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The Upright Citizens Brigade
Upright Citizens Brigade in LA
Overview: “Don’t Think on the flipside. Just do.” This is the Upright Citizens Brigade motto. The Upright Citizens Brigade, or UCBT, in Los Angeles is located on Franklin St near Bronson Ave in Hollywood.
The little black, nondescript theater building in which the UCBT troupe trains and offers improv and sketch classes, undoubtedly houses some of the most talented comedic personalities today. So much so that Comedy Central picked up the UBCT sketch comedy acts and troupe for two seasons from 1998 to 2000. The most well-known of the troupe are Horatio Sanz, a regular on Saturday Night Live and who appeared in the comedies Step Brothers, School for Scoundrels and Boat Trip, among others. The top of the talent list goes to the hilarious and quirky Amy Poehler, a regular on Saturday Night Live. She also did a screaming job in Blades of Glory and Baby Mama. Amy Poehler’s list of credits goes on and on but it serves to demonstrate the talents of the UCBT troupe.
Upright Citizens Brigade in LA
The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in Hollywood is a small 92-seat, all ages theater with a black stage and brick walls. The incredible thing about the theater is that the cost is minimum. The shows run from $5 to $8 to see incredible acts like Robin Williams, Will Ferrell and Tina Fey and Alec Baldwin, both of whom star in 30 Rock. You must pay in cash at the theater and seating is on a first come, first served basis. No alcohol is served and soft drinks run only a $1 a piece. Reservations can be done online (http://losangeles.ucbtheatre.com/schedule/) but the seating arrangement and location can not be done online.
By the way, the small Franklin Village area (north part of Hollywood proper) in which the Upright Citizens Brigade is located is quite a quaint, charming place. Surrounding the theater are small restaurants and shops. So, it may be worth you while to park somewhere, grab a bite to eat in one of the restaurants next to the UCBT and hang out for a bit before the show and after.
Location: 5919 Franklin Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90028
Site: http://losangeles.ucbtheatre.com/
Ph: (323) 908-8702
Cost: $5 to $8 per show, $1 drinks. This is one of the best deals in town to see some of the best comedic talents.
Parking: There’s a parking lot at Franklin and Tamarind for $5.
Accessibility: The UBCT is wheelchair accessible. Show up 30 to 40 minutes before a show.
Getting There: www.metro.net, www.ladottransit.com