So I just visited Chicago to meet up with a friend who was graduating from Loyola University, while I was out there I decided that I wanted to see one of my favorite comedy shows in the nation. TJ and Dave are two of the greatest improvisers to come out of the Second City in Chicago, Improv Olympic, and the Annoyance Theater in Chicago. Tj and Dave is comprised of TJ Jagadowski and Dave Pasquesi. You may know TJ from the series of Sonic commercials where he and another improviser from Chicago talk to each other about the various Sonic meals. In fact, all of those commercials are completely improvised and TJ Jagadowski refuses to do any scripted material because he feels claustrophobic when it comes to a script.Dave Pasquesi has done several bit parts on different tv shows but he is probably best known for playing the “meat man” on the Amy Sedaris and Stephen Colbert show Strangers with Candy.
Regardless of their past credential TJ and Dave is the best show in the Chicago, their format is that the two of them walk out onto to the stage without any prompt from the audience and they stare at each other for a couple moments, then they launch into a long-form improv set. Long form improv is a lot different from the type of improv that you see on the show “Whose Line is it Anyway?” Long Form improv is a lot like an improvised play. There aren’t any games or gimmicks just two people creating a story all by themselves. The two have released a DVD called Trust this is all made up, which is what they say before every single show.
