Austin Improv

last night, look cookie did three shows in about two and a half hours. there were some highlights and some lowlights, but ultimately is was an eye-opening experience. we performed in two different venues and for audiences of varying numbers and interest levels. for me, it was enjoyable to see how varied the three performances were. we covered many areas of improv from rapid fire tag-outs to really slow, long and rewarding scenework. (one of the more rewarding scenes for me ended not with a huge explosion of laughter, but with a resounding "awwww..."). at the end of it all, we ended up back at coldtowne, and we were surprised at just how drained and exhausted we were. i told another cookie, "i feel like i just played an entire basketball game." and for an out of shape chain smoker, an entire basketball game would probably lead to a hospital visit. i would never say that what we did last night was our best ever, but i enjoyed the hell out of every minute of it.

curious: do others have experiences of performing more than two shows in one night WITH THE SAME PEOPLE? (i know many people perform with multiple groups, but how often have you performed with the same group multiple times in one night? what was it like for you?)

I've done this several times, and every time has been both fun and tiring. One thing that's impacted me has been forgetting in which show something happened, and doing a callback to the wrong show. Good times.

Matt wrote:I've done this several times, and every time has been both fun and tiring. One thing that's impacted me has been forgetting in which show something happened, and doing a callback to the wrong show. Good times.

Or worse yet, doing a callback to something from warmups.

Oh, bilbo, you're so rad.

I love doing multiple shows in one night. I'm not sure i've ever done it with the same group though. I feel like after the first show the second show usually goes better. I wonder what the percentage is like for the third show? If it generally goes better or worse in comparison to the other two. Which show was the best for you bilbo?

I can't get enough prov!
3 shows in one night sounds like a cream dream.

A couple of weeks ago I had the pooprtunity to be in an improv "marathon" in San Antonio with a bunch of SA Improvisors, and a couple from Austin. For most of the day we were the same, small group and performed about 5 one-hour shows before new platers started showing up.

It was an amazing experience for me, as the audience numbers went from 5 to a full house and each show's format varied enough to keep us on our toes. Wound up performing in 11 out of 12 shows, and completing the 12 hour marathon exhausted, but thrilled I was able to do so much in one day. It definitely took a lot out of me but I'd do it again in a heartbeat.

I can't get enough prov!
3 shows in one night sounds like a cream dream.

3 cream dreams in one night sounds like a quorum.

Does one 27 hour show count? Well Hung Jury did a 27 hour show a long time ago which was the turning point for me, and I feel like (and so do most of the other Jurors, I think) it was the turning point for the group. That much improv all at once just makes you better on an unconscious level.

It was totally surreal too. After the show we went to talk about it over some grub at IHOP. It was so strange talking about stuff that happened in the show YESTERDAY that was from the same show that just ended.

Anytime I do multiple shows I feel tired afterwards. Good ones make me especially tired. I think it's cuz when you're doing it right, you're using a lot of your brain. It's acting (which can be emotionally draining) AND it's problem solving (which is intellectually draining).

roco:

the second one. i didn't know we were going to go for over thirty minutes, even though i should have figured that out. i loved the uncomfortable nature of the whole second show, especially that people kept leaving throughout the show. it was a free show and the first group didn't know we would be there. we raced over from coldtowne, and just barely got in.

it sucks being a host.

PARASITES!