.com.

Further reading

  • Raftery, Brian (2013). High-Status Characters: How the Upright Citizens Brigade Stormed a City, Started a Scene, and Changed Comedy Forever. Brooklyn: Megawatt Press.
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