28th
weareloved.net
I crossed paths with Barak a few years back while he was on tour with his three-man improv team, Isaac Improv. This is Barak (pronounced like Derick):
I had just turned 21 when I dropped out of school for a semester to tour with Isaac. I ran lights and sound for them for awhile, but Barak and the guys taught me how to do improv. After a rough start, I eventually found my footing.
We criss-crossed the country for two long months on the road before we arrived in Indianapolis looking forward to 10 days off before the final leg. I went back to Ohio and hung out with Dave at Old St. George Cathedral in Cinncinati. Chip and Kyle flew to Florida. Barak went to his parents’ in Indiana. When we met up again in Columbus, Kyle wasn’t there. He’d decided to get hitched and didn’t return for the last leg of the tour. I took his place as third man and we picked up a friend of mine to take over as roadie, Nate Schryock, who was feeling particularly listless at the time.
Well that first tour turned into a year with Isaac, then off and on for a few more after I returned to college. I got my improv legs out there on the road with Barak and Chip, Kyle and the handful of others that rotated in and out. But more than that, I fell in love with the craft, I found the closest thing I’ve ever known to a “calling…” you know, if you believe in that sort of thing…
This is a clip from a documentary Isaac made called “30,000 Miles and a Camera.” Its slow but that was the pace of life back then.
Isaac Improv Chpt. 3 from 50YearPlan on Vimeo.
Barak and I are both in LA now, but life is busy and we seldom get those long aimless afternoons we did while we were traveling. This afternoon Barak and I ate lunch at a tasty little thai joint near Pearspace, Silverlake adjacent. I had Pad Thai and a Diet Coke. Barak had the Yellow Curry and a Coke. His was better.
We hiked the stairs back up the hill to his house, which has a great view of the city. We caught up on life and careers and projects and art, and I watched the skyline from his balcony for awhile. I must admit, once in awhile this ugly city of angeles manages to catch the light just right
Oh, and not only is Barak funny, he’s one of the most talented people I’ve ever met. Here are two gems courtesy of Barak. Find these cool prints and more at weareloved.net.
How cool is this?
And this:
Yeah, Barak made these things by thinking with his brain. Support his efforts because they are greater than Macy’s. www.weareloved.net
