The Groundlings

The Groundlings
Gary Minnaert (Minnaert) · Public domain · source
Name	The Groundlings
Type	Improvisational and sketch comedy troupe
Founded	1974
Location	Los Angeles, California
Building	Groundlings Theatre

The Groundlings is a Los Angeles-based improvisational and sketch comedy troupe and school founded in 1974. It has served as a training ground and launching pad for performers who transitioned to television, film, and theater, influencing comedy on shows, films, and stages across North America. The company operates a training program, a mainstage company, and a theatre that presents original sketch shows and improv performances.

History

The troupe began in 1974 amid the Southern California comedy scene alongside groups and venues such as The Comedy Store, The Improv (Comedy Club), and the emerging alternative comedy circuits. Early figures associated with its formation and early development intersected with performers who later worked on Saturday Night Live, Saturday Night Live Weekend Update, SCTV, and Second City. During the 1980s and 1990s, alumni joined casts and writing staffs of programs including The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson, Late Night with David Letterman, MADtv, The Simpsons, and feature films produced by Universal Pictures and Paramount Pictures. The Groundlings' internal evolution paralleled growth in Los Angeles arts institutions such as Hollywood Bowl and The Geffen Playhouse, and it expanded training offerings as demand from television networks like NBC, ABC, CBS, and Fox Broadcasting Company increased.

Training Program and Curriculum

The institution's multi-tiered curriculum begins with foundational improv classes and advances through performance labs culminating in company placement. The pedagogy draws on techniques practiced at Second City, Improvisation Inc., and methods propagated by instructors linked to schools like UCB Theatre and mentors from The Actors Studio. Courses emphasize character-driven sketch writing, scene work, and long-form improv, preparing students for auditions for television programs such as SNL, casting directors for Paramount Television, and roles in films from studios like Warner Bros., 20th Century Studios, and Columbia Pictures. The program has been led by instructors who later collaborated with creators of series including Arrested Development, 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, and Brooklyn Nine-Nine.

Performance and Shows

Performances take place in the troupe’s theatre with rotating repertory shows, sketch revues, and improv nights. Mainstage productions have influenced sketch formats seen on Saturday Night Live, Key & Peele, Chappelle's Show, and late-night specials for HBO and Netflix. The Groundlings developed recurring formats that crossed into television specials, independent films, and tours with comedians who later appeared on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Conan, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and variety showcases at venues like Carnegie Hall for benefit events. Company shows often feature alumni guest appearances from actors associated with Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and streaming platforms such as Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.

Notable Alumni

Alumni have moved into high-profile roles across film, television, and animation. Performers and writers who trained there include people who later worked with Saturday Night Live, The Simpsons, Family Guy, and film franchises like Star Wars and the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Notable names have been cast in productions from studios and networks such as Disney, Netflix, HBO, Showtime, CBS, NBCUniversal, Fox, and Paramount Network. Alumni have collaborated with directors and producers at companies like Warner Bros. Pictures, Universal Pictures, Lionsgate, and A24, and have been nominated for and won awards from institutions such as the Primetime Emmy Awards, Golden Globe Awards, and Screen Actors Guild Awards. Graduates have held roles in series created by showrunners behind Seinfeld, Friends, The Office (U.S. version), and Veep.

Organizational Structure and Leadership

Governance combines artistic directors, executive staff, and a board that oversees operations, education, and theatre programming. Leadership interacts with agents and casting directors from firms such as CAA, William Morris Endeavor, and United Talent Agency, coordinating tours and guest appearances with festivals like Just for Laughs and charity events connected to institutions such as The Actors Fund and Hollywood Foreign Press Association. Administrative functions liaise with unions and guilds including SAG-AFTRA and Writers Guild of America, and collaborate with production companies and development executives within Netflix and legacy studios for workshops and readings.

Cultural Impact and Reception

The troupe's alumni presence across mainstream television, film, and streaming platforms has shaped contemporary American comedy, influencing programs on NBC, ABC, CBS, Fox Broadcasting Company, and cable channels like Comedy Central and HBO. Critics and cultural commentators in outlets associated with institutions such as The New York Times, Los Angeles Times, and arts programs at The Kennedy Center have noted its role in nurturing character-driven comedy and sketch formats. Festivals and academic programs in performance studies at universities including UCLA, USC, and NYU reference its techniques in curricula about performance, media, and popular culture. The troupe’s methods continue to inform casting trends and development pipelines feeding late-night studios, network comedy departments, and streaming platform comedy slates.

Category:Comedy troupes