Amy Poehler on the Future of Upright Citizens Brigade- 'It's Been Brutal for Us'

In a recent interview with the New York Times Magazine, Amy Poehler gets candid about the future of Upright Citizens Brigade- the improv training and performance company that she co-founded.

In June, announcements were made that UCB would make changes following the closure of New York and Los Angeles facilities and calls for lack of diversity. "This year has been an opportunity to hear from people who felt that they needed more or less of things and to change things," said Poehler. "We're making sure we listen to the right people so that we can do that. We've been working with members of a group called Project Rethink, which is made up of performers from U.C.B., as well as other groups, to basically be like, If and when we reopen, what is this going to look like?"

'If' seems to be the key word in her statement, as she later goes on to say: "It's been brutal for us. We're basically using the fire of Covid to start some new version. We're changing our school and our theater to not-for-profit. Whether or not we'll be able to get there, I don't know."

The Upright Citizens Brigade Improvisational and Sketch Comedy Training Center is the only accredited improv and sketch comedy school in the country. The faculty represents the best writers and performers working in comedy today. Over the last 15 years, the Upright Citizens Brigade (Matt Besser, Amy Poehler, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh) have developed a unique unified curriculum that is constantly updated and improved by the best improvisers in the world.

UCB Training Center teachers and alumni include writers and performers for Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Broad City, Key & Peele, Silicon Valley, Veep, Atlanta, Brooklyn Nine-Nine, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Daily Show, Inside Amy Schumer, Master of None, Drunk History, Full Frontal with Samantha Bee and many other hit television shows and movies.

Photo Credit: Walter McBride / WM Photos