New Class Enthusiasm

Started teaching my first class of the year last night, and it is energizing. We did basic stuff, mostly physical (mirroring, object work, Machine, Make a Location) and some abstract focus work (ZZZ, pass the clap). For newcomers to improv the most important thing is getting people comfortable being ridiculous and being crazy together. I love seeing people given the opportunity to be silly, without ego or fear of judgement. Once people get that their safe there is a beautiful change.

Feels great.

Now, I am also champing at the bit to drop some scenic tool on their heads, and I cannot wait to see this group start doing scenes... but there is something really satisfying about this first, getting-to-know-you, wall-razing, school-yard stuff.

Also: In the exercises I ran there was essentially no talking, and it reminded me how much you can get out of the smallest interaction. How the most incidental minutiae can be entertaining if you're focused on it. How I talk too damn much on stage.

More Platitudes!

I have to be lifting this from somewhere, but it's in my head and I like it:

A scene is like a fire, you need to either make it hotter or help it spread, anything else is putting it out.

Anyone know needlepoint? I want to Etsy that shit.

I'm running out of excuses to not write comedy

I just heard on a podcast that the difference between improv and comedy writing is typing.

 Hard to argue.

A Improv Mantra

I just picked up a storytelling RPG called Fiasco, and I'm pretty psyched to try it out. It's tagline is:

A Game of Powerful Ambition and Poor Impulse Control

Powerful Ambition and poor impulse control sounds like a great way to approach playing a character. I'm keeping that one in my toolbelt.

Another round of house teams done

The latest round of house teams at the SCIT has come to an end. Sad times as always, Field Trip and Skunda were really fun, really interesting groups. I don't know if it's just me being able to notice things more but the SCIT house teams seem to be getting more unique as the rounds go on. That is to say there seems to be more group "personality" with each iteration.

This might be because we have more vets on the teams, or maybe the coaches are coaching differently now that people know Harold more... whatever it is it's great. I love teams that play in a way that is uniquely theirs. Not just the mechanisms of their set (openings, edit styles, etc. Although it's great that that has been getting more experimental) but in their "feel". 

I can't wait to see the next batch!

Hell Yeah Workshop Observations

Last week I was fortunate enough to be able to take a workshop with Ric Walker  (Second City, Improvised Shakespeare) at the SCIT. The timing was perfect for me.  I had been slogging in the flat bottom of a slump and desperately needed something to kick my ass out.

The workshop, titled Hell Yeah! (a good sign) touched on several aspects of scenework orbiting the concept of  staying focused on the now and agreeing the shit out of what's being offered.  That first clause was the Big Deal for me. I'm a recovering scene-writer, and I'm constantly letting my brain do things like "OK, this is where we need to go", or "We need to set this up so we can bring that thing up again". Ugh. Just be happy and present in the moment. Everything else will come. Trust trust trust.

  Ric had several pieces of advice that I loved (and will now possibly misinterpret) :

• Your ideas are not precious - You can't have ego about your ideas. If the scene moves beyond it (or if they just get dropped to the ground, or interrupted before they get out, or etc etc), stay on the leading edge of the scene. It's going to be ok. Don't get an idea and block everything else out until you get to fire it off. This happens all the time. Someone will get the first five words of a sentence out, get interrupted by their partner, then say the exact same sentence they were going to say. Totally ignoring what their partner just said. 
• Give graciously. Take Boldly. - Boy I love this phrase. It's going up there with "If you're not having fun, you're the asshole". It's one of those "Oh Duh" mantras. Of course I should present my offers like gifts. Of course I should not shove my ideas down people's throats. Of course I should always be enthusiastic in building on someone's offer. Of course  I shouldn't be hesitant of the And of the Yes And.
• Gratitude.  Another thing I often forget, and something that dovetails with the whole "have fun up there, you asshole" idea: Always be grateful for what's being offered in a scene. When you judge that shit, things fall apart. I know I've internally rolled my eyes at some choices. And I've seen myself on tape taking an awful split-second moment on stage doing it.  That ain't good. It's selfish. When you're playing, play. Appreciate every scene. They might not all be winners, but you have to take the mediocre with good, the terrible with the great. If you start getting in a sad or mad spiral, the show's going to tank.

Really great workshop, so much fun. Welcome to Pittsburgh, Ric!

Ooof.

I don't know which feels ickier when reviewing a performance: seeing yourself holding back too much or seeing yourself steamrolling a scene. 

(For the record, I think holding back is the worse of the two. But then again, I'm a loudmouth)