Austin Improv

Most of us tend to do some kind of group warm-up, but is there anything you do personally just by yourself to tell your brain, 'hey, the rest of the day is over, it's improv time'?

If I've been super busy/distracted all day or week, I really like to just stare into the mirror wall of the Hideout's green room... and try not to think of anything.

it's a slightly differentiated ceremony from what i do to get myself ready for any acting performance. music is paramount. i like to pick a song that gets me into a good head space and zone out to that (this oddly became a "group" warm up as well last year at OOB when Jeff came upon me listening to New Order's "Ceremony" on my iPod and i plugged one of the buds into his ear and we listened to it together). if there's a mirror available, i like to look into that, sometimes with music, sometimes without and kind of familiarize myself with where my face and body are at that moment. and if there's a dark enough and alone enough space, i like to take a minute or so to meditate and pray.

then i jump up and down like an idiot, hug whomever's going onstage with me to tell them i've got their back, pop a breath strip and remind myself i'm a fucking superhero rock star and rush the stage like it's Normandy.

I like to change my clothes, freshen up my make-up or hair or whatever.
I always want to talk about goals and focuses before stepping on stage. I remind myself that I both don't know what I'm doing and that I know exactly what I'm doing. If a mirror is around I like to make faces in it or spin around in front of it.
Also, I like hugging.

Outside of connecting with teammates about how everyone's doing, I do one thing and it always seems to have a very positive effect: I eat an apple.

I like to get my body moving a little bit. Lightly jog in place, and a little stretching.

jillybee72 wrote:Most of us tend to do some kind of group warm-up, but is there anything you do personally just by yourself to tell your brain, 'hey, the rest of the day is over, it's improv time'?

I also do some solo warmups that Jill taught us in her solo workshop. I like them because group warmups are always high energy and outrageous. But I like having a few moments with myself that are solemn before getting silly with my friends.

I like to drink water and make sure I've nibbled on something like nuts, or a banana.

I like a delicate balance of socializing and alone time. I go to the bathroom about 6 times to piddle or check my hair.

My personal psyche-up when I was doing stand-up was to smoke like a chimney. I can't really recommend this. First of all, my stand-up was awful. Second, cancer.

I don't always get to, but if I can do 20 minutes of yoga before going to the theater, I feel a lot more relaxed centered going into a show. Meditation, too. I haven't kept good enough records to know whether this corresponds to actual performance improvement.

I used to like to have a Yoohoo before shows.

I really like to get some good stretching in and, when I can, I like to lay down on the stage before anyone is around.

I prefer to wear my show clothes all day. This has had a positive effect on my "style" because I've started dressing nicer off-stage. But the point of it is so that I am comfortable in my clothes/self rather than, "now it is special time, time to put on my special outfit" or whatever. Which is probably the opposite of how a lot of people do it.

Personally, I just also try not to think of anything (feel free to "zing" me).

Usually, I do nothing. Occasionally, I get still and quiet for a little while and empty my mind. Also, I'll have a beer.

I used to really have a need to focus prior to shows, or prepare somehow by scanning the newspaper and getting about 20+mins of CNN, so I would have information from around the world....

Now however, my 'adult life' hasn't been so cherry, and improv is truly both playtime and therapy, and now I just have so much willingness just to surrender and play in imagination land, it just happens.

I like to jump right into a show, I don't particularly like warmup games per say.

I like to connect with whoever I'm playing with by horsing around for a bit, squish my face around while I'm waiting to go on, and then just beforehand, let everything completely fall out of my mind and hit the stage totally empty and fresh.

Sometimes I have like to have a coffee before going on. Sometimes that's a good idea, sometimes not.

Adan wrote:I also do some solo warmups that Jill taught us in her solo workshop. I like them because group warmups are always high energy and outrageous. But I like having a few moments with myself that are solemn before getting silly with my friends.

Shhh don't tell anyone! I get so e-m-b-a-r-r-a-s-s-e-d!