Elite Event: Magnet Theater

Being funny is hard. Very very hard. Being funny in front of people, whilst on a stage, is even harder. Thank god for the free booze the night of this event, right!?! Well, if that means it makes me funnier… then why not? But for me, it did more to make the jokes of my fellow Unilocalers hit harder (not that they needed any help to begin with). And not so surprisingly, many of my brave fellow Unilocalers on this night were pretty damn funny. I guess thanks should be thrown the way of our instructor for the night, Megan/​Meagan/​Meghan (a variation of that name to be sure)… for the purposes of efficiency, I shall refer to her as «M» for the remainder of the review.
M started us all off with a number of exercises. Think noise making, gesture creating, memory exercises of a sort, and so on. No doubt to warm us up and get our creative juices flowing. Also, some very important tips were exchanged… and while I forget the exact wording, this boxing comparison should vividly illustrate the point I’m trying to get through to you: do NOT think you have to go for the knockout punch… just keep up with the jabs, and eventually there will be an opening. Basically, pummel your audience with baby sized bits o’ wit, it’s tough to put stitches in a person off the first line.
NOTE: As someone who has watched a good bit of improv (and other forms of comedy), both live and on television… as well as having some great friends who do comedy as a career or for fun… I have a great amount of respect for their creativity, vocabulary, and straight up knowledge about all things. These are some smart and articulate people who do this kind of work.
Important tip #101, improv is all about team. My friends have told me these exact words, I’ve also seen it for myself (both good examples and disaster-​pieces), and M stressed it from night’s inception. Do note, that even the great Michael Jordan couldn’t do it all on his own (If no Scotty, then MJ no get 6 rings). Everyone at the event did a great job of feeding off each other, and setting their teammates up (not bad for a bunch of newbies, huh!). Seeing unselfish play and no hero ball was quite refreshing, and it made the event enjoyable for everyone. By the time amateur Unilocal night was over, I could see that M was a proudly as a mama hen after watching her chicks take flight.
As a treat, the pros showed us how it was really done, just to temper our egos and remind us that we humble Unilocalers were nowhere on their level… or they just wanted to treat us to a show (either one). Overall, this was a fun and new kind of event! Tip of the hat to Ruggy for putting on another great Manhattan event, and for killing any dreams I may have had before this night of becoming a comedian.

Enter Megan an 11 year improv veteran. Who skillfully instructs us on stage with a warm up exercises? Good thing we were drinking some crisp, clean Tiger lager. Inhibitions are gone, good.
Next thing you know us Unilocalers were all connected like MAG-​a-​nets. One thing for sure we will not forget each other.
The team building aspect is huge with improv. Who would have thought? One doesn’t have to go at it alone or feel judged by other watching. You create some sort of sound or movement. The next person follows suit but then adds a twist to it. It’s great to see how creative some people can be or not.
The ability to go on stage was another fun factor. Hey get your 15 mins of fame here. Do not be surprised that anything goes. It’s the wonderful thing that Improv creates.
I was cracking up with the stories we created,
Jesuit University in Vegas,
Frozen foods scandals,
Cell phone dating,
Finally, an attorney that doesn’t do much in the morning and a slumped walking coworker.
Megan, and her CREW get much props.
Ruggy thank you for an awesome event. I tried to incorporate this in our thanksgiving after food fun. hmmm I think I need to take some more classes. I will definitely be back to Magnet!

Who knew being funny could be so easy?
I arrived a little later than expected to the event, but it was so nice that I could just jump right into the improv games. Megan was a phenomenal host, not only giving great improv instruction, but also explaining some of the key concepts of the art.
It was actually a total coincidence that this improv event took place now, as I had been thinking about taking improv classes for a while and attended another one the other week. Not only did I feel completely comfortable with Megan and the group, the games were designed so anyone could say anything, and they wouldn’t be wrong.
Thanks Ruggy for planning such a unique event for elites, and thanks Megan and Magnet Theater for being such awesome hosts. I love a good laugh and now that I know what to look forward to, I’ll definitely stop by for a show in the next couple weeks!

When my day began I didn’t expect to become a deadbeat, neglecting, gun toting father of four (the others died), who makes Al Bundy look like father of the year.
Then again, I didn’t know what to expect at Unilocal’s Night at The Magnet Theater. And that’s the point, whatever happened you just had to go with it. That Ruggy, he’s crazy man. He had me do some skit where I robbed a bank and give him the money, after we left theater.
The night kicked off with everyone greeting each other in the lobby and drinking «some» Tiger Lager. Several beers later, we ventured into the theater and began doing some warmup exercises. Ones that had people doing Spider-​Man poses, the running man and blurting out «Rhiana».
Our host Megan did an awesome job of getting everyone involved. She had everyone feeling comfortable and let everyone know, everything’s on the table. The key is not to have a script in your head, and to go with the flow.
It was a great night and something new for a Yelo event! My gut appreciated it, with Thanksgiving, a work potluck and my mom’s birthday in the days following the event.
Thank you Magnet theater for helping my discover my inner deadbeat dad. And thank you Ruggy for discovering a cool new venue for an event. Share some of that cash.

This event was an absolute blast! I was so excited to be able to attend my first NYC event at Magnet Theater. Thanks to Ruggy who put this all together, what a fabulous idea!
Megan was excellent, super fun and enthusiastic and really got all of us Unilocalers in the improv mood. We did many fun and creative activities, and now I can associate my new friends with their superhero moves. The amazing group at Magnet during the second half of the show (I’m sorry guys, I forgot your names — but you were hilarious and super friendly!) made it easy and fun to be funny, and to immerse ourselves in the improv world. Plus, Tiger beer!
I will be laughing at hating babies, rehab in the basement of Jesuit universities in Vegas and hatred for crappy bandmates and frozen calamari for a very long time. Seriously, frozen calamari? Ugh!
I love that Magnet is super close to Penn Station as I live out on the island, so it’s a quick train ride in and a five minute walk. I will definitely be returning for future shows. They also do corporate team building… I wonder if they come to schools because this would be the best professional development meeting in the history of ever.

Taking an improv class was definitely on my to-​do list so I was ecstatic at the chance to take one at Magnet theater! Now granted I had never heard of Magnet but it’s hard to miss while walking by. On a semi-​dark street is a well-​lit theater with ample windows, and colorful walls.
Staff was super friendly– from performers to bartenders to random woman directing me to the bathroom. Everyone was cheery as hell, but the genuine kind of cheery, not the «buy our product though we don’t give a shit about you» cheery.
Gratis Tiger beer really loosened up the crowd and before you knew it I had to stop myself from volunteering at any opportunity I had.
This event was so organized. The instructor knew exactly what activities we were going to explore and made us participate in creative icebreakers that lightened the mood and made us feel more comfortable with one another.
Would I ever take a class at Magnet again? Hell yes. Would I recommend an improv class here? Yes– would make a fun date too!

Wowee! What an awesome experience and a great event! Thanks to Ruggy and the folks at Magnet Theater. This was one of the most fun experiences I have ever had! So unique.
I’ve been wanting to try Improv for a while, but never got around to it. I was really happy when I got into the event so that I could finally try it out.
The stage area is not large, so it helped eliminate anxiety because the space feels very intimate. Makes it feel like you are all in this together and there is no room for anyone to feel left out.
The actors were great. Our leader, Megan, did an amazing job gradually building everyone up from zero to sixty to get into a full Improv experience as the night went on. It also helped that there were not that many people, so that everyone can get a chance to participate.
I would certainly do it again!

This was the first Unilocal event I’ve went to where there was no food (though there was Tiger beer!) but I still had tons of fun here and luckily Ruggy was able to let me join in on my first NYC event.
Magnet Theater is known for their Improv and classes. In this event everyone was fortunate enough to interact with them and try out doing Improv ourselves! The people at Magnet, and specifically Megan, who ran the majority of the event were very welcoming and made everyone feel at ease to go on stage and try Improv out. It definitely can feel stressful in the beginning since you are more conscious of yourself being in front of a crowd, but once you realize just to be yourself, it makes performing on stage so much easier.
Megan was able to put us at ease with a couple exercises to help everyone get to know everyone’s names and teach us a few basic things in improv. We did many simple improv routines that incorporated at least everyone there from Unilocal to go on stage at least once. Even though most of the Unilocalers including myself were new at this, many of us really enjoyed the routines and had a great laugh.
To end the night, Megan and a few other people from Magnet did some Improv for us and incorporated a few Unilocalers here and there. It was great and enjoyable!
Thank you so much Ruggy for organizing this event and letting me attend. I hope to attend other NYC events in the future if I am able to ! And of course, I’d like to say thanks to the people at Magnet Theater for hosting the event. I’ll definitely make sure to come back to Magnet for their Improv shows in the future… and possibly take classes as well!

This was such a great event!
I really enjoy some of these smaller Unilocal events. You get to meet more Unilocalers and actually remember their names!
The Magnet theater has regular classes and shows here every day. For this event our host Megan walked the whole group through some warm up exercises and some basics of Improv. She was very nice and welcoming. With her help (and tiger beer), everyone loosened up and got comfortable on stage.
After that we got to do some improv in smaller groups (5 – 10). I was def. out of my comfort zone, but I decided to give it a shot anyway… glad I did, I enjoyed every minute of it!
After the first hour of the Unilocalers doing various skits, Megan and some others did some for us. It was a great to watch and participate!
I’m glad to find out about this place, I will be coming back for a few shows. Thanks to Ruggy for putting this together and to the Magnet Theater staff!

EPIC. This was an awesome event and my favorite one yet. I’m so glad Ruggy set this event up and that I was lucky enough to be a part of it!
I’ve been to the Magnet Theater before. My cousin took classes here and we came for her final show. It looked like a blast, but I never actually considered doing it myself, (even though I think I’m funny) just because I didn’t know if I would actually have the guts to do it. I was definitely a little apprehensive even walking in, not knowing what to expect!
Megan, who ran our group of about 25, made it super easy to get comfortable, loosen up and get to know each other. Granted, we have something in common, none of us really knew each other. The games and skits we performed were completely goofy and outrageous and I hadn’t laughed that hard in a while. (Especially with a group of strangers!) It’s really fun to have to think on your feet while given suggestions and topics by the audience that you have to play off of. I thought it would be harder, but it came quite easily!
I’m currently already trying to set up a corporate event for my company for a team building activity with the awesome people who work at the Magnet Theater. I would love to experience more improv, especially at a cool venue like this. Drinks are offered and it would be a cool place to make some new friends.
Thanks for an awesome event Ruggy! PS. The Tiger beer definitely helped all of us get up there on stage and be even that much more funny!

At Magnet, you’ll learn to do original, honest, and ridiculously funny work through games and exercises in class, and through performances on the Magnet stages.
This was one of the most fun experiences I have ever had in a long time, I laugh a lot in this event, I loved the way, that we the Unilocaler were the star in the stage, we organized in small groups of 2 – 6 people, and did improvisations in different games.
I decided to give it a shot and so glad I did, with 4 other Unilocalers, we were saying to the public «How we meet». I enjoyed every minute of it!
At first I noticed that most of the Unilocaler were a little shy, but after a few minutes, everybody want to do it.
This is one of the few elite Unilocal event there was no food, the only served beer Tiger, and a lot of fun.
Thanks to Magnet Theater staff in specially Megan and Ruggy for this event.

What a great event!
I was so excited for tonight since I haven’t been able to get into any events lately. When I got the Unilocal confirmation, I was so happy!
Upon entry, I was greeted by its staff and fellow Unilocalers. I enjoyed the Tiger beer! Just what I needed after this surprisingly warm but pleasant day!
There were two parts to the event. All Unilocalers were invited and asked to participate in improve. Everyone participated at some point during the first hour and it was fun to get to know your fellow Unilocalers that way! For the next 45 minutes or so, we actually got to watch the performance — with some audience participation as well.
We worked through multiple games and exercises on the stage. First we did names and our superhero moves. Then we did story telling… and lots of variation of story telling that followed! We worked in groups of 5s and 10s, depended on the theme. The energy level was high so it made the evening really fun.
I am glad I came to the event because I didn’t know about this group before. They also do music improve training and classes and workshops. They will also partner with business and offer an eight-​week long workshop for free!
Going into tonight I was definitely a little intimated, but I am so glad that I enjoyed myself! Thank you Ruggy and the wonderful production team who put this event together for us Unilocalers!

I love getting a chance to try food and drinks at Unilocal events, but interactive events? Events that force me to get out of my comfort zone and be super goofy? Ones where I get to be on a stage? So. Much. Fun. I was especially excited to get a confirmation email for this event.
Things I learned at this event:
1. Improv comedy is a really great team-​building activity.
I normally never learn all of the names of the Unilocalers I go to events with, but I remember 80% of their names (even with their superhero poses). We started off with a couple of warm-​up exercises in a large circle that already tickled my funny bone, but it was when we stood on stage in groups of 10 and 5 for various exercises when I really laughed so hard. I was particularly very happy with the ranting and the «yes, and» exercises because they really tested our abilities to listen to one other, feed off of each other, and say things that were relatable (and hence funny).The people at Magnet Theater (particularly Megan) made improv so approachable by explaining each exercise clearly and debriefing us afterwards.
2. Unilocalers are funny!
I laughed so hard at comments about things like subway woes, babies, frozen calamari, Vegas, and driving on the left lane.
3. Magnet Theater offers a variety of shows and workshops.
There are shows almost every night with tickets priced between $ 5 to $ 10. There is stadium seating for the audience, but the platform stage is low enough that it still seems very intimate. They also offer various classes, workshops, drop-​ins, free intro classes, and classes catered to kids and teens.
Thank you so, so much to Ruggy for organizing this and letting me in! Thank you also to the Magnet Theater crew for a wonderful belly-​aching night.