The Nerdist School may be dying this Easter weekend, but it’ll rise from the dead next weekend as The Ruby LA, a new, more inclusive training center for comedians on Hollywood’s Sunset Boulevard.
The Ruby LA’s launch will coincide with a 12-hour comedy festival, The Ruby Assembly, on April 7, 2018.
Jen Curran, Lindsey Barrow and Randy Thompson from The Nerdist School are The Ruby LA’s co-founders. Their mission statement for The Ruby LA aims to reflect the shifts in thinking about feminism, inclusion and diversity in the wake of #MeToo and #TimesUp.
They’ll be joined by comedy faculty including Dwayne Colbert, Rebekka Johnson, Muriel Montgomery, Melissa Pryor, Ashley Ward, Patricia Villetto, Bill Posley, Steph Garcia and Ptolemy Slocum. “We’re offering improv and sketch classes, and we’re also teaching you skills so you’re fully prepared to work in the industry,” Barrow said. “We’ve got exciting new classes about pitching in a room, audition prep, marketing, discovering your unique voice and lots more.”
They’re also planning on launching a feminist podcast network, scholarships, and digital production work. The Ruby LA is located at 7518 Sunset Blvd., Los Angeles, CA.
Which, as you may note, is/was the address for Meltdown Comics.