Austin Improv

So, I've been thinking of organizing an outdoor jam when the weather cools off. Maybe on a Thursday weeknight or on a Saturday morning (from like 9 or 10 to noon, followed by eating).

It would just run for a few weeks, but I think it would be fun. It would get us thinking in a different space and expose a lot more passerbys to the improv scene by being so visible. We might even be able to absorb total strangers into games as the jam went on and then direct them to shows and classes. Plus, if we did a weekend morning, I think an early morning workout might put us in noticably different headspace than a post-work evening jam does. And if we did morning, we could do an easy lunch cook-out or hang out afterward.

I'm thinking that Zilker would be ideal, but we could also do it at Town Lake or Pease Park. Or maybe move it from location to location each week to expand our own familiarity and use of the city and to find new inspirations and passerbys.

Right now it is just an idea, we'd have to wait for the temps to drop just a bit and for Out of Bounds (and maybe ACL) to be over. But, would anyone be interested?

I would definitely be interested. My schedule isn't very open though... for example Thursday night is already taken, and right now Saturday morning is taken too... So it might be something I'd like to do but couldn't make it to.

by the water.. like barton creek!

me.

I'm interested. I really like the idea of having it at a different public spot every time. Somewhere with lots of pedestrian or vehicular traffic would be awesome. Anyway, just thinking.

What about at First Thursday?

Maybe doing something during ACL would be good actually. If we could get a space along Barton Springs Road as the people are coming and going to the festival.

I'd be interested but I'll be in rehearsals in the evenings during the week. But I could do Saturday morning.

I am 100% behind this idea. I don't care so much about the exposure to passers-by part as getting out and into a completely different environment, and thus headspace. One of the highlights from an early heroes class was when we went out to the capitol lawn for class, instead of the theater. Totally different, but badass, experience. Also, opening up the space from your traditional stage thing really does blow your mind a little bit. Trees are good.

I'm not really a morning person, but I'm fer it. Let's move it around, mix it up, and make some magic.

If someone wants to set-up those events, that would be awesome, but I don't want to confuse jam with purely promotional opportunity.

I mean, I think doing it in a park will, by defintion, attract some attention, and that's great. But I want this still to be an improv work-out and jam first and foremost--not an introduction session for every possible passerby. I want a way to break up the mundane for us. We'll talk to those that ask and we can even put up a sign saying who we are, but I don't want to be side-tracked or stopping every three minutes to talk to strangers, so I don't want super crowd heavy, high-traffic areas.

I want a tool to allow us to spread our wings a little and be inspired in a different environment; like a Tai Chi or Yoga class that meets in the the park on a Saturday morning instead of their usual studio.

As PR-minded as I am, this is a selfish motivation with a possible PR-bent.

This sounds cool, Wes. I know that I absolutely wilt in heat, so I would move for the September and on time slot.

The more I think about this, the more I'm really liking this idea.

Here's what I'm thinking right now if enough people are interested (I'd like to have at least 8 or 10 people at each session). This is a rough plan estimate and it is all subject to change, of course. (I haven't researched any of these places to see if events are going on there on these days, for example).

--I've listed 6 tentative dates below, starting the Saturday after ACL and running subsequent Saturdays (except October 6th) through November 3rd.
--The jams would most likely run 9:00 - 11:30 in the morning, but may start at 8:00 (though I'm really tempted to do the October 13th date to catch the sunrise). We'll see.
--Each one would be at a different park around town; kind of an improv tour of Austin. I'll scout each location in advance and try to theme some of the jam to the environment (like doing status exercises as the Capitol).
--This would be an experiment of breaking the routine, doing improv in a different place, at a different time of day, playing off different environmental cues, hopefully producing a different mindset; a new way to give your improv a little kick in the pants.


September 22
Zilker Park (either the Rock Garden picnic tables or Rock Island)

September 29
Pease Park (Main Entrance off Windsor, down near the creek)

October 13
Overlooking 360 Bridge (southbound side, top of the cliff)

October 20
Capitol Grounds (by the Ten Commandment monument since that’s what guarantees our freedom of congregation and speech)

October 27
Duncan Park (where it meets the Shoal Creek Greenbelt)

November 3
Town Lake – Auditorium Shores (in the gazebo)


Does this sound interesting to people?

If you are interested in exposure the park at 5th St and Guadalupe would be a good place. Especially if you work it on Saturday morning during the Farmers Market. Do some improv and then support the local farmers and other entrepreneurs. Just a thought.

I like this.

(We've got a special Start Trekkin' workshop on Saturday, Sept. 22, so try not to book in conflict with that.)

Dude - start at one end of the pedestrian bridge over Town "Lake" and end at the other. Better yet, split your cast into two parts, have them start at opposite ends of the bridge and mingle characters in the middle, carrying them to the other end of the bridge.

That would totally rock.

Wesley wrote:The more I think about this, the more I'm really liking this idea.
September 22
Zilker Park (either the Rock Garden picnic tables or Rock Island)
September 29
Pease Park (Main Entrance off Windsor, down near the creek)
October 13
Overlooking 360 Bridge (southbound side, top of the cliff)
October 20
Capitol Grounds (by the Ten Commandment monument since that’s what guarantees our freedom of congregation and speech)
October 27
Duncan Park (where it meets the Shoal Creek Greenbelt)
November 3
Town Lake – Auditorium Shores (in the gazebo)

I think this is a terrific idea that I will happily attend, and I also think the pedestrian bridge is a super location. Texas heat is just really an anathema to me, so my attendance at those first couple of meets will depend on the weather.

I'm in. It sounds like a lot of fun. As long as there is no running or heavy lifting involved.