Austin Improv

It's been way too long, and I'm going to lay some Canadian Smackdown on this Maestro.

I'm pulling out my old favorite games we might not have done in a while.

Sign up for the 'Stro if you wanna see how I roll.

Shana

Awesome.

Hey, could you list some of the old favorites that you might use Saturday? Seems like this is a perfect thing to practice in the Tuesday jam.

Unless you want it to be a surprise, which is cool too, but I know we've had a reasonable amount of success running and critiquing games in the jam, when we decide to focus on that.

I haven't finished (or started) preparing yet, but here's a few things off the top of my head:

• Squishy face monologues
  Elimination style What are you doing w/ restrictions
  Last Action Line
  Master Servant Scenes
  Double Blind Date
  Growing/Shrinking Machine
  Yearbook Photo Montage
  SlideShow
  Gibberish/English
  30 seconds of silence
  I love you scene
  Actor Switch
  3 scenes 2 lives
  Sound Effects
  Dubbing
  Eye contact/Music
  Stunt Double
  Status Transfer
  Speak in Turn
  Slo-Mo Olympics w/ Commentary
  Silly Stinky Sexy
  Slo Mo Samurai for Performance
  Impossible scene (No I, No questions, No commenting on Activity)
  1940's Radio Show
  Freeze Tag
  Chapters

Well, I guess I'm done preparing now. Thanks Kareem.

Shana

I just had the most hilarious Maestro Stress Dream:

Andy and I were co-directing a sold out Maestro. All the players were warming up in the green room--including Johnny Depp in full Pirates of the Carribean regalia. I try to talk to him, but he spooks when I say, "Johnny!" We had to cut a few players because there were too many.

I was sitting in the directors seat as the audience was filling up. Ellen Degeneres comes and sits on the front row. Jon's Dad from Florida sits in the back. I'm getting more nervous about having a good show, but still able to have some funny banter.

Andy is doing box office as well as directing and totally stressing me out. I can't ever seem to find him/ get him in the other directors chair.

When the show is about to start, Andy brings out an old TV set to run the opening Maestro trailer and then heads back to the box office where he is still selling tickets. The TV is too loud and I go up and start pressing buttons on it to increase the volume. But I totally mess it up and start slowing down the video and making it quieter. I'm hollering for Andy to come help and floundering in front of the audience. He finally comes back but now I've lost my set list. I call out the players to introduce themselves to the audiecne, but they are unhappy that I didn't call out the directors first and refuse to come onstage.

Then it's time for the first elimination warmup. I look on the board and it is all jumbled up. I set up a round of "What Are You Doing?" But it somehow becomes a bondage game with attractive femal improvisers I don't recognize with ropes and then I wake up.

I've never had a stress dream about Maestro before. What does it all mean?

smerlin wrote:But it somehow becomes a bondage game with attractive femal improvisers I don't recognize with ropes...

What does it all mean?

It means I'm fucking' playing Maestro!

Andy and I were co-directing a sold out Maestro. All the players were warming up in the green room--including Johnny Depp in full Pirates of the Carribean regalia.

Congratulations, Shana. You've just written improv fanfiction. I hope you're happy.

did someone mention a pirate costume?! hmmmm.....

Relax, Shana! YOU ARE AN AWESOME IMPROVISER AND A GREAT DIRECTOR! (And stop eating those Guatemalan insanity peppers right before bedtime!!)

sweetness.

where do i sign up y'all?

e

Anyone who wants to play, email me and say "I want to play!' We're limiting it to ten, so get in there while there's space.

Awesome Maestro tonight, guys.

Shana, thanks for directing. It was super fun!

Andy, great job at the helm, as always. I think you 2 pulled from a really fun list of games tonight.

agreed.

again - i had way too much fun.

thank you for letting me play and to shana (n' that feller andy) for a delicious time!

If you liked my directing or if you didn't and wanna work it out, come take my next specialty class:

Directing Improv
(February 18 Saturday 1-5pm)
at the Hideout Classroom
$35

Learn techniques for directing and side-coaching improvised scenes. Learn how to diagnose scenes, how to step in without stepping on toes, and how to give direction that makes the scene and the players look good. Other topics include shaping a show, side-coaching, and game/scene setups. Perfect for players interested in directing Maestro or troupe rehearsals.

to register, email me at shana@merlin-works.com

YES! to all of what has been said (and especially E's quote of Kaci's one-man scene. I loved that!) And I also had a great time in the show playing with the directors and the other players. Nice audience, too! I felt very lucky to be there that night. Bravo to all involved!