Austin Improv

I'm at a loss to really determine where my baseline is. Though I am not in the "I suck worse than suck itself" phase, I do feel that I have room for improvement. But compared to my abilities when IFE first took the stage, I think I have gotten better.

Though I think I totally kick ass if forced to portray a huge neon-fur covered being or some improvisor's means of transportation.

EskimoSpy wrote: Though I think I totally kick ass if forced to portray a huge neon-fur covered being or some improvisor's means of transportation.

I second that.

taking a class with Mick Napier and someone asking him,"When do you become a good improvisor." His response was ,'Whenever you decide to be. If that's today, then it's today, if it's next week, then it's next week. It's whenever you decide you are."

No matter how great our skills can be sharpened, there will always be good and bad shows, moves on stage, scenes etc.; it doesn't always reflect your on your skill level.

XOXO

As for improvisor... I feel more comfortable on stage then anywhere else. Bad shows leave a bad taste, which makes me want to drink good improv as soon as I can. I know I recently have felt a distance do to scheduling. I took October off from shows.. and it was difficult. I had the hanker the whole time.

And just to get it off my chest, I must admit I've had a slight feeling of "overlookedness". Not that my recent involvement in the AIC has warranted any praise or Kudos, because I know I've not been consistantly around or being a contributing force like years back. But it feels the since Mikey left, The Knuckleball Now has been overlooked. I am fine with the nominations, all the troupes chosen are very worthy and very deserving... I guess I feel we were worthy of an "awesome" label a while back when they were being handed out, and no one dropped a line. I am confident in my/our product, and thought "I don't need others to validate it"... although its nice to get reassurance every now and then from peers. I know Lamb and the cupholders are awesome, and they sometimes don't get the credit they deserve. I may read this tomorrow and regret writing it... for I can't control how this will be preceived. I merely wanted get this off my chest, because I love Improv.. and well as all of you.


I know theres love, and as I wrote this I remind myself of opportunities that have been available. I thank you.

This was more for me... just venting.
Better now.

.... and SCENE!

-CK

craigy wrote: This was more for me... just venting.
Better now.

I know you're not fishing for it, but I can honestly say that TKN are one of my most favorite troupes in Austin. Whenever Parallelogramophonograph has a really playful show, I say "That felt like a Knuckleball Now show". I didn't make an "awesome" post because I'm a lazy sod. But you are most heartily appreciated.

craigy wrote:I must admit I've had a slight feeling of "overlookedness".

Craig, THIS is an improv-love note!!! You are one of my all-time favorite improvisers. I really wish I could see more shows with YOU in them. You used to be an improv staple of mine. Where are you, man?!! Do you only play with KBN, and they are only playing occasionally?? Last I saw of you was in OOB with One Night Band - which was great fun.

More CK.

craigy wrote:I guess I feel we were worthy of an "awesome" label a while back when they were being handed out, and no one dropped a line. I am confident in my/our product, and thought "I don't need others to validate it"... although its nice to get reassurance every now and then from peers.

i'm right there with you. i actually avoided that section of the forums for a few days cuz i was so disappointed every time i didn't see myself up there. i know, i know. "selfish and self-involved." fuck it. i'm me. i'm not someone else and seeing my name mentioned with praise is a good feeling. seeing me overlooked by my peers is frustrating. so, craig, i feel your pain. and my own. i will speak no more on this pitiful issue.

jeremy

in keeping with the thread, i always think i'm varying levels of sweet at improv. thinking anything else is like shooting yourself in the foot with a real gun before you try to run a real marathon. it's a real bad idea.

9. Most Likely To Succeed in Blue Maestro
Jill Morris
Jen Cargill
Jeremy Lamb
Phil Aulie
Dave Wallace

11. Best Male Improviser
Bob McNichol
Jeremy Lamb
Chris Trew

13. Best Coach/Teacher/Director
Shan Merlin
Jeremy Lamb
Dave Buckman
Andy Crouch

17. The Best Troupe
Parallelogramphonograph
Girls Girls Girls
The Available Cupholders
The Frank Mills
Coldtowne

i was referring to back in the day when people were doing the 'awesome' posts. i felt better when the award nominations came out. and i'm trying to cheer up the craigus with shared pain.
i will speak no more to this issue.
beard.

kaci_beeler wrote:9. Most Likely To Succeed in Blue Maestro
Jill Morris
Jen Cargill
Jeremy Lamb
Phil Aulie
Dave Wallace

When it comes to how good I am at improv, I usually feel like I am right where I belong. Somewhere right below Jeremy Lamb and always above Dav Wallace.


PRE-RAMBLE: The following is a ramble. Read if you must.

Honestly, a lot of troupes got no "awesome" post, even though I made the effort to point out two troupes that I thought were awesome. I blame Shannon for getting all of our hopes up when he told us that our time would come, and neglected to tell us how soon that would be. Shannon's a busy guy, and I guess he could feel like Get Up gets overlooked every now and then as well, so I can't be too angry at him.

I would say this for The Knuckleball Now, you had one of the best shows I saw at Out of Bounds (and it wasn't just because of Mikey!), and continue to do wonderful shows everytime I've seen you guys. Just the other day Doug and I were listing the improv troupes we really enjoy, and your name was one of the first we thought of, and we uttered it simultaneously because your spirit had obviously inhabited our bodies and filled us with a love for wit and humour.

Oddly enough, thinking about it now I realize that You Me & Greg is somewhere between TKN and the most involved troupes in the community (PGraph / Coldtowne / others). It's a nice niche on the fringe, we can claim to have a "community" of our own, but at the same time decide that we hate everyone on a whim, whenever we see fit (not now of course, with the awards coming up and everything!)

It's hard not to feel overlooked when people are being called out for being "awesome", when people are being nominated for awards, when people are being approached to guest in a variety of different shows. But I've realized lately that it's very satisfying to put a lot of hard work into my own endeavors and have that focus. You Me & Greg has had a lot of wonderfully amazing opportunities appear lately, and it's very gratifying to know that we are coming into our own and our hard work (mostly my hard work - Doug and Greg will never read this, ha!) is finally paying off.

And I said to Doug the other day, when he asked me why I thought He & Greg & I don't get invited to guest as much as some other improvisers, and my only answer was that I guess people view us as a unit. It's a blessing and a curse to be so intimately connected to the people you perform with.

I would love to guest with most every person in this community, we're all talented, hilarious, bold, daring, interesting, wonderful people. As the opportunities to do that slowly arise, I'll gladly leap on them and ride them wherever they may take me. But I can honestly say that there is no one in the world I would enjoy sharing-the-stage with more than Doug & Greg. They're my best friends, my favorite people, and my brothers-in-arms in this dog eat dog world of comedy and intrigue.

And then I remember, Doug and Greg will never read this. Fuck it. All of it.

I'm going to go change my signature to "Is He Joking?", because I don't even know if the things I say are serious anymore.

I support you all, especially you Craig (and you too, whoever you are reading this!).

-phil

craigy wrote: This was more for me... just venting.
Better now.

F-U KOTFAS! Why don't you write a song about it, you thread hijacker! Sorry, Craig. I didn't mean it. But why haven't I seen you since I moved back!?! One night band? Eh? Eh? Let's at least rehearse one in your garage. Cool.

Back to topic. Craig's post about having a bad show after-taste made me realize that maybe I'm feeling lame because of the lack of improv I'm doing. Like Amare Stoudemire in the first two Suns games. I'm not sucking, I'm just not getting enough minutes. I even have the ocasional JAM ALL OVER ELTON BRAND'S ASS, but without enough rehearsal or show time it feels empty. Like there's no time to hit my stride. I need to get my groove back. Eyes on the prize, baby. Eyes on the prize.

This entire thread is disturbing me and it's the main reason I didn't want to have AIC awards. Anything that causes people like Jeremy and Craig to think they're anything less than awesome is crap.

We're all a bunch of pussies.

And Phil, you were invited to play with Piss & Vinegar, so shut your word hole.

Everyone get off the fucking boards and get back on stage.

Fuck you Kareem.

phlounderphil wrote:Fuck you Kareem.

Phil, I'm offended, and I think it's time you left town for a while.