We did extensive character work in Conservatory today. In practice, this consisted of doing scenes in accents. At least for this week. Last week, we also did some character work at the start of class, but accents weren't necessarily part of the package.
Trying to improv a character is hard yakka. It isn't necessarily easy when writing, but the risk of getting it wrong on the page is less immediate or painful than getting it wrong on stage. In fact, the process that goes into writing a good character for a sketch is in many ways the opposite of improvising: it's calculated. When a character is written for a sketch (or a sketch is written for an existing character), the character's foibles, wants, and needs are usually carefully and meticulously plotted out by the writer beforehand. A very detailed character profile may include traits or details that never even find their way into the sketch, they just help the author add depth to the character that's in the scene.
In improv, on the other hand, we're encouraged to keep our mind open until the instant that we get on stage. We're meant to initiate our character or our scene after we step out instead of thinking five moves ahead before doing so. Again, it's tough. The task is made all the more daunting when trying to navigate those channels in an accent that you may or may not be able to pull off well. Of course, half the fun with accents in comic sketches can be when they're done poorly. (I'm thinking of Andy Samberg's atrocious attempt at an Australian accent as Hugh Jackman -- when the real Hugh Jackman was onstage with him.)
In class yesterday, we had Australian accents, English accents, German accents, Indian accents (as in the subcontinent), and southern accents. A highlight was Siera and Casey's scene set in an English convenience store with Scott as a Yank tourist (complete with fanny pack) who had his banger pointed at by Casey's take on a homophobic English git.
We were encouraged/told/directed/ordered to bring energy and emotion to the scene because we owe it to the scene. That recommendation comes with a word of caution: if this emotion or energy is too over the top, you will be scolded.
An insightful tidbit from yesterday was that scenes fall apart when one or more of the actors panic and think "this is comedy, I have to fuck it up." Yeah, it gets fucked up, but all-too-often it gets fucked up in the sense that that it doesn't work.
We concluded with montage work and ended the class with a wedding scene involving the entire class. the groom was having an asthma attack and his best man had to keep administering his inhaler to him during the vows. The bride had a nasty bout of eczema afflicting her skull and her maid of honor had to keep scratching her head for her. They lived happily ever after.
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Thursday, July 26, 2012
Geburtstaggesicht
You can't keep a good team down.
We are hard at work on our next project: Sketch Cagematch on Saturday, August 4, 2012 at 10:00 p.m.
This will be a ten minute gig with 3(!) sketches crammed into that time. We'll be competing against other sketch revues for the prize: a four-show run in October. So, we need all of you reading this to come to Stage 773 on August 4, love our gig, and vote for us to win the competition. Yes, all of you reading this -- we'd love to see our Russian fans. And we'd love to see whoever is responsible for our three page views from Israel during this past week. Come one, come all.
We've got a sketch from Laura, a sketch from Shane, and a sketch from our Duke of Whacky, Mark. All sketches are entirely new material in that they haven't been staged before. We also have a new name. (It's disguised in this blog entry. Happy hunting!)
We've brought back some of our favorite actors: Sam, Michelle, and Brigid. And -- this will be the triumphant return to the stage for me and Dan.
It's interesting going back to doing this on our own. More work. Less swanky rehearsal space. More discussions about what looks right in a sketch, what doesn't, and whether we should go with tested material or entirely new material. That said, I think we've learned to be more open as a group about material that works and that which doesn't. We've emerged from this last show as a better, more professional group.
And we're gonna keep making funny.
We are hard at work on our next project: Sketch Cagematch on Saturday, August 4, 2012 at 10:00 p.m.
This will be a ten minute gig with 3(!) sketches crammed into that time. We'll be competing against other sketch revues for the prize: a four-show run in October. So, we need all of you reading this to come to Stage 773 on August 4, love our gig, and vote for us to win the competition. Yes, all of you reading this -- we'd love to see our Russian fans. And we'd love to see whoever is responsible for our three page views from Israel during this past week. Come one, come all.
We've got a sketch from Laura, a sketch from Shane, and a sketch from our Duke of Whacky, Mark. All sketches are entirely new material in that they haven't been staged before. We also have a new name. (It's disguised in this blog entry. Happy hunting!)
We've brought back some of our favorite actors: Sam, Michelle, and Brigid. And -- this will be the triumphant return to the stage for me and Dan.
It's interesting going back to doing this on our own. More work. Less swanky rehearsal space. More discussions about what looks right in a sketch, what doesn't, and whether we should go with tested material or entirely new material. That said, I think we've learned to be more open as a group about material that works and that which doesn't. We've emerged from this last show as a better, more professional group.
And we're gonna keep making funny.
Sunday, July 22, 2012
Black Out
Yesterday's Conservatory class began with the usual warm ups. We were missing one of our classmates, but we had a guy from another Conservatory time slot, Trevor, in our class for the day. He was a very high energy guy.
We spent our early scene work in class trying to develop characters. I took a punt on a character that I've been working on that's actually based on a friend of mine. I always feel kind of wrong when I base a comic character on somebody who's a friend. (I feel even worse when it doesn't get any laughs. That proves that I'm a selfish bastard.)
The remainder of class was different from any improv class I've ever taken. We wrote. I understand that eventually in Conservatory, the goal is to develop a sketch show inspired by improv. As part of that education, we'll eventually learn to write sketches by being introduced to the common styles of sketches and reading archived material. Basically, the stuff they teach you over the course of a year and six courses in the writing program.
Interestingly, our introduction to writing was blackouts. We didn't do blackouts until writing three. We also attempted to write our black outs in groups of three. This inevitably leads to chaos. Ideas get spit out as fast as possible, and it's damn hard to keep up or even spend a decent amount of time distilling an idea. I was tempted to just steal some of the ones that I had already written. I was even more tempted to steal some of the blackouts that Mark has written. (Hey, that's a compliment to Mark.)
Ultimately, we had four groups of three people attempting to write six blackouts each. Three of these were meant to be topical/news related and three were meant to be almost anything. Tim actively encouraged us to be bawdy, raunchy, and borderline stereotypical in our content. He later explained that blackouts are an outlet for all of the bottom of one's intelligence, smutty, going-blue tendencies that funny people are often prone to indulging. And that perfectly explains why blackouts are so difficult and so hit or miss. When we had an entire class of sharing blackouts in writing three, Joe was satisfied in our output because "we had a couple good ones and even more that stunk up the joint."
I don't think we were told about the rule of ten yesterday: out of ten ideas that you have, you're doing well if one of them hits the mark. Yesterday was no different. Some were good, more were bombs, and others were just pedestrian. Still, when you're writing these amongst friends, the terrible ones are actually as much fun as the good ones. So, we got some good laughs out of this exercise.
The end of the class we tried to develop a sketch idea using a historical time period as our reference to make a comment about current events or something that is as true today as it was yesterday. It would've been cool if we had had time to review some archival material as examples, but we didn't have time. We were split into two groups of six each for this exercise and did not have a very long to try to come up with a sketch idea. I'm curious to see if we come back to this in future classes.
Some highlights from yesterday: Kristin had multiple improv orgasms in class. One resulting from Fifty Shades of Grey and the other resulting from apple strudel. One blackout involved people on a train getting jostled into each other that culminated in all of them groping each other. There was also a shoot-out at a cupcake store. Poor Scott was inadvertently cock-punched. (Occupational hazard.) Oh, and Tim declared that I am crazy. I'm taking that as a compliment.
We spent our early scene work in class trying to develop characters. I took a punt on a character that I've been working on that's actually based on a friend of mine. I always feel kind of wrong when I base a comic character on somebody who's a friend. (I feel even worse when it doesn't get any laughs. That proves that I'm a selfish bastard.)
The remainder of class was different from any improv class I've ever taken. We wrote. I understand that eventually in Conservatory, the goal is to develop a sketch show inspired by improv. As part of that education, we'll eventually learn to write sketches by being introduced to the common styles of sketches and reading archived material. Basically, the stuff they teach you over the course of a year and six courses in the writing program.
Interestingly, our introduction to writing was blackouts. We didn't do blackouts until writing three. We also attempted to write our black outs in groups of three. This inevitably leads to chaos. Ideas get spit out as fast as possible, and it's damn hard to keep up or even spend a decent amount of time distilling an idea. I was tempted to just steal some of the ones that I had already written. I was even more tempted to steal some of the blackouts that Mark has written. (Hey, that's a compliment to Mark.)
Ultimately, we had four groups of three people attempting to write six blackouts each. Three of these were meant to be topical/news related and three were meant to be almost anything. Tim actively encouraged us to be bawdy, raunchy, and borderline stereotypical in our content. He later explained that blackouts are an outlet for all of the bottom of one's intelligence, smutty, going-blue tendencies that funny people are often prone to indulging. And that perfectly explains why blackouts are so difficult and so hit or miss. When we had an entire class of sharing blackouts in writing three, Joe was satisfied in our output because "we had a couple good ones and even more that stunk up the joint."
I don't think we were told about the rule of ten yesterday: out of ten ideas that you have, you're doing well if one of them hits the mark. Yesterday was no different. Some were good, more were bombs, and others were just pedestrian. Still, when you're writing these amongst friends, the terrible ones are actually as much fun as the good ones. So, we got some good laughs out of this exercise.
The end of the class we tried to develop a sketch idea using a historical time period as our reference to make a comment about current events or something that is as true today as it was yesterday. It would've been cool if we had had time to review some archival material as examples, but we didn't have time. We were split into two groups of six each for this exercise and did not have a very long to try to come up with a sketch idea. I'm curious to see if we come back to this in future classes.
Some highlights from yesterday: Kristin had multiple improv orgasms in class. One resulting from Fifty Shades of Grey and the other resulting from apple strudel. One blackout involved people on a train getting jostled into each other that culminated in all of them groping each other. There was also a shoot-out at a cupcake store. Poor Scott was inadvertently cock-punched. (Occupational hazard.) Oh, and Tim declared that I am crazy. I'm taking that as a compliment.
Saturday, July 21, 2012
An End to Awkardness
Last night was the final show. Four up, four down.
As usual, the crowd laughed in all the spots they were meant to laugh. I tracked the laughs for each show, and the crowd reaction was remarkably consistent. Some nights certain jokes were better received than others, but we didn't have a situation where something just bombed one night and killed on another night. I'm sure that will happen eventually.
My perch for the show was off to the side. My big sister came to town to catch the show, and I had a clear view of her. I have to admit that watched her a fair amount to see if she was liking what was happening. I was especially pleased that she laughed heartily at the luridly pedophilic tunes in "Crossroads." Dark humor runs in my family, so I wasn't surprised.
We got a treat in the audience member that Brigid and Michelle summoned for "Earthwads." He is a friend of Dan's and does a fair amount of acting, so he gave some good lines that gave Brigid and Michelle lots to work with.
As the show came to a close with Brigid, Michelle, and Janna in a soufflé of lesbianic tyranny, our run as student writers at the Second City came to an end. I can't say that there was any feeling of misty-eyed emotion that accompanied the end of the show. The seven of us who began together in Writing One have put on a show together in March, and we've got future projects in the works. So, we damn well that we'll be seeing more of each other. We just have less structure for the time being.
Still, an ending calls for a look back. Dan, Mark, Laura, Ben, Shane, Angela, and I began this journey in May 2011 -- all strangers. We were in a class with several others -- including the infamous "Buff Guy and Old Dude." Buff Guy and Old Dude worked for some start up or some other vaguely defined but purportedly impressive business venture. Their stated purpose in taking Writing One was to get ideas for their business. Or something. Anyway, I think they were paired with Mark for an early exercise. They are probably making millions at this very instant off a sex doll made of pancakes that tells poop jokes. (All of which are things that Mark holds very dear.)
We really didn't start to hang out after class until late May 2011. It soon became an extension of class where most of us would adjourn at Corcoran's or the Old Town Ale House and b.s., spitball ideas, and run through moments in class that we really liked. Social gatherings soon followed. Late last summer we were having a cookout when our friend Mary told us she had an in to put on a show at Gorilla Tango. In November and December, we began planning that show and all seven of us took the term off because Laura had too much work-related travel during November and couldn't take Writing Four at that time.
As a result of our show, we were introduced to several talented actors. We also were introduced to several talented writers when we had our massive Writing Four class. That is when Brian joined the fray. From there, the eight writers who wrote "This is Going to be Awkward" built our show together. It's been a Hell of a ride. We had a great cast party at Shane and Natalie's last night. We drank, laughed, and stuffed ourselves with tasty food.
This has been a very wonderful experience. Thanks.
As usual, the crowd laughed in all the spots they were meant to laugh. I tracked the laughs for each show, and the crowd reaction was remarkably consistent. Some nights certain jokes were better received than others, but we didn't have a situation where something just bombed one night and killed on another night. I'm sure that will happen eventually.
My perch for the show was off to the side. My big sister came to town to catch the show, and I had a clear view of her. I have to admit that watched her a fair amount to see if she was liking what was happening. I was especially pleased that she laughed heartily at the luridly pedophilic tunes in "Crossroads." Dark humor runs in my family, so I wasn't surprised.
We got a treat in the audience member that Brigid and Michelle summoned for "Earthwads." He is a friend of Dan's and does a fair amount of acting, so he gave some good lines that gave Brigid and Michelle lots to work with.
As the show came to a close with Brigid, Michelle, and Janna in a soufflé of lesbianic tyranny, our run as student writers at the Second City came to an end. I can't say that there was any feeling of misty-eyed emotion that accompanied the end of the show. The seven of us who began together in Writing One have put on a show together in March, and we've got future projects in the works. So, we damn well that we'll be seeing more of each other. We just have less structure for the time being.
Still, an ending calls for a look back. Dan, Mark, Laura, Ben, Shane, Angela, and I began this journey in May 2011 -- all strangers. We were in a class with several others -- including the infamous "Buff Guy and Old Dude." Buff Guy and Old Dude worked for some start up or some other vaguely defined but purportedly impressive business venture. Their stated purpose in taking Writing One was to get ideas for their business. Or something. Anyway, I think they were paired with Mark for an early exercise. They are probably making millions at this very instant off a sex doll made of pancakes that tells poop jokes. (All of which are things that Mark holds very dear.)
We really didn't start to hang out after class until late May 2011. It soon became an extension of class where most of us would adjourn at Corcoran's or the Old Town Ale House and b.s., spitball ideas, and run through moments in class that we really liked. Social gatherings soon followed. Late last summer we were having a cookout when our friend Mary told us she had an in to put on a show at Gorilla Tango. In November and December, we began planning that show and all seven of us took the term off because Laura had too much work-related travel during November and couldn't take Writing Four at that time.
As a result of our show, we were introduced to several talented actors. We also were introduced to several talented writers when we had our massive Writing Four class. That is when Brian joined the fray. From there, the eight writers who wrote "This is Going to be Awkward" built our show together. It's been a Hell of a ride. We had a great cast party at Shane and Natalie's last night. We drank, laughed, and stuffed ourselves with tasty food.
This has been a very wonderful experience. Thanks.
 |
| They're up to no good. |
 |
| How does that go, again? |
 |
| AMPED! |
 |
| Mr. Sherbet Trousers himself. |
 |
| Fla-la-la-la-la. Lalalala. |
 |
| Ebony and Ivory, living together in perfect harmony. |
 |
| These fuckin' guys. |
 |
| The Graduate. |
 |
| This is how you control an alien hand. |
 |
| Fuck you, too. |
 |
| How Brian looks through beer goggles. |
 |
| Birthday Face. |
 |
| Before he did a strip tease as Woody Woodpecker. |
Sunday, July 15, 2012
Clique It
Yesterday in Conservatory, Tim introduced us to the concept that having teams or sub-groups within an ensemble is OK. This is a good lesson to get out of the way early in a class of twelve. (I was correct after all. Our class has twelve people in it, not eleven.) He introduced us to that concept during our warm up. He then had us do an extended exercise where we struck poses and took turns and then had us group together to make scenes from our poses, sometimes in groups of two, there, four, etc. That was pretty cool.
A theme throughout yesterday's class was playing scenes at the top of our intelligence and being emotionally truthful to the situation. Part and parcel of that concept is acting. Yes, acting in the true sense of a scene instead of trying to blow things up by trying to be funny for the sake of funny. This sounds beginnerish, but it's a trap that experienced improvisers fall into all the time. Hell, I was in a scene yesterday where I made the beginner mistake of making the scene too much about the action or the object work that I was doing. You'd think after a year of doing this several hours each week that wouldn't happen, but it did.
Tim also shared with us an overall suggestion for our scenes in that we should try to get to the "who" with our scene partner instead of concentrating too much on the "what" within the scene. Too often improvisers get caught up with plot in the scene. That's when things get forced and you try to be funny for the sake of it.
That's all I got for today. I've got a dog to walk and phlegm to cough up. (Having a cold in July really sucks.)
A theme throughout yesterday's class was playing scenes at the top of our intelligence and being emotionally truthful to the situation. Part and parcel of that concept is acting. Yes, acting in the true sense of a scene instead of trying to blow things up by trying to be funny for the sake of funny. This sounds beginnerish, but it's a trap that experienced improvisers fall into all the time. Hell, I was in a scene yesterday where I made the beginner mistake of making the scene too much about the action or the object work that I was doing. You'd think after a year of doing this several hours each week that wouldn't happen, but it did.
Tim also shared with us an overall suggestion for our scenes in that we should try to get to the "who" with our scene partner instead of concentrating too much on the "what" within the scene. Too often improvisers get caught up with plot in the scene. That's when things get forced and you try to be funny for the sake of it.
That's all I got for today. I've got a dog to walk and phlegm to cough up. (Having a cold in July really sucks.)
Da Turd
"Da Turd." That doesn't mean we laid a turd last might. It means that last night's show was "the third." But if you the "the third" in an over-the-top Chicago accent, you get "da Turd." So there.
One might say that's an awkward way to begin this post, but "awkward" is the name of the game for us. It's IN the title, for fuck's sake. So, yeah, show three.
The show feels like a well-oiled machine at this point. That should bode well for the fourth show, which is closing night. So, COME OUT AND SEE THE SHOW NEXT FRIDAY, OR YOU'RE SHIT OUT OF LUCK!
The actors met at 7:30 to run through lines, and I showed up about 8:30 to hang out with them as they prepare. I like seeing this process, but it dawned on me that maybe it's kind of creepy.
I think maybe I do it because I've acted with half the cast before: Michelle, Sam, and David. All three are very great people to have around when you want to expel nervous energy. Even as a writer, I feel nervous energy before a show. I know that the actors will portray the words and the scene in the best way possible, but if the jokes fall flat or the scene fundamentally isn't funny, it's on me as a writer. I still think that way before every show, it makes me nervous, and spending time with the actors before they go on helps to quell that anxiety. Thanks, thespians.
The actors began to do a very cool thing before the show as a warm-up. They were in a circle, and began to pass a ball around and whoever had the ball had to say something positive about the others in the circle. Unfortunately, it had to be truncated to the person with the ball saying something nice about the person from whom they received the ball. (This exercise began five minutes before show time.) Nevertheless, this was a very cool exercise before going on.
On that note, I think I'll take a break from listing my highlights from last night's show. If I had the ball in my hand and had to look around the room at the people who've been a part of this process, I would say:
Michelle: I've had the pleasure of seeing you bring life to characters that I've written, and I've also had the privilege of sharing the stage with you. You bring physicality and depth to roles and scenes that could easily fall flat as boring conversations. Anybody can look like a good actor with you on stage because you initiate with your fellow actors in a way that is convincing and seamless. I will always laugh whenever I hear a Melissa Etheridge song because of you.
Detroit Angie: You are a dynamo of funny scene ideas, and you also have the skill to actually turn funny ideas into funny scenes. (Hey, that's easier said than done.) Your dedication to the group is an inspiration to us all, and you're an awesome friend to boot. You've written funny conventional scenes, and you've come up with some asinine stuff that has left us with our sides hurting. And, of course, you're just another example of why Detroit is awesome.
Andy: In a sketch show you still improvise in discreet ways that don't overshadow the scene but add to it and make it slightly different each week -- e.g. the antics with the baby in "Real Version," the tie rolling out of your mouth as vomit (or a tongue?) in Wild Wild West, and the awesome whiteboy dancing in The Big Dance. Also, the different voices really inform and change your characters.
Benhur: It's not fair that you have such a wide comedic range. In both of our shows, you've consistently produced some of our strongest sketches, and they have been incredibly varied in their content. If I keep heaping praise on you, people may think I have a crush on you, so I'll stop.
Brigid: You are a force of nature. It's been informative watching the energy that you bring to the stage every week. Selfishly, I cannot thank you enough for injecting life into my sketch. When I wrote the sketch, I was worried that Gloria's character was garnish. But you're never garnish, and you made the entire scene better as result.
Dan: A great friend, a funny and talented writer, and a seriously awesome actor. Because of these varied talents, you made class fun in two ways -- you'd write a funny sketch, and then we'd get to see you act in several sketches each week and kill it. You are a magician at writing date scenes that go horribly wrong and scenes that lampoon self important dickheads. And, of course, you gave us writers the phrase, "Jeezers Peezers."
Sam: You go after your roles with passion. It shows in how freakishly fast you get off book and in how you dissect your contribution to the scene afterwards. You also have a very broad range as an actor: a superhero, a Zorro-esque Lothario, a folksy farm boy with delusions of grandeur, an oversexed husband losing his shit at a wedding, and a cross-dressing teenage boy from the upper crust. But damn it all if you aren't funnier off stage.
Mark: You are a sick and depraved talentless hack. Give $50 to a hooker, lose your virginity, and move on. That is all.
Janna: You really do become your characters. Because of that, you deliver your lines in a very seamless and convincing way. Case in point: the object work that you do in Wild Wild West. In that scene, you keep your self busy with the business of the scene even when the action is elsewhere on stage. And then there is the motherly muttering that you do doing Original Jewish Mother, classic.
Laura: Two of our strongest sketches and yet you had at least three other submissions that easily could have been staged for this show. Not fair. I am especially envious of your ability to take incidents from your life and meld them into funny sketches. Yeah, you're alright for a University of Chicago egghead. No comment on your college football allegiance.
David: I'm so happy you're part of this show, and I miss being on stage with you. I was always impressed with your skill as an improviser, and you've nailed the sketch thang as well. The research and hard work you put into your roles shows, especially in the Alien Hand. I hope the future holds more opportunities for us to make funny together.
Brian: It's been fun getting to know you over the past several months. I still think that Anointing of the Sickos needs to be staged somewhere. Afterwards, we can have the best excommunication party ever! Seriously, you have a rare gift of being able to go to opposite ends of the innocence/offensive continuum. I envy that, and you made the show better as a result.
Joe: Yeah, the Big Cheese. Suppose I gotta play nice, or you'll blacklist me and I'll never be considered funny in the Great Lakes watershed ever again, right? Your vision as a director elevated our show, and taught us all so much through osmosis. You love your job, and I especially envy you for that. You made wonderful suggestions to our writing throughout this process, and you provided the necessary pat on the back when needed.
Shane: Our Bro-mance is long documented. I'll withhold further comment to as to avoid any speculation regarding the true nature of our friendship. I don't think our fans in Russia (or our wives) would be ready for that revelation.
Last Chance: BUY A TICKET
http://www.laughstub.com/secondcitychicago-skyboxtheater
Pre-Show Footage:
One might say that's an awkward way to begin this post, but "awkward" is the name of the game for us. It's IN the title, for fuck's sake. So, yeah, show three.
The show feels like a well-oiled machine at this point. That should bode well for the fourth show, which is closing night. So, COME OUT AND SEE THE SHOW NEXT FRIDAY, OR YOU'RE SHIT OUT OF LUCK!
The actors met at 7:30 to run through lines, and I showed up about 8:30 to hang out with them as they prepare. I like seeing this process, but it dawned on me that maybe it's kind of creepy.
I think maybe I do it because I've acted with half the cast before: Michelle, Sam, and David. All three are very great people to have around when you want to expel nervous energy. Even as a writer, I feel nervous energy before a show. I know that the actors will portray the words and the scene in the best way possible, but if the jokes fall flat or the scene fundamentally isn't funny, it's on me as a writer. I still think that way before every show, it makes me nervous, and spending time with the actors before they go on helps to quell that anxiety. Thanks, thespians.
The actors began to do a very cool thing before the show as a warm-up. They were in a circle, and began to pass a ball around and whoever had the ball had to say something positive about the others in the circle. Unfortunately, it had to be truncated to the person with the ball saying something nice about the person from whom they received the ball. (This exercise began five minutes before show time.) Nevertheless, this was a very cool exercise before going on.
On that note, I think I'll take a break from listing my highlights from last night's show. If I had the ball in my hand and had to look around the room at the people who've been a part of this process, I would say:
Michelle: I've had the pleasure of seeing you bring life to characters that I've written, and I've also had the privilege of sharing the stage with you. You bring physicality and depth to roles and scenes that could easily fall flat as boring conversations. Anybody can look like a good actor with you on stage because you initiate with your fellow actors in a way that is convincing and seamless. I will always laugh whenever I hear a Melissa Etheridge song because of you.
Detroit Angie: You are a dynamo of funny scene ideas, and you also have the skill to actually turn funny ideas into funny scenes. (Hey, that's easier said than done.) Your dedication to the group is an inspiration to us all, and you're an awesome friend to boot. You've written funny conventional scenes, and you've come up with some asinine stuff that has left us with our sides hurting. And, of course, you're just another example of why Detroit is awesome.
Andy: In a sketch show you still improvise in discreet ways that don't overshadow the scene but add to it and make it slightly different each week -- e.g. the antics with the baby in "Real Version," the tie rolling out of your mouth as vomit (or a tongue?) in Wild Wild West, and the awesome whiteboy dancing in The Big Dance. Also, the different voices really inform and change your characters.
Benhur: It's not fair that you have such a wide comedic range. In both of our shows, you've consistently produced some of our strongest sketches, and they have been incredibly varied in their content. If I keep heaping praise on you, people may think I have a crush on you, so I'll stop.
Brigid: You are a force of nature. It's been informative watching the energy that you bring to the stage every week. Selfishly, I cannot thank you enough for injecting life into my sketch. When I wrote the sketch, I was worried that Gloria's character was garnish. But you're never garnish, and you made the entire scene better as result.
Dan: A great friend, a funny and talented writer, and a seriously awesome actor. Because of these varied talents, you made class fun in two ways -- you'd write a funny sketch, and then we'd get to see you act in several sketches each week and kill it. You are a magician at writing date scenes that go horribly wrong and scenes that lampoon self important dickheads. And, of course, you gave us writers the phrase, "Jeezers Peezers."
Sam: You go after your roles with passion. It shows in how freakishly fast you get off book and in how you dissect your contribution to the scene afterwards. You also have a very broad range as an actor: a superhero, a Zorro-esque Lothario, a folksy farm boy with delusions of grandeur, an oversexed husband losing his shit at a wedding, and a cross-dressing teenage boy from the upper crust. But damn it all if you aren't funnier off stage.
Mark: You are a sick and depraved talentless hack. Give $50 to a hooker, lose your virginity, and move on. That is all.
Janna: You really do become your characters. Because of that, you deliver your lines in a very seamless and convincing way. Case in point: the object work that you do in Wild Wild West. In that scene, you keep your self busy with the business of the scene even when the action is elsewhere on stage. And then there is the motherly muttering that you do doing Original Jewish Mother, classic.
Laura: Two of our strongest sketches and yet you had at least three other submissions that easily could have been staged for this show. Not fair. I am especially envious of your ability to take incidents from your life and meld them into funny sketches. Yeah, you're alright for a University of Chicago egghead. No comment on your college football allegiance.
David: I'm so happy you're part of this show, and I miss being on stage with you. I was always impressed with your skill as an improviser, and you've nailed the sketch thang as well. The research and hard work you put into your roles shows, especially in the Alien Hand. I hope the future holds more opportunities for us to make funny together.
Brian: It's been fun getting to know you over the past several months. I still think that Anointing of the Sickos needs to be staged somewhere. Afterwards, we can have the best excommunication party ever! Seriously, you have a rare gift of being able to go to opposite ends of the innocence/offensive continuum. I envy that, and you made the show better as a result.
Joe: Yeah, the Big Cheese. Suppose I gotta play nice, or you'll blacklist me and I'll never be considered funny in the Great Lakes watershed ever again, right? Your vision as a director elevated our show, and taught us all so much through osmosis. You love your job, and I especially envy you for that. You made wonderful suggestions to our writing throughout this process, and you provided the necessary pat on the back when needed.
Shane: Our Bro-mance is long documented. I'll withhold further comment to as to avoid any speculation regarding the true nature of our friendship. I don't think our fans in Russia (or our wives) would be ready for that revelation.
Last Chance: BUY A TICKET
http://www.laughstub.com/secondcitychicago-skyboxtheater
Pre-Show Footage:
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| Family Sing-A-Long |
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| The Guitar Man |
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| Andy |
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| Sam |
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| Family Sing-A-Long #2 |
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| Brigid & David -- Takin' it to Church |
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| Git Down! |
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| Programs. Duh. |
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| Men. Participating in Ball Play. |
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| He gets a shave with a straight razor before every show. |
Sunday, July 8, 2012
Lock EYES!
Week number two of the Conservatory A experience. It was only this week that I realized that eleven people are in the class instead of twelve. That explains why I couldn't name or put a face to the mystery twelfth class member when trying to run through names earlier in the week.
Anyfuck, nine of us showed up this week, and those who arrived early were treated to a free yoga session by Christine, our Australian-in-Residence. With that, we were nice and limbered up and ready to make funny.
We began with mirroring exercises, which is familiar (or should be) to anybody who's ever taken a beginning improv class. This culminated with all NINE of us mirroring each other on stage. That was pretty cool.
Mirroring was a theme of the day. Tim explained that mirroring or echoing is the most important tenant of improv. By that, he explained that he didn't mean miming the actions of your scene partner(s), but rather mirroring their energy on stage and agreeing (be it emotionally, physically, or what have you) with the choice(s) that they make. One of his favorite examples that he draws on involves him doing a scene entirely by himself of an alcoholic, abusive dad bitching out his anti-social and lippy son.
The upshot of this approach is especially crucial when performing scenes that begin entirely from scratch (no suggestions from the audience, no preset "game," etc.). Jumping on board with an action or emotion builds trust with the actors so that they can solve the scene together. An example of this mirroring that agrees with a scene partner would be Actor A doing object work that involved changing a tire. Actor B does actions that somebody would do if they were helping to change a tire. (But of course, the actors don't talk about changing the tire for the entirety of the scene, because that would be BOR-ing.)
Another insight that Tim gave us was that too often actors get sucked into the notion that when a scene takes place in everyday surroundings that today has to be the day that something momentous happens. Example three co-workers in their break room. Actor four comes in as the owner of the company and fires everybody. There can be plenty of emotional struggle in a scene without somebody coming in with a stick of dynamite.
In our scene work in class, we had plenty of fun moments. My personal favorite was a scene that involved Cameron and (if I remember correctly) Elizabeth, Christine, and Siera. They were three very controlling women who were dressing Cameron's character and coaching him on how to be a man. He was reputedly instructed to "lock EYES," even when he had three women kneeling before him. He was reduced to a sobbing mess and he was struck several times. This description doesn't do the scene justice, but the entire class was in stitches.
Already looking forward to week three.
Anyfuck, nine of us showed up this week, and those who arrived early were treated to a free yoga session by Christine, our Australian-in-Residence. With that, we were nice and limbered up and ready to make funny.
We began with mirroring exercises, which is familiar (or should be) to anybody who's ever taken a beginning improv class. This culminated with all NINE of us mirroring each other on stage. That was pretty cool.
Mirroring was a theme of the day. Tim explained that mirroring or echoing is the most important tenant of improv. By that, he explained that he didn't mean miming the actions of your scene partner(s), but rather mirroring their energy on stage and agreeing (be it emotionally, physically, or what have you) with the choice(s) that they make. One of his favorite examples that he draws on involves him doing a scene entirely by himself of an alcoholic, abusive dad bitching out his anti-social and lippy son.
The upshot of this approach is especially crucial when performing scenes that begin entirely from scratch (no suggestions from the audience, no preset "game," etc.). Jumping on board with an action or emotion builds trust with the actors so that they can solve the scene together. An example of this mirroring that agrees with a scene partner would be Actor A doing object work that involved changing a tire. Actor B does actions that somebody would do if they were helping to change a tire. (But of course, the actors don't talk about changing the tire for the entirety of the scene, because that would be BOR-ing.)
Another insight that Tim gave us was that too often actors get sucked into the notion that when a scene takes place in everyday surroundings that today has to be the day that something momentous happens. Example three co-workers in their break room. Actor four comes in as the owner of the company and fires everybody. There can be plenty of emotional struggle in a scene without somebody coming in with a stick of dynamite.
In our scene work in class, we had plenty of fun moments. My personal favorite was a scene that involved Cameron and (if I remember correctly) Elizabeth, Christine, and Siera. They were three very controlling women who were dressing Cameron's character and coaching him on how to be a man. He was reputedly instructed to "lock EYES," even when he had three women kneeling before him. He was reduced to a sobbing mess and he was struck several times. This description doesn't do the scene justice, but the entire class was in stitches.
Already looking forward to week three.
Saturday, July 7, 2012
Nummer Zwei
Show number two last night. Show number two at the ass end of a heat wave.
I had the pleasure of hanging with the actors for a bit while they ran lines in a classroom. Brigid must have liquid meth coursing through her veins. She was just as energetic during the read through as she is on stage.
Backstage was pretty miserable. Heavy air and a pitiful fan trying to move the air. We didn't spend much time hanging out there.
The theater felt slightly better than backstage, but then lights went up and it was steamy in the theater, too. The lights even dimmed a couple times during the opening dance montage, as if we were about to lose power. Not to worry, though. We had a great crowd last night with several familiar faces (friends, family, frenemies, etc.) who helped us power through. (Well, I didn't do much of anything. I just sat there and took notes, but I felt the audience's energy and took those notes with gusto and precision as a result.)
Laura's masterpiece of a terrible date (based on a true story) once again got us off on the right foot. Who can't laugh at vomit and a date that refuses to die? It's really cool to see the way Andy mixes it up in this sketch and in Ben's western sketch each week. He doesn't rely on the same actions each week, and he always gets laughs. For somebody who dabbles in acting here and there, it's really instructive to watch him.
Speaking of watching something instructive, Dave gets a big shout out for the wonderful work he's been doing in Dan's "hand sketch." Without giving away the premise of the sketch, Dave has the difficult task of delivering his lines with one emotion while one of hands behaves in a manner that is completely contrary. It's fun to watch, and Dave's told me about the research he's done into puppeteers while doing this role. (Presumably, he wasn't into puppets as a hobby before this show. If he was, he's weird.)
Getting back to our great crowd last night. It seemed to me that this crowd was more into the show's darkest sketch -- Shane's "Crossroads." (Which is personally my favorite sketch. There, I said it.) The sketch makes light of serious subject matter. The crowd definitely laughed last week, but this week it was more robust. Having this sketch in the middle of the show is great because its the only sketch that makes extensive use of music, which helps to raise the energy in the theatre. This was particularly welcome in a muggy and dark room.
We had a special treat during Brian's messing with the audience sketch, "The Big Dance." Colleen, one of our former classmates was chosen as the audience member who was the object of Andy's affection. She did a super job, and was kind enough not to steal the scene. (I hate when audience members try to do that.) Likewise, another former classmate, Amanda, was chosen to be the audience member for Mark's messing with the audience piece, "Earthwads." She was a great choice, and Brigid and Michelle had particular fun messing with her. It showed.
Another personal highlight from yesterday was in Laura's "Original Jewish Mother" sketch. Janna plays the mother and she added all these great motherly mutterings to the end of the scripted lines that complemented her actions on stage. It worked really well.
We then had the house brought down with Detroit Angie's "End of Civilization." Nope, I'm not sharing details, but anarchy reigns supreme on the stage as the actors scurry about being wonderfully vulgar. The ending is worth the price of admission.
We're clicking right along, and we're halfway through our run. Damn, don't want it to end.
If you haven't done so: BUY A FRICKIN' TICKET, ALREADY.
I had the pleasure of hanging with the actors for a bit while they ran lines in a classroom. Brigid must have liquid meth coursing through her veins. She was just as energetic during the read through as she is on stage.
Backstage was pretty miserable. Heavy air and a pitiful fan trying to move the air. We didn't spend much time hanging out there.
The theater felt slightly better than backstage, but then lights went up and it was steamy in the theater, too. The lights even dimmed a couple times during the opening dance montage, as if we were about to lose power. Not to worry, though. We had a great crowd last night with several familiar faces (friends, family, frenemies, etc.) who helped us power through. (Well, I didn't do much of anything. I just sat there and took notes, but I felt the audience's energy and took those notes with gusto and precision as a result.)
Laura's masterpiece of a terrible date (based on a true story) once again got us off on the right foot. Who can't laugh at vomit and a date that refuses to die? It's really cool to see the way Andy mixes it up in this sketch and in Ben's western sketch each week. He doesn't rely on the same actions each week, and he always gets laughs. For somebody who dabbles in acting here and there, it's really instructive to watch him.
Speaking of watching something instructive, Dave gets a big shout out for the wonderful work he's been doing in Dan's "hand sketch." Without giving away the premise of the sketch, Dave has the difficult task of delivering his lines with one emotion while one of hands behaves in a manner that is completely contrary. It's fun to watch, and Dave's told me about the research he's done into puppeteers while doing this role. (Presumably, he wasn't into puppets as a hobby before this show. If he was, he's weird.)
Getting back to our great crowd last night. It seemed to me that this crowd was more into the show's darkest sketch -- Shane's "Crossroads." (Which is personally my favorite sketch. There, I said it.) The sketch makes light of serious subject matter. The crowd definitely laughed last week, but this week it was more robust. Having this sketch in the middle of the show is great because its the only sketch that makes extensive use of music, which helps to raise the energy in the theatre. This was particularly welcome in a muggy and dark room.
We had a special treat during Brian's messing with the audience sketch, "The Big Dance." Colleen, one of our former classmates was chosen as the audience member who was the object of Andy's affection. She did a super job, and was kind enough not to steal the scene. (I hate when audience members try to do that.) Likewise, another former classmate, Amanda, was chosen to be the audience member for Mark's messing with the audience piece, "Earthwads." She was a great choice, and Brigid and Michelle had particular fun messing with her. It showed.
Another personal highlight from yesterday was in Laura's "Original Jewish Mother" sketch. Janna plays the mother and she added all these great motherly mutterings to the end of the scripted lines that complemented her actions on stage. It worked really well.
We then had the house brought down with Detroit Angie's "End of Civilization." Nope, I'm not sharing details, but anarchy reigns supreme on the stage as the actors scurry about being wonderfully vulgar. The ending is worth the price of admission.
We're clicking right along, and we're halfway through our run. Damn, don't want it to end.
If you haven't done so: BUY A FRICKIN' TICKET, ALREADY.
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| Always telling us what to do. |
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| Take that! |
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| Wait for it.... |
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| Uh, this is awkward. Right? |
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| DRINKING! |
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| Dave attempting to roofie himself. |
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| We were near the Golden Tee machine. We felt the power of the douche. |
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