Tuesday Night Jam - 09/25/07

Wesley · Post by **Wesley** » September 24th, 2007, 2:08 pm

Tuesday, Tues-DAY, TUESDAY!

Come one, come all, to the greatest Tuesday Night Jam in Austin!

Cost: FREE!
Location: Upstairs at the Hideout Theater (617 Congress)
When: 7 - 10 o'clock in the PM
Experience Needed: NONE to LOTS

I don't have anything specific yet that I want to work on this week, though I think I am peaning toward a lot of offering, pimping, and justification games.

Ideas?

Lindsey · Post by **Lindsey** » September 24th, 2007, 4:58 pm

I be there

fbillac · Post by **fbillac** » September 24th, 2007, 6:38 pm

I was thinking about running a series of Game Skill focuses. This week I would like to work on styles and genres. I was thinking we could start with a nice decontruction of the elements that make Replay one of my favorite games to play and see where it leads from there.

Any thoughts?

-Dav

Justin D. · Post by **Justin D.** » September 25th, 2007, 9:19 am

Whatever anyone does who decides to do something (vague enough for ya?), remember that a lot of people who are completely new to improv or have recently started improv come to jams. Don't freak them out.

Wesley · Post by **Wesley** » September 25th, 2007, 9:55 am

If there is anything specific that we've done that you think scares new people, please let us know, but I do try to keep that thought ever present when new people are about.
(I'm proud of the number of people who took classes after getting their feet wet at the jam first.)

At the same time, I don't want to hold back more advanced players looking to play with theory and technique. It's a fine line to balance the needs of all comers.

So, best case scenario is we have enough people to break the jam up into two groups and work on different things at different levels.

In other words, come one come all and bring your friends!

HerrHerr · Post by **HerrHerr** » September 25th, 2007, 10:41 am

Since the jam is geared towards Micetro, why not check in with some of the people who took either or both of the workshops this weekend?

The general idea was to try and do more scenes and fewer games in Micetro (though earlier rounds often may have three or four-person scenes) with the idea of games really be utilized more as exercises in practice. I think many people start to think of how they can get better at certain games rather than how is this game really helping us as improvisers.

And I know you have this appproach already, Wes, just wanted to mention how the workshops reinforced these ideas.

Oh, and great job leading these! I've enjoyed the few in which I've participated.

Wesley · Post by **Wesley** » September 25th, 2007, 11:55 am

Here, here! I wish I could have made the workshops because I fully agree.

I rarely see games as being the end-all of improv, but rather as being a way to focus in on and work a specific skill or set of skills which you then apply to more scenic and long-form performances. It's like playing Around the World in order to play better basketball. The mini-game is fun, but essentially just a tool for improving the bigger picture objective.

I do hope I impress why games are played, but if I forget or gloss over it, feel free to bring it up!

You can bring it up tonight, at the jam, if you want. Bring friends!

kbadr · Post by **kbadr** » September 25th, 2007, 1:37 pm

Let's work a bit on minimalist setup. Get players (particularly less experienced ones who are more used to games) comfortable with "You two are in a hospital. One of you is the patient. Go"

HerrHerr · Post by **HerrHerr** » September 25th, 2007, 2:25 pm

kbadr wrote:Let's work a bit on minimalist setup. Get players (particularly less experienced ones who are more used to games) comfortable with "You two are in a hospital. One of you is the patient. Go"

The cool thing about doing some set-ups like this is that you can then add a gamey bit too after awhile if you feel that it will help a player play or just for fun.

If you have a couple of coaches you could also do something like split the class in two for, say, those who are too talky and those who aren't talky enough. Work on verbal restrictions and whatever the opposite of that is....

Wesley · Post by **Wesley** » September 26th, 2007, 1:34 pm

Great jam last night. A LOT of fun.

We did a fast, fluid warm-up, then Wallace did a wonderful deconstruction of the game Replay, then we worked a little with Inciting Incidents, Conflicting Desires, and Conscious vs. Unconscious Story Spines. Then we had a wonderful mock show with one of the best 185s I've seen in a while.

I think we found a pretty good balance between hardcore workshopping (a game and a long-form technique) and keeping people up and playing.

Next week, we'll look to do more of the same. I already want to work on some more of the Inciting Incident and maybe some good long-form story arc/act structure.

Here's to improv.