Austin Improv

Yes Virginia, there is one last pre-holiday Tuesday Night jam! It might be the last one for the year, so come on out and play!!
Hideout 7-10, Tuesday

This week's theme(s):
Getting the hell out of your head, not being funny, and showmanship.

Wha?

Getting out of your head:
This will involve exercises on moving fast and not thinking, such as Dada Monologues, Malapropism, Gibberish work, non sequitors, etc. Warning, I will try to break your brain, so be ready!

Not being funny:
This is just what it sounds like. We'll do some mundane scenes, some scenes where one person is funny and the other can't be, maybe reading from a play, and some unfunny tag-outs (you're funny, you're out!), etc. Trust me, there is a method to the madness.

Showmanship:
This will probably come up during the mock show portion of the jam where we will work on being comfortable on stage, taking suggestions confidently, and "selling it" (we'll add killing a player for simply looking weak or not having confidence in their rhyme in addition to hemming, hawing, and repeating in Beastie Rap, for example).

Plus we'll just have a lot of fun!


So, who's in?

cdr=in.

This week's jam's exercises sound like somebody I know... Hmm...

I will be there as always.

Man...I love being not funny. I will come. Might be a little late.

I need to load up on improv before I leave town for a week. I'll be there.

I am the improv camel.

i'll be there after level 2 class is over at 8.

I'd love to get out of my own head, but will have to settle for getting out of the state.

By Jam time tommorow I'll be driving a team of dogs across the blowing snow and frozen northern reaches of Lake Michigan towards my ancestral home.

or

Maybe we'll just take I-75, not as fun, true, but quicker.

So have fun Jammers, hope to see you all after the holidays.

Zach wrote:I'd love to get out of my own head, but will have to settle for getting out of the state.

By Jam time tommorow I'll be driving a team of dogs across the blowing snow and frozen northern reaches of Lake Michigan towards my ancestral home.

I bet you improvised that!

Actually I had my writing team working on that all day. Severely disappointed in the result, I launched into a Biblical scale tirade then attempted to cause them physical harm.

Now they refuse to write anything more or even come down from the rafters until I also provide them an infinate supply of bananas.

Holla hello at Michigan for me.

Zach wrote:Actually I had my writing team working on that all day. Severely disappointed in the result, I launched into a Biblical scale tirade then attempted to cause them physical harm.

Now they refuse to write anything more or even come down from the rafters until I also provide them an infinate supply of bananas.

how many bananas did this one cost you?
see you in '07
please bring back an accent

Old Grizzled Cowpoke: "Pardner, how long's it been since you had a thick, rich, steaming bowl of improv?"

Me: (awkward pause)

Old Grizzled Cowpoke: "Well, that's too long..."

***************

I'm in town -- count me in. I could definitely use some work on tonight's topics...

The jam went really well last night. Thank you to all the players, both new and experienced who came out to help and to play. We got up to abou 12 or so at one point and several people came and went as their schedule allowed.

Christina and I took turns running exercises designed to get people out of their heads and focused on their scene partners. We also worked on showmanship skills (i.e. "stcking it"). It went really well and I think everyone got something out of the exercises. We even pulled out some new, made-up games and some raely seen in Austin.

Due to the holidays I don't know if there will be a jam next week, but watch the boards for announcements.

There will be a jam for sure on January 2nd, though, so come and start your new year right!

full body slam props to wes and christina for doing such a stellar job of leading the jam. that's a job that requires a lot of care and attention and they brought it with both hands. i had a great time and inadvertently learned some shit in the process.

also, i highly recommend the new warmup exercise, which can only be performed when i am present.

I will echo the props to Wes and Christina...I had a blast, and it was fun to be back at the Hideout doing improv after a length absence...

My only wish is that I could stay in town a few more weeks to have another go at the jam and maybe some Maestro...