DIG THE GROUNDLINGS; L.A.'S PREMIER IMPROV COMEDY TROUPE CELEBRATES 25 YEARS.

Byline: Marla Matzer Staff Writer

East Coast elitists sniff that Los Angeles isn't a theater town. If you want to see good theater, they say, go to New York; L.A. actors are just interested in film and TV work. But L.A.'s Groundlings Theatre troupe, masters of improv for a quarter-century, are one of a number of Los Angeles theater groups that put that old saw to rest.

After more than two decades of playing to enthusiastic audiences in the same 99-seat theater on Melrose Avenue, Groundlings past and present are set to celebrate their 25th with a festival of 25 events here in L.A. tonight through Oct. 9.

The Groundlings also gained some wider notoriety for the late-night FX cable network show ``Instant Comedy With the Groundlings,'' which aired from September 1998 through this month. Allison Kingsley, executive director of the Groundlings, said the group would be interested in doing a television show again, but it's not currently the primary focus. Instead, the troupe is concentrating on its live shows, particularly during these two weeks.

Still, one of the Groundlings' biggest claims to fame is having sent many actors off to television work - especially in New York, on the late-night sketch show ``Saturday Night Live.'' Like the Groundlings - the group was named for the common folks in Shakespeare's time who had to sit on the ground at theater performances - ``SNL'' was created 25 years ago.

The tradition started with original ``SNL'' cast member Laraine Newman and has continued over the years with such ``SNL''-Groundlings members as Jon Lovitz, Julia Sweeney and Phil Hartman. The current cast of SNL features a whopping five members who are current or recently departed Groundlings members: Chris Katan, Ana Gasteyer, Chris Parnell, Will Ferrell and Cheri Oteri.

Kingsley says the troupe doesn't mind being seen as a training ground, since it isn't just a one-way street. ``The people that do go on from here are so dedicated to this place. It's not like they go on and never mention this place again or forget about us. (Alumni) will sometimes stop by and do improv here. The `SNL' kids perform here during the summer ... there's a reciprocal dedication between us and these cast members.''

Fox's ``Mad TV'' has also benefited from the talents of a number of Groundlings as performers and writers. Mike McDonald, one of the biggest stars on the show currently, says his seven-year Groundlings experience (1992-99) was invaluable to him as a performer.

``Virtually all the characters I'm doing on this show, I developed at the Groundlings,'' said McDonald. ``Stuart ... Rusty ... Happy Folger ... some were improvised, some I just wrote (while at the Groundlings).''

In fact, the Groundlings were McDonald's first exposure to improv: ``I was a loan officer at a bank in L.A. when a friend of mine who wanted to get into acting took me to the Groundlings,'' McDonald said. ``I saw the show, and I was blown away. I literally quit my job that Friday and signed up for a class (at the theater). ... Now, I go back as often as I can. I go sometimes on Thursday evenings to work out routines ... I like to keep in touch with the live performance aspect,'' said McDonald, who will take part in several of the Groundlings anniversary performances.

It's not just the cast of ``SNL'' and ``Mad TV'' that the Groundlings supply with talent, though. Its alumni include such sitcom stars as Kathy Griffin (``Suddenly Susan'') and Lisa Kudrow (``Friends''), producers including ``Just Shoot Me'' executive producer Tom Maxwell, and Emmy award-winning writers like Tracy Newman (``Ellen'') and ``Cheers'' scribes Bill and Cheri Steinkellner.

``People's talents are really nurtured here,'' said Mindy Sterling, a Groundlings alumna who now teaches classes at the theater when she's not working on such movies as both ``Austin Powers'' movies (in which she played Dr. Evil's henchwoman and secret lover, Frau Farbissina) and this summer's ``Drop Dead Gorgeous.'' Sterling, who came to the troupe 15 years ago, said: ``It opens up whole new areas, like writing and directing, that performers may never have thought about exploring before.''

That was the intention of Gary Austin when he founded the Groundlings in 1974. Austin says he was one of just two teachers in Los Angeles in the early 1970s teaching improvisation; his Gary Austin Workshop became a magnet for those who wanted that kind of training. After a year or so of sporadic shows around L.A. as the Gary Austin Workshop, Austin officially formed the Groundlings as a nonprofit corporation. Founding members included Tom Maxwell and Tracy Newman.

The group moved into its current Melrose Avenue location in 1974, though performances had to be held at nearby theaters for several years until the aging building could be gotten ``up to code'' for audiences to come there. Austin left the group in 1979; he says he ``needed to move on,'' partly because of artistic differences. Today, Austin teaches classes around the country and will be bringing a one-man show, titled ``Church,'' to Burbank's Third Stage theater Oct. 8.

The Groundlings' emphasis on learning and improvising has spawned a number of famous characters. Many that went on to become comic icons on TV and in film - including Paul Reubens' Pee-wee Herman, Julia Sweeney's asexual Pat and Mike Myers' swinging Austin Powers - were ``worked out'' at the Groundlings Theatre.

One thing that distinguishes the Groundlings is that it is a nonprofit group that also runs a school for actors. At any given time, the theater group has about 3,000 students, according to Kingsley. In order to make it to the main Groundlings troupe, actors usually have to work their way up through taking classes.

Those in the troupe usually ``give up their spot'' in the 30-member group within a few years as they move on and allow others to have the opportunity at stardom. Some, like Mindy Sterling, hang around to teach and stay active with the Groundlings even after relinquishing their active membership in the troupe.

``It really is hard to leave, to relinquish your membership,'' Sterling said, ``but it's really about bringing in new talent and moving on, so you don't want to stay forever. But definitely, this is my second family.''

The facts

The event: ``The Groundlings' 25th Anniversary Celebration.''

The stars: Appearances by Groundlings alumni Jon Lovitz, Lisa Kudrow, Kathy Griffin, Laraine Newman, Paul Reubens and others.

Highlights: The festival kicks off tonight with the opening of ``Groundlings 25 to Life'' and a dedication to the late Phil Harman, who was a Groundlings alumnus and longtime supporter. On Wednesday, the Museum of Television and Radio in Beverly Hills hosts ``The Groundlings 25th Anniversary Show,'' with speakers including Kathy Griffin, Laraine Newman and Jon Lovitz. Closing night is ``Cooking With Gas,'' an ``all-star'' benefit concert featuring celebrity alumni. There are a number of other performances, as well as a Discussion Series featuring Groundlings alumni talking about producing, writing and doing voice-overs in the entertainment industry.

Tickets/Information: Tickets for most events are $7 to $25; tickets to the closing-night benefit are $250. Tickets are available at the Groundlings Theatre box office, 7307 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood, or by calling [phone]. Schedule information is also available at www.groundlings.com on the Web.

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1) Lynne Stewart and the late Phil Hartman in another Groundlings moment.

(2) ``Friends'' star Lisa Kudrow and Patrick Bristow (he's been on a few series including ``Ellen'') are among the actors who started with the Groundlings.