Submissions for the 2023 UCBTLA Maude and Character Teams are officially open!
WHAT ARE MAUDE TEAMS?
Maude Teams are UCB’s house sketch comedy teams. They are formed and overseen by the Artistic Directors. Maude Teams generally consist of six writers and six performers.
Each Maude Team will be assigned a director who will oversee the writing and production of a monthly sketch show and UCB will pay these directors. This added production cost means the recoupment will be higher for Maude Shows, after which performers will be paid a 50/50 split of ticket sales.
Maude Night is on Wednesdays at 8:30pm at UCB Franklin. Maude shows are 25-30 minutes and consist of new material written specifically for Maude Night.
Maude Teams generally meet twice a week for writers meetings and rehearsals. A typical Maude schedule consists of a pitch meeting, two writers meetings, a read through, two rehearsals, a tech rehearsal, and the show. Additional time may be required, but this is up to the individual team and their director. Maude tech rehearsals are always on the Wednesday afternoon of the show.
UCB MAUDE TEAM INFO AND EXPECTATIONS
Maude Teams are expected to put up shows featuring polished, funny, UCB-style, game-based sketch comedy. Every Maude Team member is expected to boldly bring their unique voice and sense of humor to shows.
Maude Teams must be a priority for team members. This is demonstrated by attending rehearsals and performances. Team members with a pattern of poor attendance or lateness will be removed. Commitments with other UCB house teams (Harold/Lloyd/Characters) or at other theaters are NOT excuses for missing meetings, rehearsals, or shows.
As a team member, you are expected to perform at a high level and demonstrate commitment to improving, but you are NOT expected to be perfect. Team members must show they are open to notes from their director and the Artistic Directors and be willing to work at implementing those notes.
Writers are not guaranteed to have a sketch in every show and actors are not guaranteed to be featured every month. On months where actors and writers are “light,” they are expected to support their team in any way that they can.
WRITER-SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
Writers must attend all Maude Team meetings, rehearsals, and shows. Writers are strongly encouraged to attend tech rehearsal, but are not expected to take time off from paid work to attend.
Writers must produce a minimum of one new sketch every week. Writers must rewrite sketches based on feedback from writers meetings.
Writers must provide constructive feedback on other teammates’ material and be an active participant in the writers’ room.
Writers are the “producer” of their sketch, and responsible for coordinating all necessary props, costumes and set pieces that their sketch requires.
Material created by the writer belongs to them, even if they have accepted input from other writers, actors or the director. Dual or multi authorship should only be addressed when more than one person actively created the idea or wrote/re-wrote the sketch. (e.g. if an actor creates a character and a sketch is written around that character).
PERFORMER-SPECIFIC EXPECTATIONS
The following are mandatory for performers to attend: Pitch Meeting, Read Through, Rehearsals, Show. Actors are strongly encouraged to attend tech rehearsal, but are not expected to take time off from paid work to attend. It is up to the individual team if Writers Meetings are mandatory for the performers, so performers should be prepared to attend the same amount of meetings as writers (all).
Performers must have a minimum of one character to pitch for themselves at each pitch meeting. There is no guarantee that your character will be chosen. Performers must memorize lines no later than the second rehearsal.
Performers will work with writers on character ideas. Actors will not write alone or solely with other performers.
WHAT IS CHARACTER NIGHT?
Characters Night is UCB’s character team! The team features 8-10 performers who each develop a 3-5 minute character piece to be showcased at the monthly show. The team will run for six months, after which a new team will be formed.
Character teammates meet once a week, but are expected to write and rehearse outside of these meetings.
HOW TO SUBMIT FOR MAUDE NIGHT / CHARACTER NIGHT
Auditions for Maude and Characters will be held congruently. When submitting as a performer, you may choose to submit solely for Characters, solely for Maude, or both at the same time.
NOTE: You may submit to be a Maude writer and also audition to be a Maude/Character actor. Submitting as a writer does not disqualify you from auditioning as an actor, or vice-versa. Nor does it gain you any advantage in either aspect. Please note that writers and actors will be evaluated separately, and that no writer/performer hybrid positions on Maude are guaranteed.
CURRENT MAUDE WRITERS AND ACTORS: If you are currently a writer, you are welcome to audition to be an actor. The same goes for actors who wish to submit as a writer.
***SUBMISSION REQUIREMENT EXCEPTION POLICY — PLEASE READ***
If you do not fulfill the eligibility requirements to submit but you still wish to submit/audition, you may fill out the Exception Request Form here:
The deadline to fill out the Exception Request Form is 11:59pm March 19, 2023. If you are granted an exception, you will be notified by March 27, 2023 and, at that point, you can fill out the relevant submission form(s). Please do not fill out the regular submission form(s) unless/until you’ve been granted an exception.
MAUDE WRITER SUBMISSION INFORMATION
Submissions for Maude Writers will be accepted until 11:59pm on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023.
Writer Requirements:
Have completed Sketch 201.
OR
Are currently enrolled in a Sketch 201 that will have its last session on or before May 31st, 2023.
OR
Will have completed (or currently are enrolled in) Sketch 101 and one other UCB course.
All current and former members of Harold, Lloyd, Maude, and Characters at UCBTLA or UCBTNY are eligible to submit as a writer or as a performer.
If you are unable or unwilling to adhere to the UCB Maude Team Expectations as outlined above, do not submit.
WRITER SUBMISSION PROCESS:
Packet Content
Submit the following Sketches:
Two (2) Sketches of your choice
One (1) Topical sketch (relevant between Mar 6, 2023 – Apr. 2, 2023).
Five (5) pitches for new sketches that have not been written or produced. Pitches should be less than 50 words each and all be contained on one page.
***SKETCHES SHOULD BE NO LONGER THAN FOUR PAGES IN STANDARD SCRIPT FORMAT.
***YOUR STRONGEST SKETCH SHOULD BE THE FIRST ONE IN YOUR PACKET
***Please note that we cannot consider material you have co-written — include only sketches you’ve written solo.
STEP ONE:
Email your packet to [email protected] by 11:59pm on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023 formatted as follows:
Subject line:
WRITER 2023 – LAST NAME, FIRST NAME
(EX: WRITER 2023 – WESTON, WILLA)
Body of Email:
– Sketch of Choice 1: Title
– Sketch of Choice 2: Title
– Topical Sketch: Title
Attach to email:
-PDF version of writer packet with file named in this way:LASTNAME_FIRSTNAME2023.PDF (EX: WESTON_WILLA2023.PDF)
A single PDF should contain all sketches and pitches. DO NOT SEND FINAL DRAFT OR OTHER TYPES OF FILES.
STEP TWO:
Fill out this form by 11:59pm on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023:
2023 UCBTLA Maude Night Writer Submission Form
Late submissions will not be accepted. Submitting late due to technical problems is not an excuse.
Have answers to the following questions ready and fill out the Google Form:
-Name
-Phone Number
-Answers to eligibility criteria.
-A link to Professional Resume
-A link to a recent photo of yourself
-In 50 words or less, why do you want to be on a UCB Maude team?
-What is the funniest sketch you’ve seen in the last year?
-Optional: Reference
PERFORMER SUBMISSION INFORMATION (Both Maude Night and Character Night)
Submissions for Performers will be accepted until 11:59pm on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023.
Performer Requirements:
Have completed Character 101 at UCB.
OR
Are currently enrolled in a Character 101 that will have its last session on or before May 31st, 2023.
OR
Have completed (or are currently enrolled in) any two performance-based UCB courses (Improv, Character, Storytelling).
All current and former members of Harold, Lloyd, Maude, and Characters Welcome at UCBTLA or UCBTNY are eligible to submit as a writer or as a performer.
PERFORMER SUBMISSION PROCESS:
The 2023 Maude performer auditions will consist of three rounds:
Round One– Video audition of your material.
Round Two– Solo live audition of your material.
Round Three– Callback where you will perform two sketches we assign.
ROUND ONE: VIDEO SUBMISSIONS
Content Details:
Please show us your best characters and impressions, along with any other skills you’d like to show off (ie– singing, physical comedy, etc).
Show us your range, what you think is funny and what makes you unique! We want to see characters that could be showcased on Maude Night… don’t just read a phone book in a variety of accents (unless it’s super funny).
Technical Details:
Your video should consist of a single shot, two minutes in length. Videos with cuts or edits will not be considered. Likewise, videos longer than two minutes will automatically be discounted.
You are welcome to use a lower title to name your characters or you can announce your characters within your tape, or do neither!
Have this info ready before you fill out the Google Form below:
-Name
-Phone Number
-Answers to eligibility questions.
-Link to Video Audition
-Link to Headshot
-In less than 50 words, why do you want to be on a UCB Maude team?
-What is the funniest sketch you’ve seen in the last year?
-Optional: Reference
-Your availability for live auditions on the weekends of April 21st and April 28th.
Fill out this form by 11:59pm on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023:
2023 UCBTLA Maude / Characters Performer Submission Form
Late submissions will not be accepted. Submitting late due to technical problems is not an excuse.
ROUND TWO: LIVE AUDITIONS
Actors chosen for live auditions will be notified at least a week before their live audition.
Live auditions will take place April 21st, April 22nd, and April 23rd on the UCB Franklin stage. You must have availability in this window to be considered for Maude Night or Characters.
These auditions will consist of a 3 minute live performance for the Artistic Directors and Maude Committee. The live audition should showcase your comedic acting skills. While in the video auditions we want to see RANGE, in the Live Auditions we will want to see DEPTH. We ask for two or three characters in your allotted time.
ROUND THREE: CALLBACKS
Callbacks will take place April 28th and 29th on the UCB Franklin stage. You must have availability in this window to be considered for Maude Night. Characters will be formed from all Live Auditions, and thus Callback availability is not required.
Actors will be assigned two sketches that they will prepare and perform with another actor who has received a callback. You are expected to show us that you can make funny comedic choices that showcase the game of the sketch. Costumes are welcome, but not required.