It might be presumptuous to say that I am doing Bad Improv but it is really starting to feel like it. This is actually positive because previously I was doing Worse Improv.
At the start I was not emotional invested in my performances. It was about having fun. I was there to play games. Simply understanding the rules of the game were enough to warrant a job well done in my mind. I had some loosely defined fears related to being funny/not-funny and that showed. I remember when I took the stage that I moved quickly, talked too fast, and did not often commit to characters, their actions, and reactions. But it wasn't until I had participated in a few scenes and started to gain a greater understanding of what was required of a successful scene that I began to become more hesitant in my choices.
Coming to understand the criteria made me conscience about what I failed to include in the scene: strong character choice; complimentary emotion; complimentary status; listening but not reacting to my partner; conflict; piggybacking on their "yes, ands..." and not returning more to them; etc.
To confound things, I coupled all of that with the requirement "to be funny" when I took the stage. The success of a exercise often felt more well done when people laughed. Now I've stopped.
I am relieved to have reached this point. Disconnecting some of my ties to the "funny" has made me in some ways more present in the moment. Allowing me to close some of that gap between when my brain develops a preferable a course of action and when I open my mouth. It is less a matter of a censor and more of optimizing my filter.
I am still not comfortable on stage. I am still not committing fully to the character, my partners, and the location. I'm still not... but at least I'm not uncomfortable when a laugh doesn't follow my work.
I keep making mistakes. I need to make a whole lot more.
With all that said, I'd like to invite you to see me at:
Jet City Improv 201 Showcase
Sunday, May 18 at 7:00PM
The Historic University Theater
5510 University Way NE
Seattle, WA
At the start I was not emotional invested in my performances. It was about having fun. I was there to play games. Simply understanding the rules of the game were enough to warrant a job well done in my mind. I had some loosely defined fears related to being funny/not-funny and that showed. I remember when I took the stage that I moved quickly, talked too fast, and did not often commit to characters, their actions, and reactions. But it wasn't until I had participated in a few scenes and started to gain a greater understanding of what was required of a successful scene that I began to become more hesitant in my choices.
Coming to understand the criteria made me conscience about what I failed to include in the scene: strong character choice; complimentary emotion; complimentary status; listening but not reacting to my partner; conflict; piggybacking on their "yes, ands..." and not returning more to them; etc.
To confound things, I coupled all of that with the requirement "to be funny" when I took the stage. The success of a exercise often felt more well done when people laughed. Now I've stopped.
I am relieved to have reached this point. Disconnecting some of my ties to the "funny" has made me in some ways more present in the moment. Allowing me to close some of that gap between when my brain develops a preferable a course of action and when I open my mouth. It is less a matter of a censor and more of optimizing my filter.
I am still not comfortable on stage. I am still not committing fully to the character, my partners, and the location. I'm still not... but at least I'm not uncomfortable when a laugh doesn't follow my work.
I keep making mistakes. I need to make a whole lot more.
With all that said, I'd like to invite you to see me at:
Jet City Improv 201 Showcase
Sunday, May 18 at 7:00PM
The Historic University Theater
5510 University Way NE
Seattle, WA
VIEW 9 of 9 COMMENTS
it_thing_hard_on:
It was very....interesting meeting you last night. You're quite the character. 
remj:
I totally thought it started at 8:30. And checking my calendar says 7. Sorry that I'm a moron when it comes to my crazy Sunday schedule.