An improv show is one of the easiest kinds of productions to put on because all you really need is a stage, a couple of willing, able actors, and an audience.
There is no set as such. I always tell my actors to create their set as they enter a scene. In other words, let the audience see where you are - if you're in a kitchen, start cooking or opening drawers or something. If you're in a bathroom, make yourself up in front of the mirror. And so on.
All I require is that the stage have two chairs Upstage Center. "Use these chairs if you need them," I say. If your scene finds you in a restaurant, or a car, or in a job interview, they could come in handy.
Today is December 26, and I am tidying up the stuff around the home. It overwhelms me. It never seems to end. We humans accumulate more and more. And nowhere is this more evident than at Christmastime, when we stress ourselves by giving and receiving the token gift.
This Christmas, it struck me more than in other years, that I do not get excited about "stuff". The best scenes in life are like good improv. You don't need a lavish set, costumes and all the "stuff". What makes a great improv scene is the content. The funny. The hidden meaning. The unknown ending. Not too different from life.
This Christmas I want to say to my friends and family, please don't give me "stuff". I don't need more stuff. Stuff collects dust, and will only stay behind after I'm gone, leaving someone else a lot of work to go through.
Give me you. Give me your original lines, your funny, your ear to listen, your observations to inspire and motivate me and keep me going. Give me memories to make me laugh and smile and want to see you again and again. Give me you. And two chairs.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
Sunday, November 3, 2013
Improv for Pessimists
Every once in a while, you have to deal with people that go against everything that improv teaches. Inspired by those folks, I give you…Improv Rules for Pessimists.
1. Yes, but
Pessimists pretend to agree with an idea by saying yes, however this is often followed by an immediate argument as to why something won't work. "Yes, but…"
2. No, and
Pessimists love to say no. In fact, they can go on for hours on end about why something won't work and love to provide more reasons to defend their argument. "No, and…"
3. Take and take
And take, and take, and take… Rather than the fair, balanced and optimistic "give and take", pessimists prefer to take, consume as much as they can, and expect more. In fact, if you were stupid enough to give something away for free, why shouldn't people expect it to continue?
4. Don't be aware of anyone around you
You are the center of the universe. Everyone loves to hear you talk, so keep talking. It makes no difference to YOU if your message is getting through. What matters is that you are center stage. Not listening, watching and concentrating are excellent ways to miss what's going on and learn more about life.
5. Block/Deny/Negate
At all costs, do not move a scene - or your life - forward. Shut out new ideas, deny reality and use negative language whenever possible. You will be sure to repel people and make them look elsewhere for their needs.
6. Tell, don't show
Saying "I love you", "I'm sorry", "Thank you" and "How are you?" with absolutely no feeling behind it is enough. Gestures do not count. Words speak louder than action. Especially when you're doing all the talking and don't care if the message is getting through anyway (see Rule #4).
7. Work to the bottom of your intelligence
Life is not serious, so don't you be either. Mock people, ridicule them and use sarcasm whenever possible. Taking people seriously only makes them think they matter, and who wants to make people feel good when your life sucks?
8. Don't commit
Why commit? There could be a better offer just around the corner. Keep people guessing so everyone around you becomes insecure. This is sure to create a negative spiral, which pessimists love to start.
9. Don't trust
If it can go wrong, it will. Everyone is out to get you. If you keep this attitude up, you are sure to look (and feel) nervous or worried both on stage and off.
10. Don't make strong statements
Making strong statements only makes you seem confident and interesting. You have nothing interesting to add, so throw everything back to the other person. This is sure to create an unbalanced take-and-take banter.
1. Yes, but
Pessimists pretend to agree with an idea by saying yes, however this is often followed by an immediate argument as to why something won't work. "Yes, but…"
2. No, and
Pessimists love to say no. In fact, they can go on for hours on end about why something won't work and love to provide more reasons to defend their argument. "No, and…"
3. Take and take
And take, and take, and take… Rather than the fair, balanced and optimistic "give and take", pessimists prefer to take, consume as much as they can, and expect more. In fact, if you were stupid enough to give something away for free, why shouldn't people expect it to continue?
4. Don't be aware of anyone around you
You are the center of the universe. Everyone loves to hear you talk, so keep talking. It makes no difference to YOU if your message is getting through. What matters is that you are center stage. Not listening, watching and concentrating are excellent ways to miss what's going on and learn more about life.
5. Block/Deny/Negate
At all costs, do not move a scene - or your life - forward. Shut out new ideas, deny reality and use negative language whenever possible. You will be sure to repel people and make them look elsewhere for their needs.
6. Tell, don't show
Saying "I love you", "I'm sorry", "Thank you" and "How are you?" with absolutely no feeling behind it is enough. Gestures do not count. Words speak louder than action. Especially when you're doing all the talking and don't care if the message is getting through anyway (see Rule #4).
7. Work to the bottom of your intelligence
Life is not serious, so don't you be either. Mock people, ridicule them and use sarcasm whenever possible. Taking people seriously only makes them think they matter, and who wants to make people feel good when your life sucks?
8. Don't commit
Why commit? There could be a better offer just around the corner. Keep people guessing so everyone around you becomes insecure. This is sure to create a negative spiral, which pessimists love to start.
9. Don't trust
If it can go wrong, it will. Everyone is out to get you. If you keep this attitude up, you are sure to look (and feel) nervous or worried both on stage and off.
10. Don't make strong statements
Making strong statements only makes you seem confident and interesting. You have nothing interesting to add, so throw everything back to the other person. This is sure to create an unbalanced take-and-take banter.
Thursday, May 30, 2013
Deadlines
I'm going to start by talking about endings. Those darn endings. The hardest thing to write - whether it's a play, film, novel or improv scene. "I didn't like the ending," people will argue. "I wanted a happier ending." And then there are those who love the open endings. That makes it "our" ending that we can write in our own heads. Because believe it or not, we are all writers - of our own life. Life is the greatest story of all - because it's the only one that will keep you guessing until the very end.
Improv is instant writing. It's just writing without tools. That is to say, the only tools are your voice, face and body. So finding an ending for an improv scene is just as challenging as finding one for a written story. Except the deadline is a lot tighter. Your audience is waiting right there. "Come on! Make us laugh! Satisfy us with a decent ending, wouldja? And don't make us lose interest while we're waiting!"
One of my favorite improv games is called "First Line, Last Line". In it we ask the audience to write down random phrases/quotes/lyrics on pieces of paper which we later draw out of a bucket. Two actors perform the scene, each reading out their respective line. They then must begin and end the scene with whatever is on those pieces of paper. The audience loves it because they are involved, and most of all because they don't really think we can make it work. But we always do. Point A to Point B. Birth to Death. We fill in the parts in the middle. We don't know how we're going to do it, and it's often not how we planned, but we all get to some ending.
Creativity, like emotions, doesn't like deadlines. As a former advertising copywriter, I know this only too well. You can try to create, and it will be fine, perhaps even good, but it won't be phenomenal. The best creativity outpouring comes when it comes. I don't know where it comes from. But I do know that you can't force it. It doesn't have to come from sitting down at the computer and staring at a blank screen. It can come from doing the dishes, or waiting for a tram, or in the middle of a seemingly trivial conversation. It doesn't like to be told "when" or "where" or even "how". IT finds US. It talks to us. But you have to be aware. You have to follow the improv rule of "Listen, Watch and Concentrate". Some call it the still, small voice. Some call it intuition. Whatever you call it, make sure you have it turned on high when you want to create.
And most of all, give it time. Don't give it a deadline. It takes as long as it takes.
Improv is instant writing. It's just writing without tools. That is to say, the only tools are your voice, face and body. So finding an ending for an improv scene is just as challenging as finding one for a written story. Except the deadline is a lot tighter. Your audience is waiting right there. "Come on! Make us laugh! Satisfy us with a decent ending, wouldja? And don't make us lose interest while we're waiting!"
One of my favorite improv games is called "First Line, Last Line". In it we ask the audience to write down random phrases/quotes/lyrics on pieces of paper which we later draw out of a bucket. Two actors perform the scene, each reading out their respective line. They then must begin and end the scene with whatever is on those pieces of paper. The audience loves it because they are involved, and most of all because they don't really think we can make it work. But we always do. Point A to Point B. Birth to Death. We fill in the parts in the middle. We don't know how we're going to do it, and it's often not how we planned, but we all get to some ending.
Creativity, like emotions, doesn't like deadlines. As a former advertising copywriter, I know this only too well. You can try to create, and it will be fine, perhaps even good, but it won't be phenomenal. The best creativity outpouring comes when it comes. I don't know where it comes from. But I do know that you can't force it. It doesn't have to come from sitting down at the computer and staring at a blank screen. It can come from doing the dishes, or waiting for a tram, or in the middle of a seemingly trivial conversation. It doesn't like to be told "when" or "where" or even "how". IT finds US. It talks to us. But you have to be aware. You have to follow the improv rule of "Listen, Watch and Concentrate". Some call it the still, small voice. Some call it intuition. Whatever you call it, make sure you have it turned on high when you want to create.
And most of all, give it time. Don't give it a deadline. It takes as long as it takes.
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Change Chairs
"Change Chairs" is a warm-up we play in our improv group. It's a fun ice-breaker, it trains you to think quickly and creatively, and it gets the blood pumping. The rules are simple: Chairs are arranged in a circle, with one chair too few. One person is left standing in the middle, and has to spontaneously come up with a reason to change chairs. For example, "Change chairs if you skipped breakfast today..." and so on. If you're left standing in the middle, you need to immediately come up with another reason to change chairs.
I just got back from the funeral service of a theater colleague whom I greatly admired and respected. I'm so glad I often had the chance to tell him what a talented actor I thought he was. "Oh, you're very kind..." he would say in his gentle, humble manner, as he patted my hand.
As I sat with the other mourners that I knew, among them my husband, my friends, people I'd been on stage with, people I'd been directed by, all of us listening to the moving eulogy by yet another theater friend, listening to the beauty of a Shakespeare sonnet read out by the eldest son of the deceased, I couldn't help but feel the closeness and the bond that we all shared - not just with the deceased, but with the theater. We all share(d) a love of theater. But today we were brought together by grief.
And as I looked around the church I thought, the positions have changed again. There's one chair too few. There will always be one chair too few. It's up to the rest of us who still have a chair to keep the game in play. To keep coming up with new ideas. Until it changes again.
So many of us are afraid of change, but we will always adapt. We'll just rearrange ourselves again. In another circle of chairs.
"Change chairs if you were born..."
Sunday, December 16, 2012
No words
What do comics and comedians do when a tragedy that affects so many occurs, if a comedian's drive is to constantly amuse, entertain, make others laugh? I, who always try to find humor in everything, found it disrespectful and inappropriate to post anything jovial, trivial or amusing in the days following the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
Yet, life goes on. It has to. No matter how much we want to respect the dead, the mourners, we have to go on. It's just the nature of life.
Does this have anything to do with improv? Believe it or not, it does. The mere fact of moving forward, moving a scene along, is how we cope with anything and everything.
That's it, really.
Yet, life goes on. It has to. No matter how much we want to respect the dead, the mourners, we have to go on. It's just the nature of life.
Does this have anything to do with improv? Believe it or not, it does. The mere fact of moving forward, moving a scene along, is how we cope with anything and everything.
That's it, really.
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Beginnings and endings
In the beginning...there were no pencils, or typewriters, or laptops, or iPads... But there were stories. Always stories. And where there are stories, there are storytellers.
We are all, in a sense, the writers of our own life stories - and writing stories on the spot is exactly what we do in improv. I think of the improv audience a little bit like the universe. They are the unknown element each night, throwing things at us, seeing how we cope. Some are kind, some want to challenge us. We have two choices: we can clam up in fear and produce crap results, or we can focus on the present moment, go with the flow and create something amazing.
Someone in my troupe recently asked me how a scene should begin. There are a couple of tricks you can use to start an improv scene. For example, you can start in the middle of a sentence or thought with a word like "and" or "but". Some of the most interesting scenes have no real beginning and end. Why do you think that is? I think it's because that's how life works. We like to think life has a tidy beginning and end, with perfectly choreographed pit stops along the way. When that (inevitably) doesn't happen, we get bummed out, depressed, confused. But it's often the road blocks, the small moments along the way that make us stop and watch, listen, concentrate.
Another way to begin a scene is just to start doing something physical. Even if you don't know what you're doing, something will come to you. This planet is always moving, which is why we get so impatient when we're stuck in a line, or in traffic, or in a personal situation. It's natural for us to want to keep moving, keep going forward, move the scene along. So move! And the rest will come.
Another question I get asked often is, "How do we end a scene"? Again, too often we think life is linear. We are born, we live, we die. Somewhere in my mind I tell myself a perfect life span is 0 to 100. I don't know where we go next, but what I do know is, really old people look and act a lot like newborn babies, so there must be something circular and cyclical about it all. Like beginnings, we think that scene endings have to be neat and tidy, with a logical conclusion. Not necessarily so! A scene can end with a great punchline, a crazy twist, or an "uh-oh" moment and still leave the audience satisfied and entertained. If you don't have a lighting person to end your improv scenes, as in our case, it is often the audience (aka The Universe) who decides when a scene is over by their unanimous, spontaneous reaction through laughter or applause, or both. When you know, you know.
And what's so important about the ending anyway? Isn't it the "during" that counts? Do you think it would make you happier, more content, more at peace, knowing that your life will end well? What does that mean anyway - that you know you've achieved all your goals and dreams? Seems to me that's the time when you want to hold on, savour, enjoy. Ancient sages have told us the same thing in different languages and words: the journey is the destination. In improv, it's pretty much the same.
We are all, in a sense, the writers of our own life stories - and writing stories on the spot is exactly what we do in improv. I think of the improv audience a little bit like the universe. They are the unknown element each night, throwing things at us, seeing how we cope. Some are kind, some want to challenge us. We have two choices: we can clam up in fear and produce crap results, or we can focus on the present moment, go with the flow and create something amazing.
Someone in my troupe recently asked me how a scene should begin. There are a couple of tricks you can use to start an improv scene. For example, you can start in the middle of a sentence or thought with a word like "and" or "but". Some of the most interesting scenes have no real beginning and end. Why do you think that is? I think it's because that's how life works. We like to think life has a tidy beginning and end, with perfectly choreographed pit stops along the way. When that (inevitably) doesn't happen, we get bummed out, depressed, confused. But it's often the road blocks, the small moments along the way that make us stop and watch, listen, concentrate.
Another way to begin a scene is just to start doing something physical. Even if you don't know what you're doing, something will come to you. This planet is always moving, which is why we get so impatient when we're stuck in a line, or in traffic, or in a personal situation. It's natural for us to want to keep moving, keep going forward, move the scene along. So move! And the rest will come.
Another question I get asked often is, "How do we end a scene"? Again, too often we think life is linear. We are born, we live, we die. Somewhere in my mind I tell myself a perfect life span is 0 to 100. I don't know where we go next, but what I do know is, really old people look and act a lot like newborn babies, so there must be something circular and cyclical about it all. Like beginnings, we think that scene endings have to be neat and tidy, with a logical conclusion. Not necessarily so! A scene can end with a great punchline, a crazy twist, or an "uh-oh" moment and still leave the audience satisfied and entertained. If you don't have a lighting person to end your improv scenes, as in our case, it is often the audience (aka The Universe) who decides when a scene is over by their unanimous, spontaneous reaction through laughter or applause, or both. When you know, you know.
And what's so important about the ending anyway? Isn't it the "during" that counts? Do you think it would make you happier, more content, more at peace, knowing that your life will end well? What does that mean anyway - that you know you've achieved all your goals and dreams? Seems to me that's the time when you want to hold on, savour, enjoy. Ancient sages have told us the same thing in different languages and words: the journey is the destination. In improv, it's pretty much the same.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Rules of Improv - for Politicians
There are 8 Rules of Improv. Well actually some troupes say there are 10, some say 12...the point is, as in life, the rules kind of blend into each other over time and space. In this post I'll share the top 10 rules that I've learned and try to practice on my journey. And then I'll explain how our presidential candidates and politicians in general could benefit from them in time for Election 2012.
1. Don't try to be funny.
My troupe often says, "But it's comedy! We're supposed to be funny." That's correct. But the emphasis here is on the word "try". Don't TRY to be funny. If you try, you will appear as if you're trying, and you will not get a genuine laugh, you might get silence, or worse - the dreaded courtesy laugh.
Likewise, politicians: leave the jokes to the comedians. It's not natural when you try to be funny, really. Do not attempt comedy at the podium unless you have a strong background in on-camera acting, like Ronald Reagan or Al Franken. But if you do need some joke writers, I'm freelance...I work around the clock...I love to travel...just sayin'...
2. "Yes, and..."
If you say yes, add information. But politicians take note: make sure you answer the question first, please. Say "Yes" if you mean yes! Then continue your thought.
3. "No, but..."
If you say no, continue that thought.
Politicians: "No comment" does not suffice. That cuts the conversation off, and it's pretty much a confirmation that you're guilty of whatever it was you were just asked. We realize it might be none of our business, but human beings are nosy - we want to know more.
A better reply would be, "That's not relevant now, but I'd be happy to discuss Internet porn with you over a drink sometime, off the record, just guys (wink wink)..." At least we'd know you were being honest.
4. Give and take
In improv, it's about balance of communication. Basically, if you find that you are doing all or most of the talking, shut the "*รง% up. Let the other guy have a chance to say something once in a while.
Politicians: this rule is NOT about giving to the rich/poor and taking from the poor/rich. Nice try.
5. Don't block or negate.
This immediately cuts off any communication. Can we talk about political debates? Oh boy... What and how are you guys (and gal) actually communicating here? Do I have to give you a Blackout or yell "Scene!"? When you guys start negating, blocking or denying, the audience gets nervous for you, and if they're nervous, you're bombing.
6. Listen, watch and concentrate.
Don't be so self-absorbed (I know, I know, but I have to say it) that you are unaware of what's going on around you. Always be present, in the moment, aware of everything. Don't expect the First Lady or Vice President to do this for you. We the people will notice.
7. Make statements
Asking questions too often in a scene puts pressure on your scene partner and is, frankly, a cop-out.
Politicians: don't ask questions in a debate - we know you're just trying to take the awkwardness off yourself and make the other guy nervous. It's wimpy. We see through it.
8. Work to the top of your intelligence (don't use blue humor to get a laugh)
Most of us in improv have been guilty of resorting to middle school humor at one time or another. When nervous, throwing out a word like "penis" or "boobs" may get an immediate shock laugh and allows you an extra moment to think about what you'll do next. But it's cheap. You can do better than that.
Politicians: try not to discuss, offer or photograph your genitalia while in the public eye. You should basically work on keeping your minds out of your pants. Or anyone else's pants. (I know, I know, I just thought I should tell them.)
9. Don't think too much.
Thinking too much prevents you from being in the moment and reacting to what is actually going on.
Politicians: let your staff do this for you. You were not elected to think. You were elected to look friendly, give us confidence, and make other nations think there are actually some non-obese Americans out there. (When will America have its first Fat President?)
10. Follow the follower
Yes, you heard me. Follow the follower, not the leader. In a 2-person improv scene, there should be no leader. It should be equal. It should be balanced. You never know where it will take you. And when you go into it with that attitude, that's when you find the beauty, and the magic will just happen.
Politicians: hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! This one might need some practice. But hey, that's what keeps improv coaches in business.
1. Don't try to be funny.
My troupe often says, "But it's comedy! We're supposed to be funny." That's correct. But the emphasis here is on the word "try". Don't TRY to be funny. If you try, you will appear as if you're trying, and you will not get a genuine laugh, you might get silence, or worse - the dreaded courtesy laugh.
Likewise, politicians: leave the jokes to the comedians. It's not natural when you try to be funny, really. Do not attempt comedy at the podium unless you have a strong background in on-camera acting, like Ronald Reagan or Al Franken. But if you do need some joke writers, I'm freelance...I work around the clock...I love to travel...just sayin'...
2. "Yes, and..."
If you say yes, add information. But politicians take note: make sure you answer the question first, please. Say "Yes" if you mean yes! Then continue your thought.
3. "No, but..."
If you say no, continue that thought.
Politicians: "No comment" does not suffice. That cuts the conversation off, and it's pretty much a confirmation that you're guilty of whatever it was you were just asked. We realize it might be none of our business, but human beings are nosy - we want to know more.
A better reply would be, "That's not relevant now, but I'd be happy to discuss Internet porn with you over a drink sometime, off the record, just guys (wink wink)..." At least we'd know you were being honest.
4. Give and take
In improv, it's about balance of communication. Basically, if you find that you are doing all or most of the talking, shut the "*รง% up. Let the other guy have a chance to say something once in a while.
Politicians: this rule is NOT about giving to the rich/poor and taking from the poor/rich. Nice try.
5. Don't block or negate.
This immediately cuts off any communication. Can we talk about political debates? Oh boy... What and how are you guys (and gal) actually communicating here? Do I have to give you a Blackout or yell "Scene!"? When you guys start negating, blocking or denying, the audience gets nervous for you, and if they're nervous, you're bombing.
6. Listen, watch and concentrate.
Don't be so self-absorbed (I know, I know, but I have to say it) that you are unaware of what's going on around you. Always be present, in the moment, aware of everything. Don't expect the First Lady or Vice President to do this for you. We the people will notice.
7. Make statements
Asking questions too often in a scene puts pressure on your scene partner and is, frankly, a cop-out.
Politicians: don't ask questions in a debate - we know you're just trying to take the awkwardness off yourself and make the other guy nervous. It's wimpy. We see through it.
8. Work to the top of your intelligence (don't use blue humor to get a laugh)
Most of us in improv have been guilty of resorting to middle school humor at one time or another. When nervous, throwing out a word like "penis" or "boobs" may get an immediate shock laugh and allows you an extra moment to think about what you'll do next. But it's cheap. You can do better than that.
Politicians: try not to discuss, offer or photograph your genitalia while in the public eye. You should basically work on keeping your minds out of your pants. Or anyone else's pants. (I know, I know, I just thought I should tell them.)
9. Don't think too much.
Thinking too much prevents you from being in the moment and reacting to what is actually going on.
Politicians: let your staff do this for you. You were not elected to think. You were elected to look friendly, give us confidence, and make other nations think there are actually some non-obese Americans out there. (When will America have its first Fat President?)
10. Follow the follower
Yes, you heard me. Follow the follower, not the leader. In a 2-person improv scene, there should be no leader. It should be equal. It should be balanced. You never know where it will take you. And when you go into it with that attitude, that's when you find the beauty, and the magic will just happen.
Politicians: hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha! This one might need some practice. But hey, that's what keeps improv coaches in business.
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