Old Bay Improv is now in its second year and has big plans for the future.
It is run by Josh Rubinstein, 63, a veteran of the art of improvisational theater who founded Philadelphia’s Tongue & Groove improv theater in the early 2000s and worked with ComedySportz, billed as that city’s longest-running show.
When he moved to Bel Air in 2014, he realized Harford County had limited options for practicing the art form. Rubinstein approached Harford Community College about teaching a class.
He said he realized, “If I want to do improv [here], I’ll have to create my own group.”
Old Bay Improv — which takes its name from Baltimore’s historic Old Bay Line steamship to avoid any conflict with the iconic spice blend — will hold two performances of its Jan. 24 show, called “Improv Soup.” The group’s previous shows have sold out, Rubinstein said.
The performances, set for 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. at Harford Community College’s Black Box Theater, promise “a lively blend of spontaneous comedy” that “serves up a random mixture of improvised scenes and games — all inspired by audience suggestions.”
Pam Kennedy, director of community and personal enrichment at Harford Community College, said Rubinstein’s classes have been a great addition to the college. She noted that although people think improv is comedy, it can also be dramatic and “is a totally different skill.”
“It’s been great to see people of all ages” trying the class, from teenagers to retired residents who “are just coming out of their shell,” Kennedy said.
Rubinstein said he’s enjoyed working with local teens on a special summer improv class.
“The parents were ecstatic. They loved it,” he said about the performances, explaining that working with teens is harder in some ways and easier in others — since it’s not just about “being funny.”
Using the college’s Black Box Theater alongside classes and other groups makes scheduling difficult. The time crunch has prompted Rubinstein to start planning for a new space to house Old Bay Improv, which currently has seven members, including Rubinstein.
“In the future, I would like to build a company in Harford County,” he said, explaining that the group would look for a possible space to lease where they could continue to practice and improve.
Although improvisational theater has been popular for decades, there have been a few changes. Rubinstein noted sociopolitical shifts that have moved the needle of what’s considered too offensive.
“Basically, you have to know your audience,” he said. He plans to keep Old Bay Improv “kind of PG-13.”
And, since the coronavirus pandemic, audiences won’t be seeing some classic comedic moves, like “spit takes,” where a performer drinks some water before spitting it out.
Tickets for the January show can be bought through HarfordEvents.com. They cost $18 for adults, $15 for senior citizens or HCC students, faculty and staff, and $12 for students age 17 and under.
Have a news tip? Contact Bryna Zumer at bzumer@baltsun.com, or on X as @brynazumer.
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