Save the date: Community Meeting & Booking Committee Election Sunday, June 18, 2023 at 1pm

Dear CCB Community,

We are excited to announce our annual Community Meeting and the upcoming elections for the 2023/24 CCB Booking Committee! This is your chance to get involved and make a significant impact on the shows at CCB. The committee plays a crucial role in booking and creating a diverse range of performances for everyone to enjoy. Here are some key details about the elections:

• Committee Responsibilities: The CCB Booking Committee is responsible for curating and organizing shows at CCB. They collaborate with performers and producers to bring a vibrant and engaging lineup of entertainment to our community.
• Committee Members: The committee consists of five members. Three of these members are elected from the community, along with two permanent members: Noah and Josh.
• Term Duration: Booking Committee members are elected for a one-year term. This provides an opportunity for new voices and fresh ideas to contribute to the committee’s work.
• Voting Date and Community Meeting: The election for the 2023/24 CCB Booking Committee will be held on Sunday, June 18, 2023 at 1pm at Comedy Café Berlin and via Google Meet for those who can’t make it in person*. We will be holding a community meeting just before the elections. We encourage all community members to exercise their voting rights, hear about the current Booking Committee’s experience and help shape the future of CCB’s shows!
• Committee Start Date: The newly elected committee will begin their work in July 2023. They will immediately start booking shows for August and continue their efforts throughout the year.

To learn more about the CCB Booking Committee, requirements for running and the election process, please see our slideshow presentation here: The CCB Booking Committee 2023 Elections

If you are passionate about CCB, enjoy organizing events, or want to contribute your skills to shaping CCB’s show lineup, we invite you to run for a position on the committee! The deadline for declaring your candidacy is June 11th. Don’t miss this chance to make a difference in our community.

We look forward to your participation in the elections and the exciting shows that the newly elected committee will bring to CCB.

Please feel free to share this blogpost to anyone you think would like to be involved.

The 2022/23 CCB Booking Committee
Noah, Josh, Lisa, Rohit, Belen

*If you would like to join virtually, please message us ([email protected]) for a Google Meet link at least 1 day prior to the meeting.

CCB would like to invite more playfulness, diversity, and experimentation to the CCB stage.

How? 

We will be adding an 11pm show spot on Fridays – and potentially Thursdays – where the (financial) expectations are low, and the possibilities (almost) endless (limited by the code of conduct and official law).

What do we want? 

We want YOU to pitch us an idea for either a 20-25 minute set/show for a split-show or a 50-60 minute complete show. You should be excited to get your idea on stage, but not worry if it’s a massive success or a celebrated failure. Try it out! See what happens! Go crazy! Dare to do something new!

What do we expect? What can you expect? 

We’re looking for experimental shows and new formats. That crazy high concept show you’ve always wanted to try but haven’t had the opportunity. The weird idea you’ve had forever but been too afraid to get on stage. The show you’ve run a few times but haven’t been able to get off the ground yet.

This will NOT be a space to run yet another stand-up open mic or stand-up showcase. Improv shows are welcome but should be doing something new. Stand up solo shows will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis but should also be doing something new for best chances at getting booked. Keep in mind that the bar will be running and there might be some background noise.

You can choose to run the show with free entry or have it be ticketed (subject to standard CCB artist split).

Shows that do well and catch our eye will be invited to move to a ticketed spot in the CCB schedule in the future. Shows that still need some work are welcome to apply again for another late night spot; Booking Committee members can give you constructive notes on your show if you so desire. 

How do I sign up? 

Fill out our form and we will get back to you! We’ll be looking for original ideas, fun/absurd premises, unheard voices and more than anything, a vision that you can pull the show off. Also, your show and all performers in it should meet our Code of Conduct and theatre ethos. All improv performers should also meet requirements laid out on our Performing at CCB page. Please keep in mind that ultimately we will be exercising our own discretion as a Booking Committee when booking shows.
Questions? Talk to your Booking Committee!

Updated 12. March 2020

Dear CCB Community,
It is with a heavy heart that we have made the decision to cancel all shows effective immediately through April 22nd.
This was not an easy decision for us to make, but with the increasing spread of the COVID-19 Coronavirus the risks are simply too high and we need to think of the safety and health of our performers and audience.

You can read more about our decision here.

Stay safe and healthy and we’ll see you soon!

---

If you’re feeling ill, even just a head cold, we kindly asking you to stay home. Thanks for your understanding and gute Besserung!

As much as we love laughter, we recognize that the COVID-19 (Corona) virus is no laughing matter. Many of you may be worried about going out to a theater at a time like this.
We wanted to share with you what we’re doing at CCB to make sure our space stays a healthy and safe environment!

What precautions is CCB taking?

We do not wish to add fuel to any mass hysteria regarding the spread of COVID-19 nor do we wish to be a part of the problem.
Here’s the extra stuff we’re doing already:

• We are regularly disinfecting door handles, the bar counter and area, bathrooms and our equipment.
• Trash is being emptied even more regularly.
• Water will no longer be self-serve at the bar (if you want water, please ask our bar staff), and we encourage patrons and students to bring their own reusable water bottles.
• There’s plenty of SOAP! (Please notify staff if there isn’t)
• Wash your hands!

What if it gets worse?

Our plan is to continue with shows and classes unless and until official word of a Veranstaltungsverbot (prohibition on events) for theaters of our size comes through (if at all). To be clear, there is NO indication that this will happen for small theaters* but considering the measures already taken here in Berlin, and what’s happening in Italy and its proximity, it’s good to have a contingency plan.

What happens if there’s a prohibition on events?

• In the event of a partial prohibition (advice from the Senat/Gesundheitsamt to cancel public events):
  • Shows will be immediately cancelled until we are informed otherwise. Tickets for shows during the lockdown will either be refunded, or if the show is rescheduled the attendee can choose a refund or to attend the rescheduled show.
  • Classes will continue as normal.
• In the event of a full prohibition (no public gatherings are allowed – ie, what’s happening in Italy right now):
  • Shows will be immediately cancelled until the end of the lockdown. Tickets for shows during the lockdown will either be refunded, or if the show is rescheduled the attendee can choose a refund or to attend the rescheduled show.
  • Classes will be postponed but not cancelled. Classes will pick back up as soon as any lockdown is lifted.

We will also be monitoring the situation closely ourselves, and if we feel our community or audience could be in danger we may make the decision to close doors temporarily without any official instructions from the city or Gesundheitsamt.

What happens if there’s someone with a confirmed case who is discovered to have visited CCB?

• Anyone who was in contact (within 2 meters) with that person will be notified if possible (see below). In addition to self-quarantining, they should call the Gesundheitsamt or the city Corona Hotline to get instructions on next steps, including possibly getting tested for the virus.
  • Anyone in the audience whose contact info we have (via online sales) will be notified.
  • A notice will be made publicly on our social media platforms and mailing list.
• We will complete a full cleaning of the entire space.
• Adhering to current advice from the Senat and Gesundheitsamt, we will immediately notify the Gesundheitsamt and request their advice as to what we do next (whether the theater must close, and for how long, and what, if any, additional measures must be taken).

So! To sum up, CCB is open to keep you laughing, but with some added precautions, and plans in place in case things get worse! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

Stay safe and healthy!

*The Berlin Culture Ministry has closed all large-scale state-run theaters until April 19, 2020, but has deemed it safe for theaters with a capacity of up to 500 attendees to stay open. https://www.berlin.de/sen/kulteu/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/2020/pressemitteilung.905120.php

 

Sketch comedy has long been featured at CCB, and we’re proud of the regular sketch programming that’s grown out of our community here – The Weird Show, VCR, The Steindor Jonsson Wariety Shov to name a few – but we haven’t had an official way to teach and support sketch comedy… until now!

We’re thrilled to announce that we will be launching a brand-new Sketch Program at The CCB Training School this October with our first sketch comedy course – 101 Intro to Sketch, taught by guest instructor Steindór Jónsson (The BOSS, The Steindor Jonsson Wariety Shov, The Gemini Consortium). 101 will focus on writing in a number of different styles and is open to anybody regardless of experience level. In the new year, we’ll expand the program to include 201 Developing a Sketch Show.

Parallel to teaching sketch comedy at CCBTS, we’ll be launching a House Sketch Team later this year. The Sketch team will be made up of writing and acting crews, working together to produce regular sketch shows at CCB and can be considered the sketch equivalent to our House Harold Teams.
Anyone who has completed the new 101 Intro to Sketch course will be eligible to audition for the House Sketch Team as a writer. Anyone who has completed Level 2 Improv courses at CCBTS will be eligible to audition as an actor. For those folks with extensive prior sketch experience, we will provide a means for these requirements to be waived. Exact details regarding the make-up of the House Sketch Team, including auditioning, audition requirements and a show schedule, will be announced later this autumn.
To stay up-to-date, sign up for our CCBTS Sketch mailing list.