The Family
c. 1990-1995 ยท Chicago, IL
Del Close's personal Harold laboratory, the iO team that invented tag-outs and crystallized the UCB aesthetic before UCB existed.
Known for
- iO Chicago house team directed by Del Close. Developed 'The Movie' and 'The Deconstruction' as long-form structures.
- First group to play with fast tag-outs and edits. Aesthetic became the UCB template.
- Lineup around 'Three Mad Rituals' (their Close-directed flagship show): Matt Besser, Ian Roberts, Neil Flynn, Miles Stroth, Adam McKay, Ali Farahnakian.
- Created two Close-directed shows: 'Three Mad Rituals' and 'Dynamite Fun Nest.'
- 'As Jazz Freddy was slow, The Family was fast', often-quoted summary of the Chicago 90s divide.
- Besser, Roberts, McKay, Poehler would later form UCB; Flynn became 'The Janitor' on Scrubs.
Connected to
Schools & Theaters
io
People