Austin Improv

Roy Janik wrote:

Rev. Jordan T. Maxwell wrote:any use of my ideas requires my involvement as director, or at least the ad hoc cast. or cookies. i can bring cookies. I WANT TO PLAY!!!

You done with your break, then?

grr...any use of my ideas AFTER January 31st requires my...etc. cookies. PLAY!!!

The Shortform Mash-up seemed like a success.

For those curious here's a quick run-down of the games played:

1) Pan the Alphabet (Pan Left/Right but the alphabet games was played across all scenes, so after a pan play continued with next letter from the previous two players)

The players pulled this one off easily. I even forget they were doing alphabet for a few moments in there.

2) Speak in One Little Voice (Speak in One Voice + Little Voice)

It was delightful to hear the 'little' voice say some things that didn't quite make sense, due to across the stage mic lip synching.

3) Half Genres (Half-Life + Movie Genre Replay)

I probably should have explained this one fully, instead of throwing in the genre switch after the first 1 minute scene. It might have allowed the players to make more interesting motion choices (e.g. riding in on a horse, in a car, in a spaceship, etc.) Nevertheless, the players pulled this one off without any seeming confusion.

4) 17/5/1 Word Hell-Dub

Clearly the most brain-melting game of the night. Players needed to remember their voices, their counts, and for whom they were speaking. I evilly didn't say if it was the vocalizer or the mimer that got each word count. The audience was clearly on the players side for this one, so while I don't remember what the scene was about, I do remember laughter.

5) Tag Team Sermon (Tag Team Monologue + Sermon)

As a glorious finish, the players gave a hilarious sermon on the evils of spitting off the church balcony. They handled it easily and even fell into a nice pattern of repeated beats for certain players' turns. Loved it!

Thanks again all. Let's hope this format comes back again, as there are many mash-ups left to go.

Sneak preview:

Starting off with Alphabet Category Die,, getting the audience in on it with a Moving Bodies Samauri fight, and maybe even finishing with a Demon Voice giving an Oscar Winning Moment.

Sounds super fun, Neal. Thanks for doing it!

Great job, Neal!

So I'm the SUPER LUCKY house-manager of the Free Fringe which means I get to see all this crazy shit come to life. It is MAGICAL.

There have only been four "projects" so far, but before each project people have been going on stage saying "okay...well...let's just see how it goes...and...let's just have fun." and after each show the troupes come off the stage and the FIRST thing out of their mouths are "when can we do that again!?!"

The Free Fringe has been a brilliant success. We've been close to sold-out house and the audience has loved it!