The Tao of Micetro

[seanhill]

TAO OF MICETRO
by Sean Hill
Heroes of Comedy

Principal #1 - The Show Is For The Audience
First and foremost a Micetro show is for the audience. Living by this principle means the needs of the audience are put ahead of the needs of the improvisers.

The show is not for the host.
The show is not for the improvisers.
The show is not for the directors.
The show is for the audience


Principal #2 - The Scoring Is For The Audience
The scoring exists because the show is for the audience. Scoring scenes is pleasurable for the audience. If the show was for the improvisers, there would be no scoring and no eliminations.

Principal #3 - Micetro by Nature is Unfair
Micetro is not intended to be fair to the improvisers. The best player does not always win Micetro. Good players often get eliminated early.


Principal #4 - Only One Player Can Be Micetro
When you play Micetro you are most likely going to get eliminated. It is part of the show. The show is for the audience.


Principal #5 - The Audience Likes to See Bright Happy People on Stage
It makes the audience uncomfortable if they think you feel bad about being eliminated. Stay happy, especially when getting eliminated. Stop sending off danger signals that everyone in the room might get eaten by lions.


Principal #6 - Micetro is Low Stress Improv
Micetro is directed improv. This means you can try anything without worrying how it will impact the scene. The directors will remove offers that don't help the scene. This gives you huge freedom to be playful and try things without worrying how they will affect the scene.


Principal #7 - Your Micetro Score Does Not Relate To Your Human Being Score
There is no correlation between your Micetro score and your worth as a human being. No need to beat yourself up for getting eliminated.


Principal #8 - The Audience Pays To See You Take Risks
The audience comes to watch the improvisers take risks so the audience members don;t have to. They want to watch players risk crashing and burning as they struggle to succeed. They are watching you put yourself at risk so they don't have to. The show is for them.


Principal #9 - The Joy of Micetro is Being in the Moment
The Joy of Micetro is in being in the moment. Allow yourself to be there. That is where the magic happens.


Principal #10 - Be Fun To Play With
Give your partner a good time. Try to inspire your partner and delight them. What comes around goes around.


Principal #11 - Misbehavior Is Good
Allow yourself to misbehave when are part of the Micetro cast. Good misbehavior is playful and fun. You should look like a group of naughty schoolchildren who have been let out of their cage for this one hour this week.


Principal #12 - When You Know How To Do It, You Are No Longer Improvising
Stop playing safe, start improvising. The magic happens by being in the moment. Not in the future, not in the past. When you plan ahead you are not improvising and in turn distancing yourself from the joy of Micetro.


Principal #13 - The Directors are there to Help the Improvisers
The Directors are there to take the heat off the players. If a scene was bad, it was the directors fault and the audience can blame them instead of their beloved improvisers. Feel free at anytime to turn to the directors and ask for help. They will do their best to help you.


Principal #14 - Being A Good Director Requires Effort
Being a good Micetro director requires effort. You must understand shape of show, offers, blocking, circle of expectations, how to fix a derailed scene and more.


Principal #15 - Good Games Come From Theory
Improv games originaly came from Improv theory that was intended to make better improvisers. Beware of playing games that have no substance.
Speak In One Voice
*Theory – sharing control is good. If you are not enjoying this game then you are probably not sharing control when you play it.

He Said/She Said
*Theory – sharing control is good. The joy in this game is realizing that you have complete control over the other player at the same time when they have complete control over you.

New Choice
*Theory – improvisers by nature will not make strong offers.

Three Word Sentances
*Theory – If you occupy part of the improvisers brain with a task, they will be too busy to be afraid, and when they are not afraid they do their best work

Alphabet
*Theory – If you occupy part of the improvisers brain with a task, they will be too busy to be afraid, and when they are not afraid they do their best work

Death In A Minute
*Theory – Improvisers will bridge when given the chance.


Principal #16 - 90 Minutes of Soup is Bad
Shape of show is important. The audience wants variety. The show should not be all games nor should it be all scenework.


Principal #17 - A Micetro Show Gets Better as the Show Goes On
Micetro is designed so that the show gets better as it goes along. The directors should not be trying to create the best scene of the night at the top of the show.


Principal #18 - Micetro is Not Everything
Miectro is a great game to train improvisers. It is not intended to be the end all be all of improv. The audience does however like Micetro and there are a lot of lessons that can be learned from it when designing a show. If you are tired of Micetro, start your own troupe. Run your own show. Try new things.

(c) 2002 Heroes of Comedy.

[sara farr]

Thanks, Sean!!!

[DollarBill]

That's really sweet. I would like to direct again. I can do better. My favorite rule is the one about the players taking risks and letting the director sort it out. Thanks Sean.

[Roy Janik]

Awesome.

This list reinforces the fact that I need to be a more active director. I love directing Maestro. In the past I've been paired with Andy, so I could depend on him to handle a lot of the hardcore directing stuff. But now I need to step up and be more vocal. I will do my best.

[seanhill]

I'd be happy to teach a directing workshop if people are interested.

[vine311]

I'd be happy to teach a directing workshop if people are interested.

I'm interested.

[kbadr]

I'd be happy to teach a directing workshop if people are interested.

Definitely Sean. Hook us up with your Maestro skillzzzzzz.

And come direct sometime.

[Marc Majcher]

I'd be happy to teach a directing workshop if people are interested.

I am totally interested. Totally.

[Zach]

I just wanted to say thanks for sharing this. As someone fairly new to the maestro, I have found this little manifesto very helpful.