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Posted: July 1st, 2011, 12:30 pm
by SarahMarie
I love it!
I think I'm in "Please invent something to suspend time and space so I can do all the improv projects I want to do right NOW!"
Posted: July 1st, 2011, 12:31 pm
by shando
This one is super great!!
Posted: July 1st, 2011, 2:16 pm
by Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell
fantastic! i just passed the 13 year mark back in May (had a similar realization i'd been telling people "about 10 years" for a while, lol) and definitely recognized myself in all of those stages. i feel very much in a breakthrough phase right now...where every new show i do unlocks some new level and makes me hungry for more shows that will do that, and to finally create a few of my own.
i've dipped my toes in the teaching phase, but i don't know if i have the knack for it. certainly not to the degree folks like you, Andy and Roy have it...
Posted: July 1st, 2011, 3:16 pm
by Brad Hawkins
I'm in the transition between Anxiety and Addiction. Actually, I was addicted nearly from the beginning. But the Anxiety is still there, where you don't quite internalize that you're good enough to be taking up space on this stage.
Posted: July 2nd, 2011, 3:04 pm
by mpbrockman
Yikes. Can I pick two?
4 and 6 at once. I've definitely reached a plateau where it sometimes seems like I've taken myself as far as I can go and that I'm just recycling my bag o' tricks. Intellectually, I know that's not true - I just need to spend more time thinking of ways to challenge myself and keep things fresh.
Then again, when doing classes here, or the workshop Shana & I did at TCIF - the joy of the students is can be completely infectious and often takes me along for the ride. I begin to get better results out of myself because A) they inspire me to do different things and B) I get carried away by the moment(s) and the "Oh, we're doing contemporary ballad type 4, variation C... again..." voice shuts off.
I think Shana's definition of "breakthrough" and mine differ a bit though. Breakthroughs occur for me when I work for them. If I go with the "just show up and play and all my hard work will be there for me" approach I tend to drift into autopilot and out of the moment. I have to consciously (yes, I know that's a dirty word in improv) push my way out of my safe zone and hope for the best. Sometimes that results in a colossal (to me) f*ck up, sometimes I end up somewhere new. That's a breakthrough for me.
*Reposted from the Merlin-Works forum*
Posted: August 26th, 2011, 12:22 pm
by smerlin
My August Newsletter is up!
http://merlin-works.com/public/newsletter_20.html
The article is about how to judge the quality of the shows you are in, plus there's lots of info about my OOB recommendations.
Posted: December 15th, 2011, 4:24 pm
by smerlin
The latest addition just hit the presses!
http://merlin-works.com/public/newsletter_21.html
With a new article on "Acting Normal," info about the next session of classes, and my favorite sweets in town! Read on for shout outs to Valerie Ward, Karen Jane DeWitt, Girls Girls Girls - Improvised Musicals, Gnap! Theater Projects, Get Up, The Amazing Improvised Race and more...
Posted: December 15th, 2011, 4:48 pm
by SarahMarie
As always, SO SHINY in my mind. I love this newsletter.
Posted: January 12th, 2012, 5:34 pm
by smerlin
January's newsletter's been out for a while, if you haven't seen it yet!
http://merlin-works.com/public/newsletter_22.html
All about doing less...
Posted: March 14th, 2012, 5:53 pm
by smerlin
New newsletter!
http://www.merlin-works.com/public/newsletter_23.html
Feature article: Unplugging with Improv
Classes start next week...
Posted: March 14th, 2012, 6:32 pm
by Kayla Lane
This thread reminded me of the awesome "Lifecycle of an Improviser" post from last summer. Clicked it, read it again, and it's still incredibly helpful and inspiring. Thanks, Shana!!
Posted: May 10th, 2012, 4:53 pm
by smerlin
Posted: May 11th, 2012, 2:30 pm
by SarahMarie
LOVE!!!
And I love the idea of the cheat sheets! But the links are broken! Boo!
Posted: May 11th, 2012, 4:53 pm
by smerlin
Eeep! I'll work on fixing those. Something broke when we transferred over to the new site.
Posted: May 21st, 2012, 9:39 pm
by smerlin