Dudley Riggs facts for kids

Dudley Riggs (born January 18, 1932 – died September 22, 2020) was a very creative comedian. He was famous for starting a special kind of comedy called "instant theater." This later became the well-known Brave New Workshop comedy group in Minneapolis.

Dudley's Early Life in the Circus

Dudley Riggs was born in Little Rock, Arkansas. When he was just five years old, he joined the circus! His family performed in many different acts with the famous Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus. This is where Dudley learned how to be funny in the old-fashioned vaudeville style.

He worked as an aerialist, which means he performed tricks high in the air. He was also a comedy acrobat and a clown. Later, he started his own group. They would travel around the country during the winter when the circus wasn't performing.

How "Instant Theater" Began

Sometimes, the audiences at Dudley's shows were not very friendly. After trying traditional acts, Dudley started asking the audience for their ideas. For example, he might ask, "Who do you dislike in this town?" If they said, "the mayor," his performers would quickly make up a scene about the mayor right on the spot!

At that time, the word improvisation was mostly used for jazz musicians. Dudley loved jazz music. He preferred to call his shows "instant theater." Later, a famous critic from The New York Times called his performances "word jazz."

One year, the person who booked shows for Dudley's group couldn't find any places for them to perform. To keep their skills sharp, Dudley rented a small space in New York City. People walking by could see them practicing through the window. Soon, passers-by started offering money to watch! This is how Dudley started the Instant Theater Company in New York. It ran from 1954 to 1958.

A famous critic named Walter Kerr came to one of their early shows. He was amazed by what he saw. He waited three weeks to write a review because he couldn't believe the performers were really using the audience's ideas. He thought they must have planned it all! But once he realized it was real, he wrote a wonderful review.

The Brave New Workshop theater in Minneapolis.

The Brave New Workshop

Dudley's improv group started touring. Eventually, they settled down in Minneapolis in 1958. Here, Dudley opened a coffee shop called Cafe Espresso. He had the first espresso machine in the state! He also used the cafe as a home for his Instant Theater Company.

By 1961, the group's name changed to the Brave New Workshop. This theater became very famous for its comedy shows.

In 1971, Dudley opened another theater called the Experimental Theater Company (E.T.C.). It was next to the University of Minnesota. This theater offered even more types of shows, like comedy, variety acts, and special performances.

Famous Performers from Brave New Workshop

Many famous comedians and writers started their careers at the Brave New Workshop. Some well-known names include Louie Anderson and Al Franken. Other talented people like writer Pat Proft, TV producer Linda Wallem, and scriptwriter Peter Tolan also got their start there.

The Brave New Workshop also shared ideas and techniques with another famous comedy group, The Second City in Chicago. Performers from both groups would often visit each other's shows.

After running the Brave New Workshop for 39 years, Dudley Riggs sold it in 1997. The new owners continued to operate the theater. They focused more on longer improv shows, while Dudley had always liked shorter, individual comedy sketches.

In 2017, Dudley Riggs wrote a book about his life called Flying Funny: My Life Without a Net. The book talks about his early years in the circus and how he developed improv comedy.

Death

Dudley Riggs passed away in Minneapolis on September 22, 2020. He was 88 years old.

See also

In Spanish: Dudley Riggs para niños