The Village Idiots' Improv Comedy Blog

improv resourse center

2011-01-27T06:17:00.001-05:00

http://podcast.improvresourcecenter.com/?p=episode&name=2011-01-26_irc_podcast_joe_bill.mp3

change the scene

2011-01-16T07:57:00.001-05:00

http://vimeo.com/6756716

Whose Line Is It Anyway part II [With Robin Williams]

2011-01-04T06:56:00.000-05:00

Whose Line is it Anyway: Moving People Snake Bite

2010-12-26T17:50:00.000-05:00

"Second to None" 10th Anniversary Clip #4

2010-11-06T03:59:00.000-04:00

Hey folks this is the last of the Second to None clips feel free to comment ,or post something you think will help us be better improvisors.

"Second to None" 10th Anniversary Clip #3

2010-10-30T06:09:00.000-04:00

It would be so cool if we could do this as a game. In front of an audience.

RIFF Saturday Workshops

2010-10-21T14:48:00.002-04:00

The following workshops will be held on Saturday morning within various spaces in Village Gate. Each workshop will be repeated twice--one at 9:00am and again at 10:45am. The cost is $40, and you must check in at the Village Idiot's Pillar Theater by 8:50 to be register and be given the exact location of each workshop.

"Intimacy and Group Mind" By Rick Andrews
How do we overcome the fear of improvised performance? By putting trust in our scene partners, groups, and self. In this workshop, we’ll explore the issues of trust, connectivity, intimacy, and group mind from a practical perspective. We’ll work on forging a real connection to our scene partners to get access to more impactful scenework, and we’ll take some of the mysticism out of “group mind” and learn how to connect as an ensemble. Push through your fear to find a better, funnier you.

"Solo Improv Techniques" By Michael Short
How to do work to do a one-person improv show.

"Slowing Down" By John Thompson

"Second to None" 10th Anniversary Clip #1

2010-10-16T08:16:00.000-04:00

I Love the history of things. Here is some faces you have seen before and some people you have not seen before. Am i a great writer or what? What? enjoy

"Second to None" 10th Anniversary Clip #2

2010-10-09T05:08:00.000-04:00

I love how young Tina Fey and Rachel Dratch look. On stage you have to get out of your safe place. It is not easy and yeat it is. be fearless and take a chance, it is the best high ever.

How To Learn Any Accent (Part 2) - Amy Walker

2010-10-05T07:59:00.000-04:00

Ok i have got to get to work good stuff

How To Learn Any Accent (Part 1) - Amy Walker

2010-10-05T07:49:00.000-04:00

Ok i am obssesd she is good

21 Accents

2010-10-05T07:23:00.000-04:00

Even an Idiot can tell a Story

2010-10-02T04:17:00.001-04:00

I like Scott Simon. What he says is correct. Get the audience in the first words out of your mouth. Dont go to crazy town right away make it a fun trip to crazy. Names and images are important. And make sure that trip is something they will remember.

Irony City Improv - Dead Actors - The Matrix

2010-09-24T23:51:00.000-04:00

Wow, this is sort of a takeoff on moving body parts but one person does the voices. I would love to try this at a show

Whose line is it anyway - UK - moving people -

2010-09-18T08:08:00.000-04:00

I normally do not like this game, but it is done really well here. The actors keep on talking,and help the audience members along

ASSSSCAT Improv (5 of 5)

2010-09-11T06:36:00.000-04:00

I like the way Tina Fey says this makes me think of that. And then she goes in to a story. I think i am that kind of monologist. Especially when i listen. I love Irwin World but sometimes you have to pay attention. I take that back you always have to pay attention

ASSSSCAT Improv (3 of 5)

2010-09-04T06:04:00.001-04:00

I have had so many dates that ended this way and now its on You Tube. Not that it's all about me. Allthough it should be don't you think.

ASSSSCAT Improv (4 of 5)

2010-08-28T00:28:00.000-04:00

ASSSSCAT Improv (2 of 5)

2010-08-22T10:47:00.001-04:00

I am like that guy who is in his own little world . Irwin World is a magical litle place where i am worshiped as a god. We only have one zelot in this world me. i must explore other worlds and listen. HELP ME

ASSSSCAT Improv (1 of 5)

2010-08-21T03:21:00.001-04:00

As you can see this follows the classic monology and three beats. I notice things like that .

iO & The Harold

2010-08-14T13:22:00.000-04:00

Say My Name http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFQs7Jcaazw

2010-04-03T03:46:00.000-04:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFQs7Jcaazw

Family

2010-02-13T05:47:00.003-05:00

We are family here at the Vip. And just like a family we should support one another. I was not in last nights show but i came to see my brothers and sister idiots act and be funny. If you possibly can and if it does not conflict with other plans go see a show even if you are not in it. This is not the Irwin Harris idiots or(place your name here) idiots it is the Village Idiots. You may not always agree with the decisions made but you should try and adapt if you can. I am not kissing ass here but thanking my lucky stars that i can perform. I am learning. I sometimes use improv in daily life. Remember it takes a Village to raise an idiot. I think we got raised real good.

Movie Night: The Prestige Of Harry Potter

2010-02-06T19:24:00.003-05:00

Polinius

2010-01-16T11:02:00.003-05:00

How to play Polinius that is the question. Do i play him as the power behind the throne? Or do i play him as a senile old man his best days behind him? Do i play him as a loving and caring father or a man with no moral compass. Is he just a corporate shill to the new king? To thine own self be true. The intent is what i strive for.

Games Idiots Play

2009-12-12T06:20:00.003-05:00

While I think we should sometimes stick to the basics of Impro for Stortytellers I love that we try out new games. Last nights show was fun, and as always a learning expierience. Sometimes yes I am in the dark over life and improv but Swifuns in the dark scene was fun. We never burned brighter then in Jeri's Hanukah scene. And Cal's scene left me speechless except for two words . Lets continue in 2010 the decade of the idiot.

Masking Tape-We all wear masks ,sometimes they are on the inside.

2009-12-05T10:50:00.001-05:00

The Next Phase -Beard And Body

2009-11-28T12:50:00.004-05:00

Pan,Left Right and Center

2009-11-21T17:41:00.002-05:00

I have become fasinated by movement. I went to our show last night as a member of the audience and was watching the actors use the whole stage. Sometimes as actors we tend to stay in one spot througout the whole scence . This is sometimes not fun to watch. I would like comments on movement as an actor and how you handle it.I am a beard i want to add body to my work.

The First Love:The Training Wheels are Off

2009-11-14T07:35:00.003-05:00

We will soon be moving in to our new studio. I am going to miss the old studio. It was magic and mysterious. Putting in a secret code to get in to the third floor and even having a secret code to use the bathroom. I remember the time during a show we where getting a bit loud and are next door neighbor pounded on the wall. I do not remember which idiot said it might have been Swithun said you can't get in that way. The third floor was like your first love,shy and timid but once you got started boy it was beautiful. We are getting rid of the training wheels and getting a motercycle. We are are the ground floor in more ways then one. I think Village Gate will grow and i think that will be beacause people will coming to see us. We are in the Valley,but very soon we will be on top of the mountain.

Your in Hell Charlie Brown. -I have always been a fan Of the Peanuts gang and i am so glad that Robot Chicken was able to create a very funny spoof..

2009-10-31T05:23:00.004-04:00

Wow

2009-10-24T11:22:00.002-04:00

Has it been one week since the fest? We are an improv community and growing. Woodstock started out small and it made history. It would be great next year if we could have a speaker of some sort to discuss are unique art form. We are the bastard child but watch us grow and expand and improv. 2010 the new decade of improv.

CONTEST RULES--Rochester Improv Fringe Festival

2009-10-15T12:41:00.001-04:00

We are holding a contest to determine who attends the most during the RIFF.

Starting Friday night, through out the festival, the audience will be indicated to text message a secret password to the official phone number. The owner of the phone number with the highest number of correct texts will win $100.

In the event of a 2-way tie, the prize money may be divided with each winner receiving half. In the event of a multiple-way ties, one winner will be randomly selected to receive the full prize.

If there is an overwhelming turnout for the festival, more prizes will be awarded solely at the discretion of the festival's producer.

The winner(s) must produce proof that they have a festival pass.

EVENT DETAILS--Rochester Improv Fringe Festival

2009-10-15T12:20:00.009-04:00

FRIDAY, October 16th
7:00p, School of the Arts High School

"SOTA IMPROV & VILLAGE IDIOTS"
The School of the Arts' Improv Team kicks off the festival with their first show of the season with the Village Idiots them during the second half of the show. (Festival passes can only be purchased after the show.)

9:30p, Village Idiots Studio
"GORILLA THEATRE & Dedication Ceremony"
Three improv directors battle for supremacy, with the audience deciding if their comedic style "evolves" or "dies". The show is followed by a brief dedication ceremony for the Village Idiots' (still under construction) future performance space.

SATURDAY, October 17th
10am, Neighborhood of the Arts

"IMPROV WORKSHOPS"
Different improv workshops are set up through out the different locations of the festival.

Beginner's Level Improv Course (Village Idiots' VIP Studio)
Musical Improv Workshop (MuCCC)
Beginner's Level Contact Improv (SOTA Mainstage)
Advanced Improv Theory Workshop/RoundTable (Village Idiots' 1st Floor Studio)

12p, MuCCC
"ALL-STAR ALL PLAY" ROUND #1

Members from different troupes will be randomly selected to perform with each other. After each scene or game, the audience and a judge scores the performers. The points award are then given to the team they represent. This type of competition occurs throughout the festival, and at the end, the troupe with the most points, wins this year's ASAP award during the awards ceremony!

1pm, MuCCC
"COLLEGE IMPROV TROUPES SHOWCASE"

UofR's "In Between the Lines"
SUNY Geneseo's "No Laugh Track Required"

"ALL-STAR ALL PLAY" ROUND #2

4p, MuCCC
"OUT-OF-TOWN IMPROV TROUPES SHOWCASE"

"ComedySportz" (Buffalo, NY)
"WuProv" (Charlottesville, VA)
"The Francis Bacon Experiment" (Buffalo, NY)

"ALL-STAR ALL PLAY" ROUND #3

7p, MuCCC
"LOCAL IMPROV TROUPES SHOWCASE"

UNLEASHED! Improv performs "Fernando"
Geva Comedy Improv performs "TV on Demand"
The Village Idiots performs "Recycled Shakespeare"

9p, MuCCC
"CATCH 23: TOURNAMENT OF CHAMPIONS"
For the past two weeks, several teams have been competing in the Village Idiots' Catch 23 tournament. 3 teams emerge victorious. Each of them gets 23 minutes, over 4 rounds of play. The audience and a judge scores them after each round. Who will be victorious this year?

Team: "Broken Couch" (BJ Scanlon, Jeff Andrews, & Gavin) Last Year's Champions!
vs.
Team: "Apocalypse Ponies" (Sarah Peters & Callid Keefe-Perry)
vs.
Team: "The Curlers" (Jeri Dube & Chris Dewey)

SUNDAY, October 18th
11a, Village Idiots Studio

"CHURCHPROV"

The Village Idiots explore the spiritual side of improv with the most pretentious form of improv ever invented!

12p, Village Idiots Studio

"AWARDS CEREMONY"
The festival honors several individuals and troupes with serious and silly awards alike. This year's special award for dedicated service to creating Rochester Improv goes to: Frank Storace, artistic director of Nuts & Bolts Improv Comedy Troupe. As the troupe founder, Mr. Storace has directed the creation of Rochester's longest-running improv troupe.

1p, Village Idiots Studio

"CHURCHPROV"
An original repeat of the earlier service where the Village Idiots explore the spiritual side of improv with the most pretentious form of improv ever invented!

2p, Physikos Movement Studio

"CONTACT IMPROV JAM"

LOCATION DETAILS--Rochester Improv Fringe Festival

2009-10-15T12:20:00.006-04:00

School of the Arts
Friday Night:

Ensemble Theatre
45 Prince Street,
Rochester, NY 14607

Saturday Morning:
Main Stage
45 Prince Street,
Rochester, NY 14607

Multi-use Cultural Community Center
Saturday 11:59AM - 11:59 PM:
142 Atlantic Ave
Rochester, NY 14607

Physikos Movement Studio
Sunday 2-4pm:
302 North Goodman St., #E201
Rochester, NY 14607
located above Selena's Mexican Restaurant

Village Idiots Presents (VIP) Studio
All Other Times:
274 North Goodman St., #D312
Rochester, NY 14607
Go to the Gate House Restaurant, and take the elevator the 3rd Floor

Emergency Cash Transplant

2009-10-12T01:44:00.005-04:00

Dave Spiro (Village Idiot & 12 year liver transplant survivor) and Swithun No (Artistic Director) of the Village Idiots
improvisation group burst into URMC's Solid Organ Transplant's Department this past Friday and interrupted their weekly meeting to perform an emergency "cash" transplant!!!

During their August 29th fundraiser for the Patient Needs Fund, the improv troupe had raised awareness about organ donation. They also raised $1,400.10 and were now "transplanting" it into the hands of Dr. Mark Orloff who happily received the cash donation on behalf of the University of Rochester Medical Center's transplant patients.

Dave Spiro, donning his old paramedic uniform, and Swithun No, donning old hospital scrubs, brought the full $1,400.10 cash donation in small, unmarked bills traveling in an official emergency organ transplant box.

"This is the first fundraiser our 2nd year troupe has ever done," said Swithun No. "I'm honored that we could use our humor to help Strong Hospital save lives."

When asked why they didn't go with a simpler presentation of a giant, novelty check instead of dressing up, Swithun No answered, "They make giant novelty checks?"

Everyone’s got a plan…until they get punched in the mouth (and now I’ll somehow relate boxing to life and improv)

2009-10-11T23:16:00.002-04:00

Mike Tyson is one of the most notorious athletes ever. His fights were always exciting, sometimes very illegal and the comments that he made before or after the fights were incredibly entertaining. There are plenty of videos out on the internet filled with just his quotes. A large portion of these were violent and absurd.

However, there was a moment when he said something so profound that it would leave most philosophers envious. To paraphrase, that comment was, “everyone’s got a plan until they get punched in the mouth.” At first glance, this comment might seem like another random act of vocabulary. But, when you strip away possible knee-jerk reactions towards violent speech, you are left with something deep, profound and symbolic.

“Everyone has got a plan until they get punched in the mouth”. This statement describes everyday life all to well. “I was going to ask my boss for a raise, but once I heard him speak, I caved”, “I was going to tell Becky Sue how I really feel about her, but when I looked in her eyes, I lost my will to speak”, “I was going to do well on the test, but once I sat in that chair, I froze”, etc. What does the boss’ voice, Becky Sue’s eyes and a cold chair have in common? They are the metaphoric “punch in the mouth” that Mike Tyson speaks of.

You can practice and prepare all you want, but until you learn how to take that punch to the mouth, your plans will vanish and you’ll revert back to what is familiar or safe.

This is true when you’re trying to evolve in improv. There are plenty of games that can be performed better when utilizing learned techniques and strategies. But, "the heat of the moment" punches you in the mouth and this strikes you with the urge to perform well. It is at times like these that you have to train your mind to pause a beat and stick to the game plan. Otherwise, you’ll be relying on habits that keep you safe, you’ll inhibit your evolution as a human being and Mike Tyson will probably want to eat your babies.

Regeneration and Change.

2009-10-10T07:39:00.002-04:00

Last night in the final scene in our Catch 23 we where dying. We had to change and regenerate like Doctor Who. In the 30 plus years of the show the actor leaves the show but the charecter and intent remains the same . We had to change we had to be bold and fearleEmbedding disabled by requestss. In anything in life or improv if you can,change it regenerate become new.

Learn,Learn,Learn

2009-10-03T06:10:00.003-04:00

Alpha,Beta,Gama and Delta. I think i would like to choose A little from all four. I love going to Delta rehearsal's because you see enthusiasm and wide eyed wonder over this magic called improv i never want to lose that. I am now a Gamma myself and i am still learning and so much potential where to go. When i am good i am very good, When i am not so good more to learn. Beta going in to battle on any front and ability to lead if called upon something to strive for. Finally Alpha Will my son or daughter grow up to be an Alpha hey you never know. The main point here is each group must learn from the other. Sometimes in baseball a major league player must sometimes go down to the minor leagues to learn and get better and come back stronger then when they left. That is how i think Of Alpha,Beta,Gamma and Delta learning from each gaining for all.

Improv Garden

2009-09-20T22:19:00.002-04:00

There is no Special
Go, you are not important
So do what you want

It’s a sad day in the world of MMA (and now I’ll somehow relate this to Improv)

2009-09-20T18:49:00.006-04:00

Technically, it’s not a sad day for MMA (for those who don’t know what MMA is, just think of UFC and that’s close enough), but it is a sad day for me because my favorite fighter lost last night. The fight itself was relatively even for the majority of the time. However, the way he lost was so disappointing that it left me wondering why he was even there.

Let’s give a little background on the fighter in mention. To start off, let’s call him Mirko…cause that’s his name. From 2002-2007 Mirko spent much of his professional career kicking people’s heads off into the crowd (figuratively speaking). Image Mike Tyson style of explosive knockouts.

When Mirko was knocking people out on a regular basis he was mainly doing it with Left High Kicks. Left foot says “hi” to opponent’s head, opponent’s head meets ground, opponent takes a nap and everybody wins, yay! However, during the matches, he was doing a lot more than just throwing a high kick. He threw jabs, crosses, leg kicks, body kicks, pushing them away, the occasional hook, etc. Although, most people tuned into his fights in hopes that they would see one of those signature kicks, it was everything else that helped set it up.

That explosive strike always seemed to come out of nowhere. It seemed to come out of nowhere because he set the attack up the same way a magician would. He has you look over at the right because of a few jabs, you forget to watch his feet and all of a sudden his foot is at your eye level. Then you’re left wondering how the hospital food will taste when you eventually wake up. Very Houdini like if you ask me.

Unfortunately, when he finally came to Vegas (that’s where most UFC fights take place), he seemed to have forgotten his bag of sleight-of-hand magic tricks elsewhere.

So last night, instead of doing:
jab-jab-hook-cross-leg kick-push-jab-jab-Left High Kick-Win-Celebrate

He did:
push-push-push-left high kick-miss-nothing-nothing-repeat-Lose-disappointed fans.

One formula of attack seems to have worked better for him than the other and now I’m one disappointed fan.

Improv is a lot like fighting (I knew I’d find some way to tie this into improv). Most of us have our special attack. Some people can “ooh ahh” the crowd with cartwheels, some are excellent singers and others are great at the one liners. Mirko had his one liner – it was his left foot. Show after show he relied on it to get the reaction from his opponent (and the crowd) that he wanted. Eventually he became so focused on that one attack and one crowd response that he lost sight of everything else he needed to be a complete performer. He stopped doing all the little things to build up the special attack and now he is predictable.

Whether your special talent is cartwheels, head kicks or the power of song, don’t let it control you. The more attached you are to the reaction, the harder you’ll try to force it and the less people will care because you will have become predictable. Then I’ll be left feeling disappointed again and really…no one wants that. So remember your jabs, your hooks, your knees to the mid section and save that left high kick for the best moments…metaphorically improvisation speaking of course.

Paradox

2009-09-15T03:10:00.001-04:00

In the movie, The Matrix, there is a famous line when Neo asks how a young child was able to mentally bend a spoon.

The answer: "There is no spoon."

It's an illusion. To those who really know the true nature of something, the answer is in the paradox. And improv itself is all about paradoxes. (Listen carefully while talking over someone. Being impolite is kindness to your scene partner. Being obvious make you look brilliant. Etc.)

I was once explaining to someone about how--in improv--you have to lead and follow at the exact same time. That person asked, "how do you do that?" I thought about giving a long explanation about the intricacies of doing both with numerous examples from nature and technology.

Instead, I answered, "You just do."

I realize that my answer is a paradox. That there is no real answer because the question assumes that you can't do both. Even though directions be paradoxical, be comfortable with the conflict. Assume that the audience doesn't care what you do, but that you attempt it with the best of your training, fearlessly. You create the illusion by understanding the true nature of improv: it's all about being comfortable with paradoxes.

The Improv Edge - I can't hear you...Speak Up!

2009-09-13T12:20:00.006-04:00

The "Improv Edge" is what I like to title my list of small ideas and tricks to improve one's Improv Game. Unfortunately, I only have one trick at the moment, so this better be good...

Normally, I have no problem being loud. Hell, a lot of the time I have no problem being TOO LOUD. However, when I have to be quiet for long periods of time and then be loud for short periods of time, it could becomes difficult to stay at the right volume. So much so, I almost feel hesistant speaking at a whisperer's voice.

Improv puts me in this kind of situation pretty often (like, every time I perform or practice). So I needed to find a way around (or over or through, why are people always trying to go around problems anyway?) this problem. Luckily, I've found one way that helps me stay at a constant high volume.

Every improv scene starts with, "And we'll see that scene in 3...2...1". In the past, this would be around the time I start zoning out and daydreaming. However, I've recently realized that this is the best time to let my obnoxiously loud and beligerent voice out to say "And we'll see that scene in..." because:

1. It's the short window of time I can still be obnoxiously loud when I'm not in a scene

2. Letting out my obnoxiously loud side is fun

3. Being obnoxiously loud keeps my volume up

4. Having fun keeps my creativity up

So with that short sentence I gain all kinds of benefits and expend very little energy doing so. It gives me that improv edge (blantant title plug) for when i'm performing and keeps me going throughout the night.

The Fab Four & The Incredible Idiots.

2009-09-12T10:00:00.006-04:00

The Beatles and the Village Idiots where do i start. Two very talented groups who at the beginning where not noticed. The Beatles many hours of hard work in Hamburg ,Germany improved their skills and went on to become one of the greatest rock groups in history. Many times in Hamburg they ran out of songs they knew and had to improvise. The Village Idiots after one year have been written about in local newspapers and been on television. The Beatles after Liverpool and Hamburg went on to conquer the world. I remember new years eve 2009 three people at one show. The last Micetro show we did close to one hundred people and look how much we raised. The Beatles just remastered and released all of their hits it sounds great. This next phase at the Vip let us remaster, release and surpass .

Failure Is Your Friend

2009-09-01T22:55:00.001-04:00

There's nothing more demoralizing for an improv ensemble when one it's members has performance anxiety or is afraid of looking stupid in front of people. I've heard over the years things like: "I don't want to go out there and look stupid" or "I'm so nervous I could throw up" or "Let's only do things we've practiced in rehearsal." Supportive ensembles will try to play therapist for that anxious person right before a show, but they really shouldn't have to. In the long run, the anxious alienate themselves from the rest of the troupe. It's better that the anxious learn to drop their anxiety in rehearsal. But how you ask?

And article in REAL SIMPLE had a list of "10 things that will make you instantly happy", but #4 really stood out as note-worthy:

4. Realize that anything worth doing is worth doing badly. Challenge and novelty are key elements of happiness.
The brain is stimulated by surprise, and successfully dealing with an unexpected situation gives a powerful sense of satisfaction.
People who do new things -- learn a game, travel to unfamiliar places -- are happier than people who stick to familiar activities that they already do well.
I often remind myself to "Enjoy the fun of failure" and tackle some daunting goal.

Intent Energy Improvisation

2009-08-29T13:13:00.003-04:00

In my opinion, the energy reflects your performance. Absolutley have a good time, and look towards the light, as well as your inner light.

Top 10 worst intentions while in a scene

2009-08-25T15:10:00.002-04:00

We know going in with an intention is good with improv, but here are some absolutely bad ones.

10. Kick Swithun in the head every time he is on stage with you.
9. Your character believes that any physical touch will create the apocalypse? The problem: They are a professional massage therapist.
8. Come in with the agenda that you will convert three audience members to Mormonism
7. Speak without using any vowels.
6. Break into Abba's "Take a chance on me" whenever a spotlight is near you.
5. Your character can only say Swithun's 3 favorite lines: "You are crazy," "I have to poop and pee," or "let's not make this spiritual."
4. Every solution to a problem is raising Walter Kronkite from the dead.
3. Become a mime during implosive/explosive
2. You torture your scene partner by threatening to steal their mail and blog about their family secrets after the show
1. Your character absolutely follows the book of Leviticus to a perfect T. What's the catch? They are an adult film star.

Okay: 2 and 10 I would actually pay to see.

Mind reading

2009-08-25T13:25:00.000-04:00

The reason so many people are amazed by improv: It looks like we can read minds!

Ok, us improvisors know that we can't really read minds, but the better we get at faking it, the more awesome we seem to be. In fact, I argue that an improvisor primary role is "to create the illusion that everyone is on the same page" of a script that isn't written. But whose mind are we supposed to be reading?

SCENE PARTNERS
A beginning improvisor must first and foremost read the mind of their scene partner, by learning how to AGREE & HEIGHTEN when someone makes an offer. Del Close went on further to state the the job of the improvisor is justification--they are there TO JUSTIFY the existence of everything that has thus far been created (even if that which has been created was created by mistake.) By constantly justifying back and forth, raising the stakes of the situation, you look as if you scene partner(s) have are working off the same blueprint. When you work with some people within a troupe long enough, you start to anticipate the kinds of offer that they make. While this is re-assuring and creates confidence and trust in playing with certain people, over-indulgence in this predictability can lead to very predictable scenes (which is the death of excitement that improv brings).

AUDIENCE
An intermediate improvisor soon realizes that not only should they read the mind of the fellow improvisor, but also that of the audience, by learning how to BE OBVIOUS and how to create an INSIDE JOKE. Most improv shows solicit an ask-for from the audience to start play. Someone people think that asking for a suggestion is a way to prove that this art is not prepared in advance. I actually think that it is more. I believe it is a way to honor the audience by saying to them, "hey, I actually think that you are smarter than me."

Keith Johnstone stresses the importance of being obvious. The reason is: if you try to be clever, you end up alienating people who don't think exactly as you do. However, if you do something obvious, then there is a high probability that your audience was thinking the exact same thing. The net effect is you end up validating what the audience was thinking, and they think you're brilliant, and pay more money to see you do it again. (Being obvious does not mean you can't demonstrate your intelligence or creativity, but what it does mean is that you have to convince the audience that they are smart FIRST, and then you show how creative you really are.)

When an improv show starts, you and the audience are complete strangers. If you invest time in validating them by appearing to read their thoughts, eventually over the course of the show they become bonded to you. You are now friends who are sharing a night out, rather than audience/performer. As a result, within any circle of friends INSIDE JOKES start getting created. This is where you really shine as a mind reader, because now you're be obvious with the clever things that have happened to you all night long.

YOUR OWN SELF
After mastering mind reading of those on stage with you, those sitting in the seats, the only person left... is you. An advanced improvisor knows how to read their own mind, their own feelings, thoughts and perceptions. If you're acting in a scene "feel" that it's loosing energy, and that the chemistry with your scene partner is lost... keep the character you're playing, but check in with how you REALLY feel and use those words. Within the Village Idiots paradigm, we stress that the only real way to know if your scene was good, is to become sensitive to that internal barometer of your feelings. Using your natural reactions is the best (and only) way to make your performance seem natural. You have willing to read your own mind. This is very, very hard; trust me.

Uta -Part of our Improv History

2009-08-22T08:13:00.002-04:00

Once again movement is so important in every scence but keep talking

You're the Expert pt.2

2009-08-20T14:02:00.001-04:00

When people are in an improv scene, I expect them to be experts at what they do. That does not mean they are always correct, but it does mean that whatever they do or say is done with confidence, ...as only an expert would. Experts more often than not, in my opinion, are wrong--but they are bold at how wrong they are!

An Expert Opinion
It is often said that you should not ask questions in a scene, because you are making the other person work in the scene and not really adding anything yourself. While I agree with the reasoning, I don't believe that it should be a "rule." For example, when an expert asks an opinion, you can bet that they are asking rhetorically, and already know the answer.

First Day vs. Last Day
If there is a scene in a work situation, a person who is there for the first day on the job is guaranteed to screw it up. Saying, "this is my first day" is signaling to the audience that there will be a failure. If that same scene were done with an expert who is a day away from retirement, then the audience presupposes that this individual has "seen it all." If there is a problem that even baffles the expert, then it must be a truly epic problem. This situation therefore is dramatic and interesting.

You're the Expert pt.1

2009-08-19T18:06:00.000-04:00

For the past few years, every semester, I have given a lecture/demonstration on improv to a Health Science class at SUNY Brockport.

I usually get up and write my name on the white board, introducing myself. But then I add "Ph.D." after my name, explaining that I have degree in "improvology." I continue adding other honorifics like, MD, MA (in astrobiology), Esq. throwing small snipets of information of why I have the title. I go to the front of my name and start doing the same with things like "Lt.", "Rev.", etc. Eventually, I stop and tell the class that at least one these thing up there is not true, polling people to tell me which one is the least likely to be true.

As soon as a person expresses doubt, I invite them to question me as only a person with that qualification could answer. (I learned this technique from watching the real Patch Adams give a lecture once.) Suddenly the class of doubters becomes silent. Most people are willing to believe that I am an expert at most things. Many times I get easy questions. Sometimes, I get questions that even the questioner does not know the answer to. (I usually call people out on that to prove that it's not a good question because I could simply lie and they wouldn't know the difference.) Sometimes, someone asks a question that they believe is a real stumper.

For those times, I usually have an answer--a confident answer. I was once asked to prove my "MD" status by answering "where is the best place for a subcutaneous injection?" From my little knowledge of Latin, I responded kind of flippantly, "under the skin." Some laughed, others rolled their eyes. I then followed up with the (right) answer: "bend in the arm." Most people were impressed.

I was once asked to prove that I was really a "Reverend" by naming all the books of the Bible. I paused, smiled, and waited long enough for the class to believe that they had trapped me. I then let loose a torrent of the books of the old testament... in sequential order. Pin-drop silence.

After "proving my worth," I release the real bombshell: I admit that nothing on the board is true... including my own name. I then explain why I do improv: "Because in improv, I always get to be the expert!"

BEING AN EXPERT...
1) does not mean you are right!
2) mean you have a bold opinion!
3) is based on observations of what you know.

It is this sense of being "wrong, but strong" that I believe is the most liberating act of improv.

Making Decisions – It’s About Commitment

2009-08-16T21:19:00.000-04:00

I was driving down Main Street the other day and I got to a traffic light that was turning from yellow to red. As usual I was driving fast and wasn’t sure if I could slow down to stop safely, wasn’t sure if I was going fast enough to beat the light before it turned red and wasn’t sure if it even mattered. It was this split second of uncertainty that made me confused and even annoyed at the situation. A split second later I decided to just go regardless of the outcome. Once that moment of weighing too many options was over, all of my agitation/confusion quickly subsided and I even felt good about going.

Improv is like that in a lot of ways. When you’re weighing too many options instead of taking action you get lost in your head trying to figure out what to do. I’ve found that it is the scenes where I make committed decisions that I (and usually the audience) enjoy most.

There was a scene in a show where I was committed to a character choice from the second it started. It was a scene where one character had to be Happy and the other had to be Embarrassed. The split second the scene started, I immediately chose to be happy about causing the other person embarrassment. Because of this willingness to know who I was, I felt free to explore the stage, my dialogue and even the audience. My commitment helped build up the scene in one direction so that it could have an even bigger shift in the other direction. I don’t quite remember how the audience felt about it, but it ended with violence so that probably meant they gave us a 5 out of 5.

Commitment to choice is helpful for you because:

Economy of Effort
When you commit to your decision of character you do not have to waste resources (thought, action, focus, etc.) on other possibilities. You can live and breathe exactly how this imaginary character would.

You don’t have to react because you can react
When the decision hasn’t been made yet of who you are, you end up spending time trying to figure out how to react to situations. On the other hand, when you make the decision of who you are, you already know how to react because you’re already you.

The moment is already gone
Wasting time to figure out how to approach a situation usually means that the situation has already passed you by. The scene has already changed and you have to spend the time to figure out how to act again and it turns into a cyclical event.

You can enjoy the moment
Having made the decision, you don’t have to be lost in your head. You can be aware of all that is around you and play with the environment instead of trying to figure out where you belong in the environment.

So commit to your decisions, stay out of your head and enjoy the moment.

Thoughts

2009-08-15T05:33:00.004-04:00

I did not win last nights show,but i did feel good. I feel that i kept commited, i was clear in my intent,i felt stupid but in a good way. Sometimes i think , no i know that it is not about winning, but about respect for the audience your fellow idiots the hosts and the art. My favorite thing about a show is meeting the people who came to see us. Talk about commitment, these people took time out of a busy day to see you. i think that deserves more than a handshake it deserves applause. Thank you village .

Making Decisions – Make It Look On Purpose

2009-08-13T21:18:00.000-04:00

During Grad school, for fun and because that’s where the women were, I decided to take a few Graphic Design Courses and expand my visual horizons. This resulted in countless sleepless nights…of work. I had no background in design, so taking courses on this subject at such a high level was very difficult, stressful and frustrating.

In spite of or perhaps because of my plight, I learned a very important lesson from the design courses. When you’re designing, regardless if it’s your wardrobe, your room or a poster; make every decision look like it’s on purpose. 100% intentional. Every design piece that you leave unclear, leaves the audience confused and wondering what it is you meant to convey. This wondering of intention will be interpreted as your inability to convey a message, not the inability of people reading your message.

Improv is very much the same. When jumping into a scene, your words, movements and intentions should be done on purpose. This allows the audience to react to the character you become. On the other hand, when you hesitate or don’t act with clear purposeful intentions this makes the audience have to react to a blurred character. This is bad for the audience because:

The human mind is lazy
People want to spend as little energy as possible thinking, especially when being entertained. So if they have to spend the mental energy to understand what it is you’re trying to convey than they will not enjoy it as much.

There is nothing tangible about indecision
If the audience does not have a character to cling to, what are they really watching? Yep, they don’t know either.

They can’t root for you if they don’t know who you are
In movies, tv shows and books one of the things that has viewers invested in the story is the ability to cling to characters. This is either to cheer for, boo against or empathize with the character. If you are an unclear image of a character, it is impossible for the audience to do any of these things.

So if you do it, make it look on purpose. The audience will love you or hate you for it. Either way everyone will enjoy the experience more.

Role-Playing

2009-08-12T13:57:00.001-04:00

The reason improv takes time and practice to master as an art form, is because it is NOT an art form... it is four! The art of improv is an amalgamation of part performer (actor/singer), writer, director, and therapist.

PERFORMER This role is by far the most obvious one. People who have performance talents like emoting, singing, stage presence, charisma, etc. are fun to have on stage. Former colleagues of mine used to debate if these abilities were in natural, or if they could be trained. In my opinion, you need both. A performer must always study new ways of how to refine their craft.

WRITER Since most people who come to improv has some sense of performing, most improv books I've read focus on the art of getting improvisors comfortable in storytelling (or at the very least, what to say on stage). In my opinion, there has been so much focus on "creating dialogue" in these books, that too often most people think good improv is about good dialogue. However, the piece of advice in nearly all the improv books I've read that almost always goes unnoticed: READ MORE!

I'd take that a step further and say, study the art of writing more, which includes:

read various things for both content (wikipedia) and style (Shakespeare),
study genres of art (film, theatre, songs, literature),
write short scenes, sketches, or outline for plays or movies (famous or original ideas),
practice speaking with rhetorical devices,
etc.

DIRECTOR What is the role of the director? I can't make this simpler: Director = Audience. The Director of a play is the professional audience member; to watch and then to give feedback from an audience's point of view. They become very cognizant of what the audience is thinking, because they are sensitive to what they are thinking themselves.

The difference between and audience member and a director is also simple. An audience member sits there thinking, "This sucks." A director sits there thinking, "This sucks. I wish they would do something different." A good director sits there thinking, "This sucks. I wish they would do this... ."

If you tend to be a improvisor who makes weak choice on stage, try directing. It forces you to think about what the audience wants to see, and then articulate it. This is one of the main reasons that the Village Idiots got its start doing only Gorilla Theatre.

THERAPIST A therapist is supposed to make a person feel safe, while challenging them to go into the most dangerous place in the world: the human psyche. A therapist controls the environment as much as possible so that whatever chaos is summoned, is somehow contained. The appearance of violence or danger, it just that... "an appearance." Only someone who knows safety can simulate danger well.

What does this mean for an improvisor? An improvisor at ALL times must utiltize their techinque training to perform well (performer), must understand how to craft interesting theatre (writer), must always keep the audience's perspective in mind (director), and must constantly strive to keep EVERYONE safe, while challenging their inner demons (therapist/safety inspector). It is this multi-tasking that makes improv so difficult to master.

Looking for Trouble

2009-08-12T00:10:00.002-04:00

“That which hinders you is your task.” ~ Sanford Meisner

Onstage, it is essential to find that which impedes your character. Only when you have obstacles to overcome does your character have a genuine purpose. When you achieve victory easily, the audience doesn’t connect or identify with that character as well as ones who struggle and suffer for their gains.

Recently, I’ve become more aware of the theme of the “tortured” hero in storytelling. For example, in the story of Cinderella, the heroine is tortured by the absence of her loving parents, the cruelty of her step-siblings and step-mother, and is thwarted by ill-timed magical spells that prevent her from staying at the ball. These elements of torture and injustice draw sympathy and the audience sides with the heroine. Adding the element of torture makes for a better story. Without all of the obstacles, it's just the story of a pretty girl going to a party and meeting a handsome guy and they hook up. No big deal. With all of the added drama, we (the audience) actually care about her and want her to succeed.

Our natural tendency (at least mine) is to promote equilibrium. In storytelling, equilibrium is boring. To move the story forward, seek to foster situations where the hero/ine is tortured.

In short, if you want interesting scenes, seek out that which causes you the most trouble and jump headfirst into the fray.

All I Need to Know in Life I Learned in Improv

2009-08-11T23:16:00.002-04:00

Improv is like Kindergarten because:

You have to take turns when playing.
You are supposed to listen to the person in charge.
Sometimes you work with a partner or a large group.
We have snack.
We play dress up.
You are evaluated on your ability to play well with others.
We play with blocks.
We pay people to watch us.

Improv is not like Kindergarten because:

We swear.
We follow a blended pedagogy from Johnstone, Close, Spolin and No.
There’s no napping allowed.
There’s no Wake Up Fairy.
There’s lots of inappropriate sexual content.
We stay up late.
People pay to watch us.

Character

2009-08-11T23:14:00.000-04:00

The inspiration for the choices we make has to come from somewhere.

I've been reading Mamet lately, and it is remarkable as his philosophy regarding acting is so akin to my own.

His words truly speak to me, especially regarding character. As of late, I've been hard-pressed to find integrity in those who promote the arts. Here's what Mamet has to say regarding such matters:

"Your character, onstage or off, is molded by the decisions you make: which play you do, whether or not to pursue employment in commercials, in sex films or pseudo-sex films, in violent or demeaning films, in second-rate movies or plays; whether or not to treat yourself with sufficient respect to perfect your voice and body, whether or not to prepare for your scene, for you play, for your film, for your audition. Whether or not to conduct your business affairs circumspectly. The ideas, organizations, actions, and people you support and dedicate yourself to, mold and finally are your character. Any other definition is the jabbering of the uncommitted.

Certainly the weak would like you to believe that character is a costume which can be put on or taken off at will. And from time to time we'd all like to believe it. But that doesn't make it true."

~True and False: Heresy and Common Sense for the Actor~ By David Mamet

How To Throw a Punchline

2009-08-04T00:01:00.008-04:00

Throwing a punchline for a joke is quite analogous to throwing a punch in a fight. Throwing physical punches require:

*FOCUS
A few well placed punchlines have more of an impact than a many soft, random ones. Imagine a boxer hitting you once in the gut versus a little kid punching you a lot in the arm. One has you rolling on the floor gasping for breath; the other is just annoying. The similar is true of something really funny.

*PROPER STANCE/BALANCE
Just as a fighter should always strive for balance, so should an improvisor always strive to balance their jokes with other elements of good storytelling: intelligence, emotions, story arc, timing, etc. A fighter and comedian with poor balance are both weak.

*SPEED
Don't waste the audience's time WAITING for them to laugh! Unless it's the final punch that ends everything, you have one of two choices after you deliver a punch: deliver another immediately (adding more wit in some kind of comedy punchline combo), or regain your balance by immediately refocusing on other elements of good storytelling.

*& COMMITMENT
In combat, a punch should come from the whole body. Martial arts teach us that the energy of a punch begins in the feet & legs, and the intended force is channeled through the body until it flows to the intended target. Similarly, the force of a punchline should be channeled from the energy that surrounds and feeds it, regardless if it an emotional, physical, or intellectual energy.

How do you recognize a bad punchline? How do you know if your punchline lacks commitment? It's when you-- yourself--throw it away... by adding an apology. Was the joke followed by an actual apology, or explanation or an "anyway" or "whatever" or a "nevermind." The audience unconsciously thinks: "If we're not supposed to care about it, why did you bring it up?"

Remember: Strength without good form is wasted energy--in both comedy and martial arts.

Frozen for Posterity

2009-08-02T22:53:00.004-04:00

On August 1st, the Village Idiots conducted their first urban prank: a freeze. It was meant to be a 5-minute, low-key event that was supposed to give the group their virginal experience at improv everywhere-style planning.

In spite of the multiple hours of the event, a Democrat and Chronicle reporter happened to walk by at that very moment the group was doing this, and then later interviewed Swithun. This is an excerpt of what he wrote up the next day:

Pedestrians kept a steady pace as they made their way down Park Avenue — except when they were confronted in the middle of the road with art of a different kind shortly before 4 p.m. near Goodman Street.
Performers from a local improv group, the Village Idiots, staged a "freeze" for five minutes, with each coming to a standstill in a distinct position.
Two men appeared to share a conversation, a woman scratched her face and a girl threw a punch at another girl before they and the other participants unassumingly walked away.
The scheme was in part the idea of Swithun No, the group's artistic director, who said it was their first time performing a freeze.
"I wanted to do something crazy," said No, who froze while drinking a water bottle. "I wanted to do an urban prank."

Congratulations, Vidiots, on making a spectacle of yourself and having an impeccable sense of timing!

Please Make it End -The Final Roll

2009-08-01T01:15:00.003-04:00

RickRoll'd the Movie - watch more funny videos

muppet rolled

2009-08-01T00:59:00.000-04:00

sponge rolling

2009-08-01T00:52:00.000-04:00

rick roll 2

2009-08-01T00:47:00.001-04:00

dick roll 1

2009-08-01T00:44:00.001-04:00

The Village Muppets

2009-07-30T06:34:00.002-04:00

Muppet Improv Story Time Movies & TV SPIKE.com

Rochester's Most Baffling Commercials # 2

2009-07-29T18:21:00.004-04:00

First off, I want to tell you how important it is to know that your legal assistant could jump out of the TV set at any moment and beat the living crap out of you. It brings great comfort that my lawyer studied under Attila the Hun and

Notice the offers he is giving: Ripping out hearts and decapitating. He regrets that he cannot commit murder 1, but he is willing to put a bounty on the head of the victim and cause major paralysis through squeezing. Jim is not afraid to drop his dreams of ending your life and compromise for just making you a vegetable.

In one of his more tender moments, Jim, admits that he just wants to help. Similar to Mice and Men, how Lennie just wants to pet and hug the cute little rabbits, but ends up killing them in his death grip. Jim wants to give you legal action, but cannot promise he won't murder anyone. You have to honor a guy who is not afraid to get entrails on a good suit.

Lesson: Jim honors the improv code of torture. He is committed and ready to rip off heads and stab hearts. I could sit all day and watch this man destroy a wicked city. Similarly, the audience likes to watch good torture. It's our primal side that loves to watch the hero squirm. So do not hesitate to give someone a "good mourning." It might be the gem of the show.

Fundraising Idea:

2009-07-28T15:44:00.003-04:00

Make friends with as many atheist, millionaire homeless men as possible. Seriously, it worked for National Public Radio.

Why? Because we provide as much a community service as NPR, and we're a HELL of a lot funnier.

Top Ten Comments Heard Before The Next Micetro Show

2009-07-27T23:08:00.006-04:00

(10). It's true: The mouse actually uses a baton.
(9). They have this special code that gets you into this special room! It's like a speakeasy!
(8). It said in the paper that people will be eliminated in this show (Not sure I want to go inside).
(7). Improv jam after the show! (I hope they have grape or apricot.)
(6). I hear this group is run by a Dr. No, way! Cool! I love James Bond movies!
(5). I saw a show here on Valentine's Day and the guy who plays cupid has great legs.
(4). My mind and my pulse are communicating with me and they say go in.
(3). I was standing under a lampost when I heard a voice say, "Go in! Go in!"
(2) I hear they have a trained gorilla who plays music.
(1). You would have to be an idiot not to see this show. It is only $5.00!

Rochester's Most Baffling Commercials # 1

2009-07-27T14:24:00.011-04:00

THE BREAKDOWN

People who bought children's military costumes swaggering through a building that looks like an agoraphobic's attic. The prop manager must have taken hours digging through the garbage of Applebee's and TGIF to complete the festive scenario.
Now cut to the demon having epileptic seizures (or perhaps that's Golemn doing a Bill and Ted Excellent Adventure impression).
Before the magical commercial ends you can hear pick up lines from a girl who clearly drank too much carmel coffee creamer and was washing it down with pure Nyquil.
Finish down the wide awake nightmare with garish pics of seventies rockers who probably wasted their fortune from drinking varnish while injecting Huggy Bear softener into their blood*. That, my friends, is how you sell rock music.

Improv lesson: While this commercial scared me clear away from sailors and drugs; it attracted a lot of customers to the HOG. Sometimes the straight and narrow is safest for plot, but not the most creative. Think outside of the epileptic demon box.

* Huggy Bear does not condone or condemn the use of their chemicals as habit forming substances

Secret Origins: Muppets

2009-07-26T11:15:00.009-04:00

...and what they can teach about charm.

Mental Floss has an interesting article on the origins of 20 Muppets. What really caught my attention was a part in #14--Fozzie Bear:

"...during the first season of The Muppet Show, when Fozzie got heckled, he got very upset and sometimes cried. Viewers didn't feel sympathy; they felt embarrassed. The problem was solved by making Fozzie an optimist so that even when he got heckled he was good-natured about it."

How do you become a charming performer?
Remain an optimist... good-natured... and a warm Fozzie Bear.

DANCING QUEEN

2009-07-26T04:51:00.007-04:00

As we study how to be better body improvisors, it is important to watch things that reinforce good dance technique and lots of high energy things like rock show. Fortunately for us, someone has already given me a dose of high art by putting Freddie Mercury, the late lead singer of QUEEN, into a mock instructional ballet video.

Five insights on Charm

2009-07-25T11:21:00.003-04:00

Charm is important for improv. Its the factor that attracts the audience member to the player and no matter how bad a scene goes the audience will still feel like a good friend gave it their all. I don't know everything on charm, but here are a few thoughts I picked up.

1. Charm is a lifestyle

You really can't fake charm or get it overnight. It's something your brain must be locked into and the public must know it is locked into. You know the players that have charm because they tend to have this aura of innocence and cuteability.

2. Innocence

Innocence is part of the charm lifestyle. Liam Scahill of Geva Comedy Improv is a perfect example of this. When he presents himself on stage he can pull off cute, young and energetic. When he screws up on stage the audience is more inclined to "awwww" than "booo". There is a sacrifice for the innocent part of charm though. You can't be vulgar and sassy. The dirty biker model will not have this.

3. Confidence

Charm is what the audience sees after the scene. Whether you totally flopped the scene or nailed it, when they see your confident smile and playful demeanor they will still be on your side. In everything, confidence must replace scene anxiety and frustration. The audience loves it when you gave it your all and it shows in your character. The guy who takes this two serious will never have charm.

4. I'm Having Fun

This is the most important part of charm. Charm truly shows to the audience when the improv player looks like they are having fun. Whether they are doing a Serious Scene or a Forward Reverse the charmed player can look like they are having a blast. My favorite example is when Colleen and Lister performed the Defibilator dance. I saw charm dripping from those two. And you know why...because they were having fun.

Jumping In

2009-07-22T00:50:00.003-04:00

One of the things that I find that I need most in improv is to “get there”. There have been many times when I've taken a "moment" in a scene and have been sidecoached to move the story along. In a play, or a film, actors are given preparation time during the course of the show to have a build to dramatic tension. In improv, cutting to the chase is essential, and this is one of the things I must learn to do.

How to get there from here, is the question at hand. Making bold choices, such as, throwing the tantrum, taking the kiss, grabbing the gun, stealing the money, breaking the priceless heirloom, all move the story forward.

In life, I strive for balance, weighing my options, taking things in moderation, and trying to keep relative calm during turbulent times. In theatre, it is high stakes that draws attention and keeps us riveted.

Life is slow and improv is fast.

When stuck, make your character do their utmost to get whatever it is that they want. The beauty of the dramatic art lies not in playing it safe, but in playing big and bold. Be that which is bigger and braver than you ever will be in life.

Be more. Improvise.

What don’t you do? – Part 2 –

2009-07-19T13:41:00.002-04:00

In part 1, we discussed how most people grow into a habit and remain comfortable with the habit unless strongly acted upon. The cause of these habits usually occurs through an event either externally or internally. For example, if you are the type of person who is afraid to talk loudly in public, it didn’t just happen like *poof*. Something had to cause that habit.

Perhaps, one day, when you were 3 years old you were walking through the mall with your mom for the first time and “innocently” commented on how the cashier was “REALLY FAT”! Then you went home and mother scolded you for the next 3 hours because of that. Ever since then you never spoke loudly in public. It’s not that you are a person that doesn’t speak loudly in public. It’s that an event happened, a result occurred and you started a new habit. That is the basis for most of actions.

Event
Result
Habit

Unless a strong enough force occurred to change you, you kept this habit.

This is where improv comes in. Most people will not actively try to inject new social habits into their daily life. I do, but I’m a Personal Evolutionist…or sociopath (depending on whether or not you like me). Improv can be a sort of social playground where you can fully start to explore traits of your personality you thought didn’t or couldn’t exist.

Through improv (and everywhere else that I can in life) I try to find a trait that I don’t normally display and start expressing it. There are many things I’ve been actively changing in myself through improv and life in general. Even through writing this article I’m changing a part of me. I am learning to:

1. Expand on ideas

Before, if I was to describe everything that I’m describing in this article series, it would’ve gone something like this:

“People tend to limit themselves by saying who they are. They should throw that silly idea out the window and start injecting new aspects of their personality into their life (or improv). It will help them grow as individuals and performers.”

That would’ve been the original entry. But now, since I’m trying to develop new habits in the way I communicate with people, you have to sit through pages of a blog entry instead of just 4 lines I would’ve written before this change.

There are other examples of how I am changing myself through improv and I will expand on these ideas in part 3 of this article.

Till next time, stay sexy Rochester.
Lister

Christianity and improv

2009-07-17T01:05:00.002-04:00

A good friend asked me to write about how Christians can be seen as ambassadors for Christ on the stage of improv.

1.

Colossians 1:28-29 (New International Version)

²⁸We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. ²⁹To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

As Christians we are called to set an example. The example we set is Jesus. The question is, where is your energy to do that? My energy is improv and God works powerfully in that. If I have the energy and passion I know I can let God use it for being the example.

Colossians 3:17 (New International Version)

¹⁷And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

My improv needs to be a "thank you" to God. There's many ways to say thank you to God. Not falling into peer pressure and being vulgar is a way of saying thank you. Doing your best is a way to be grateful. Finally, this is my favorite, entertaining others is a great way to show thankfulness.

Colossians 3:2-3 (New International Version)

²Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. ³For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.

Improv is a tool that reveals the truth of your mind, body and soul. Many Christians are afraid of it because it has revealed that a lot of people are vulgar and irreverent in their mind, body and soul. my take on it is to never forget that improv was the tool that helped me see where I am vulgar and disrespectful and where I am strong. Good improv is good honesty and that teaches us where we stand. Ten minutes of play reveals your center of worship. The motivation for the Christian is to choose whether they want to strengthen the earthly side ( greed, insecurity, fear) or the heavenly side (selflessness, love, faith).

When people see my struggle toward one side I know that they see who I serve and what I am about.

Thank you.

What don’t you do? – Part 1 –

2009-07-12T18:33:00.000-04:00

Most people repeat.

This is my way of describing a certain type of idea that is often said until it becomes a cliché, “can’t teach an old dog new tricks”, “be yourself”, “bla bla bla don’t change because that makes it easier for me to label you”…or something like that.

But, the truth is “you” are not and can never be “yourself”. That’s right, I said that paradoxical sentence, “you can never be yourself”. Everything in this universe is in a constant state of change. If it wasn’t in a constant state of change we would have stagnation and for all intents and purposes everything would cease.

However, we do not have universal stagnation. Even you, the individual, are never the same as you were 5 seconds ago. Because of this you can never be yourself…”you” are always changing. There will not be a single cell in your body that was the same as it was 7 years ago. In 7 years, you will replace half the friends you have now with a new set of friends.

So, at best, “you” are an ever changing process. At worst, “you” are repetitive. This repetitive nature occurs through thought and action. Perhaps you do this on a large scale, “I’m a clown”, “I’m an athlete”, “I’m an actress”. Or perhaps you do this on a smaller specific scale, “I’m not the type of person to eat the last piece of chicken”, “I don’t speak argumentatively with other people”, “I don’t touch other people in public”, etc.

Most people grow into a habit and unless acted upon, remain comfortable in their habit.

And through improv…and real life…there can be ways to break these repetitive habits. Let’s explore this idea of breaking habits and evolving in next week’s portion of the article.

Till next time, stay sexy Rochester.
Lister

Let's do It here.-Idiots Take on the Flower City

2009-07-11T07:36:00.005-04:00

What would happen during one of our big Rochester events if we froze in mid-action? Would we even get noticed? Would we draw a crowd? At the very least, people would think that we were idiots.

Self, Psyche, and Art: A Heady Mix

2009-07-07T01:43:00.003-04:00

Is how we express ourselves onstage a reflection of who we are, what we want to be, or who we once were?

I suppose it could be all of these things after a fashion. Sometimes I find myself making choices onstage that I would run from in life. Surprisingly enough, in making those bold moves, I find it therapeutic in the sense that in having “practiced” being bold, I become more assured.

In scenes, there are times when I find myself in an onstage/rehearsal situation where I’m reliving a scene from my past and I can make different choices. Surprisingly, I will often take the same approaches to solving the problem. However, when I make a different choice than what would naturally arise from my normal perspective, I feel something within my psyche shift a little. It changes how I see things in life. After all, it might not be so bad to tell someone to "F--k off!" once in awhile.

Perhaps my art does affect my life in greater measures than I might realize.

In the movie,“Bullets Over Broadway”, Woody Allen seems to be speaking through one of his characters by having them say the line, “An artist creates his own moral universe.” In art, we can do whatever we want. But do our choices that we make in life influence the art that we will make? Art cannot exist in a vacuum. The inspiration for the choices we make has to come from somewhere.

Can we separate who we are as artists from the choices we make in creating art? As David Mamet says, we, the artist, cannot take on or put off character as though it is a costume, Therefore, when we make art that has us making choices that stray from our “selves”, are we just veiling the truth?

Although I would not necessarily abandon my family in pursuit of a dream, or dance a jig on the desk over the death of a tyrannical boss, it might do me good to realize that it might be beneficial to own that darker aspect in myself. That with the greatest potential for good also lives an equal measure of negativity.

Perhaps this is the well from which we draw both the good and the ill that fills the stage. I would venture to say that that the more we have within us, the more we can share with our audience. Again, the choice remains if the artist is willing to be vulnerable enough to put it out there in the first place.

I'm Sarah and I'll be your Hostess tonight...

2009-07-07T00:30:00.000-04:00

Hosting is far more difficult than it looks.

When performing as a troupe member, you are given permission to screw up, to look silly, to fail, and the director or judge will buffer the negativity by being a jerk and taking on the role of “lightning rod” and harnessing the audience’s displeasure. Once this occurs, the audience feels validated and then they side with the performers.

As host, there is no one to take on your struggle. You are flying solo and must be charming at all times. In modeling, it is suggested that you “make love” to the camera. In hosting, you need to “make love” to the audience. (I’m using this in subjective terms with serious boundaries.) As a host it is necessary to be incredibly witty and to make the audience be a little in love with you.
This is not easy all the time, as there are plenty of technical difficulties, rowdy audience members, moments of forgetfulness, and other various unexpected glitches that aries during the show.

Here’s a few tips on hosting that I am in the process of learning:
Relax. The audience wants you to be the expert, so be the expert. Take ownership.
Don’t fret about getting it “right”. Just focus on the energy and developing rapport.
Have fun. When you have fun, they have fun... and that’s what they’re paying for
Keep the pace moving but don’t rush.
Look your absolute best when hosting. The audience should want to take you home.

Has Anyone Scene The Director?

2009-07-04T04:42:00.006-04:00

On a recent trip to Florida, I took in an improv show. There were two choices of improv offered: I could either see the "family" show on Friday or the "blue" show on Saturday. I chose the "blue" show. Before anyone gets all huffy, let me say I admire anyone who has the guts and the heart to go onstage in front of an audience.

What was missing from this show was timing. The scenes were going on way to long! This failing is the responsibility of the director. The audience gets bored and the scene goes nowhere.

Also, every other word was f**k or s**t. A well placed explicative can cause massive laughs, indeed, but when it is overused it just gets old. Not only that, but the words lose their power and it becomes a show about swearing instead of a show about storytelling.

I have been in scenes, that thank God where stopped or put in the "right" direction by the director or host. What I'm trying to say here, is that it was painfully obvious that this group was in need of good direction from a good director. To have good scenes, you sometimes need the outside view to get some perspective. A good director is like a GPS system, as one who leads can only take you where they have been before. We have that kind of leadership here at VIP.

It's Emotional Truth and I Helped

2009-06-30T13:19:00.001-04:00

One of the skills that I would like to see strengthened in our process of learning the art of improv would be connecting to authentic emotional truths onstage, especially between the players.

In scenes, we tend to shy away from intimacy. I'm not suggesting that we participate in sexual acts onstage, far from it, but that we develop the trust so that tenderness is available to us as a dramatic choice. Bawdiness is sometimes touched upon, as is the "shmacting" of romantic farce, but I would like to see genuine emotional risks taken in the direction of Love.

Yes, I said it. Love.

I think that in learning to trust one another as actors/improvisors, we can heighten our scenes by charging them with the one thing that we as people are constantly running from or towards in its many different forms: Love.

In rehearsal, I have seen not nearly enough fuel to justify some of the scenes. Perhaps it's because we haven't been given permission or that we're afraid to, or that we aren't in a trusting space yet. Saying "I Love You" is so much more of a powerful and emotionally laden choice than "I Hate You" onstage, especially if it places the players in a position where we must overcome obstacles to get what we want/need.

Avoiding intimacy onstage creates a dynamic that only perpetuates the lack of connectedness between the players. In scenes, we seem to be so comfortable with fighting and bickering as a dramatic choice, but the option to create an even stronger dynamic is available and that is to choose to Love.

It may seem to some that the biggest risk in life is to open oneself to being emotionally vulnerable and possibly terribly hurt, thus it is incredibly powerful to watch onstage. By avoiding it as an option, we are shortchanging the audience and ourselves of an essential part of what it means to be human.

Love is a powerful motivator for change. I'd like to see more of it.

Let us hold the mirror up to nature.

The Compass Players

2009-06-28T05:46:00.006-04:00

Improv History 101: The Compass players, founded by Viola Spolin is the forerunner to Second City and Saturday Night Live (and of course The Village Idiots!). To learn more, check out, Something Wondeful Right Away, by Bruce Sweet.

Top 10 Comments Heard at the VIp Catch 23 Show

2009-06-22T21:58:00.006-04:00

(10). That judge was a real ass . But I have to admit he does look hot in black.
(9). Was the host in Slumdog Millionaire ?
(8) That nice young man who showed me to my seat is about my daughter's age. Hmmmm. I wonder if he is seeing anyone?
(7). Loved Carl. Carl not so much.
(6). Loved the improv jam. Could have used some peanut butter from Mis-mangement.
(5). Wow. I never thought Lysistrata could be this funny.
(4). That tech lady has the spotlight to my heart.
(3). Those wedding crashers look familar. Hey, where's my wallet.
(2). Loved Catch 22. Really love Catch 23.
(1). It was so nice for them to mention Dada so close to Father's day.

Revealing the Shadow

2009-06-22T00:56:00.006-04:00

While I perform and can be an extrovert, I prefer to be a private person, dolling out secrets about myself to others revealing them in controlled, measured doses through gradually developed mutual trust. I think of myself as a kind person... a good person. That's what I think, and that's what I want you to see.

As an artist, I reveal myself so much more easily in art than in life. Onstage, I have the safety of being a character, portraying another person who can do, say and be all the things that I would never dream of attempting in “real life”. I would never just grab someone and kiss them, but I could do it for art in a heartbeat. (I have done it... and I will do it again!) I can say “I love you” with no repercussion, no angst over reciprocity, with no wonderings or what ifs. It’s the strangest thing to have my heart on display on the stage when I seem to guard it so carefully in life.

But tonight I had an epiphany: I have the potential within me to kill someone--not for righteousness, not to defend myself--just for pure vengeance. It's a dark thing to realize that we all have the potential to think something unthinkable. And it all came out during an improv scene.

Now, you might think that improv is fun and games, but the reality of it is that it can take you to the riskiest of places... into dark places of your psyche that you wouldn’t dare bring out to the light of day. In tonight’s rehearsal, I had a moment that gave me a flash of insight into a personal memory that I had buried long ago. And reflecting on that moment, is teaching me something.

Improv is a good teacher of being in the moment and to not dwell on what could be or what was. Through improv rehearsal tonight, I’ve made some discoveries about myself and that I need to own the choice of accepting myself for exactly who I am, flaws and all. No matter how dark or unappealing or gnarled some of those roots might be, they are mine and have shaped me in how I tell the truth. And telling the truth is the riskiest thing of all if you are brave enough to commit to the moment.

Perhaps this is a lesson for me: To not worry so much about being so protective of myself and trying so very hard to be right, to be safe, to be good. I’m not perfect, and I know my art will never be so, for if it were, it would have no purpose. There is no perfect painting, or musical score, or scene. There is just the truth.

Valley of the Banned Books Pt. 1

2009-06-19T16:59:00.003-04:00

Setting: Prison yard

Potter: (leaning over to friend) Did you hear about the new guy?
Mockingbird: Yea, but I think there are rumors flying.
Potter: Like what?
Mockingbird: They say he's a children's book and yet he's twice as racy as us.
Potter: Nonsense. No children's book could be that tough.
Mockingbird: Well, wait till the King gets a hold of him. Then we will see how tough he is.

(the book enters from the west gate)

Potter: Sweet Lord, are you kidding me?
Mockingbird: Well look who it is.
Waldo: Hi, I am new here.
Potter: We don't take kindly to children's books. What are you trying to prove?
Waldo: Ummm...nothing.
Mockingbird: Seriously Waldo, how'd you get in here.
Waldo: (lowers head in shame) Page 13, topless woman chasing dog on the beach.
Potter: (starts laughing) That's it! That's nothing! I got put in here for suggesting that kids slit their wrists to conjure non-Christian gods.
Mockingbird: My book is filled with the N word.
Waldo: Look, I don't want any trouble. It was just an honest mistake.
Potter: You bet your sweet wiccan butt it is. You're going to be toast if you are not up to snuff with the King.
Mockingbird: Oh the King is going to eat him up.
Waldo: The King, who's the the king?

Potter: Only the most hardcore book in the market. He's been in here the longest of us all. He can't make bail nor does any court want to take his case.

Mockingbird: Remember that time, Potter, when that King told that book if he didn't stop doing voodoo magic he would cut his head off and serve it on a platter?
Potter: Yes I do you idiot. That was me.
Mockingbird: What about that time when the King told that one broad to shut her mouth and stop being such a hooch? She cried for months.
Potter: Stop it Mock. You're scaring the noob.

Waldo: What's this King going to do to me?
Potter: It's all about presentation, Wally. Keep your mouth shut and try to look like a children's book. You seem pretty complicated so maybe the boss won't spend that much time with you.
Mockingbird: (nodding) He is quite the strain on the eyes. How the world do you find the right Waldo on that page with all those fake Waldos?
Waldo: Well actually its quite sim...
Potter: Shut yer face! If you give too much away on your first day than you'll sliced and burned.

Catcher: Guyzos, look sharp, the king is coming.

(The books stand in erect attention)
(Waldo is shivering)
Mockingbird: Knock it off will'ya. He can sense fear.

(A door opens ominously, creaking)
(King enters)

Catcher: All rise for King James

To be continued...

Touchy-Feely

2009-06-16T16:10:00.004-04:00

Touch

People go to the theatre to see heightened storytelling. In our everyday lives, we pretty much only touch people with whom we have an emotional connection.

That said, we must touch each other onstage! I've seen far too many scenes where two people are standing next to each other like peas on a drum and talking about the past or an activity that is yet to be.

It's your job as an actor/improvisor to connect, bond, and create/develop the trust that is needed to get everyone where we need to go in order to create a shared story. Obviously, everyone has personal boundaries which should be respected, but it's our job as actors to push beyond what is comfortable. Real life isn't safe from risk, therefore in improv we should create a safe place to take the risks we wouldn't dare in life.

In a recent dress rehearsal, I had the experience of having to leap and be caught by one of two fellow improvisors. In that split second, I had to make the call that one would catch me. I chose the one whom I thought could handle it, and he did (repeatedly). This took a level of trust that I had not previously explored with this player. Afterwards, I expressed my thanks for his commitment to the scene and to my safety. Now, after having taken the risk with this player, I feel that I can trust him even more and feel safer making physical acting choices (not my strength) with him onstage.

In real life, (I love that phrase) one does not, for the most part, jump on people. In theatre, however, we as actors are expected to take those leaps so the audience can experience risk through us. Through touch, we players illustrate the simple pleasure of sweethearts holding hands for the first time, the loving embrace of long lost brothers, and the tender kiss from a parent to sick child. On the other side, it is also the caress of an impatient lover, the slap of a bully, and the death blow of an assassin. We are the storytellers of what the audience wants to see, and with improv, they have a stake in choosing the adventure.

When in a troupe, it is your job to learn to trust both yourself and your fellow players to go beyond your normal frame of expression. When that door is open, the possibilities of where the story can go are endless.

Time to Step Up

2009-06-14T14:10:00.002-04:00

There was an actor I once knew. Well, he was more of a kid since he was still in high school, but he went to one of those magnet schools for being artsy. He was a performer in this musical that my college theater was doing. For this same show I was a performer as well as, for all intents and purposes, director’s assistant and creative influence.

This role allowed me to see a few things from afar that other performers would have probably missed. One thing I got to see is how much of a lazy, unenthused shit, this kid looked like while practicing. He was physically and expressively flat with no real drive. Magically, or through drugs or through the act of actually caring, when the show finally started and it was time to perform, the kid was on. Every picture, every video shot and every moment you looked at him he was where he needed to be and he resonated through the house. If nothing else (and for the weeks of practice that I painfully watched him, it did feel like nothing else) this kid knew how to step up his performance when it mattered.

This is an art which is hard to teach. Partially because it’s hard to describe, partially because it takes such a contrast of abilities and areas in the mind/body that it is hard to pull together. I’m not talking about the art of being lazy in practice, which this kid and probably most people could do very well. I’m talking about the art of stepping up when the lights go on.

If you’re wondering how to step up, don’t worry, I often wonder the same thing myself. For the most part, I’ve found that I get into the moment a lot easier when I’m at ease. It’s when everything is light and I feel like I’m playing that I perform best. What puts me in this mood for performance day would probably go against what is suggested for group performers. My preferred preparation before the show is to keep everything as minimal as possible.

To be minimal I enjoy arriving late (minimal time at the place), being as anti dressed (minimal clothing) as possible until shortly before the beginning of the performance and having very few people around me (minimal external noise). I feel that I am usually quite good at engulfing myself into imaginary land or whatever you want to call the pretending that is needed when improvising. However, the issues that I come across for performances are various burdens that make me uneasy and less in tune with my creative side.

I don’t prefer arriving late because I enjoy being late. I prefer it because that means there’s less time I have to spend in the area before I perform. The longer I am in the performance space without performing, the more bored I get. Some people try to use warm ups to help them. For myself, if I am doing more than a couple warm ups it becomes excessive and also takes me out of my focus. Plus, there tends to be a lot of external noise (most things needed for setting up the show gets noisy) going on around the warm ups that also distracts me.

Oddly enough wearing my performance clothing for too long also takes me out of my focus. Since the clothes I wear at a show are different than my “street clothes” I naturally feel there is something I should be doing while wearing them…either clubbing or performing (which is kind of the same thing). The longer I’m in my “doing something” clothes while not doing anything the more likely I am to nod off to introvertedness. Also, because I am trying to gain or maintain focus for a show hearing a lot of voices before a performance tends to muddle my brain and creates the opposite affect.

I try to stay minimal for shows because it helps me be mentally and physically limber for my performance. Some people prefer the opposite. For these people the more warming up they do, the more energized and focused they become (at least I assume, I don’t really know since I’m not these people). I am not suggesting that you should do either of these things (extra warm ups or minimal everything). What I am suggesting is paying attention to what works for you and what makes you feel better. Then if you come up with any good suggestions, please comment below and hopefully we can help each other.

Till next time, stay sexy Rochester.
Lister

No Laughing Matter

2009-06-11T05:03:00.012-04:00

How a Comedic Improvisor Learns to Find Emotions

I am what you call a beard improvisor. (I am not sure if the beard is a Van Dyke or a goatee.) This type of improvisor is one who comes up with funny quips and comments. Even though I'm quick with the one-liner, I've found that the most powerful improv moments for me have come when I am not laughing. This is what I call the "Wow". I was in rehearsal and I was trying to slow down my mind to stop thinking too much. The director suggested that I recall a sad memory. I thought of my mom's funeral and it helped me to connect to the emotional truth in the scene. Later, I learned that this an acting technique called personalization. I watched this in action when a fellow improvisor created a moment when she lost something very dear to her. She imagined that it she her infant child had died. This scene was so good and so real that at the end of it, I was ready to cry.

So, when you visit our studio get ready to laugh your head off, but also be ready for that "wow" moment. A word of advice: bring a tissue, you just might need it.

Now You Know

2009-06-10T20:15:00.002-04:00

So, I decided to use my improv powers for good and do educational videos to help kids learn what really matters.

Ready.... Set.... Improvise!

2009-06-03T20:20:00.002-04:00

Preparation

In my experience, there are two kinds of actors: Those who prepare and those who do not. In this regard, one might say that being an improvisor is exactly the opposite of what makes a good actor, as improvisors have to do the unplanned and your average actor must go through tons of planning with blocking, direction and memorization to get things just so.

However, contrary to what some may have you believe, the unplanned work of the improvisor is not the same thing as being unprepared. In fact, nothing could be further from the truth. There are improvisors/actors who think that they can manage to pull off a great performance by sucking down a cigarette and downing a shot or a coffee just before going onstage. Some might say that this is acceptable and professional, but when one wants to create art that's entirely another matter.

To improvise well, one must be prepared to be called upon to possibly reflect the entire scope and range of the human experience in one performance... to sing, to dance, soliloquize, shout, romance, comfort, command, etc. etc.... and to generally win over the audience with dazzling skill. Such an endeavor must be supported by good technique of voice and body, but also with a connectedness with the other performers.

Therefore, to be a good improvisor/actor, one must take care to prepare. If you choose not to prepare, which is entirely your choice, you then, are vulnerable, not without hope, but certainly without the advantage that tuning your instrument can bring. Cockiness and surface charm might get the audience's attention, but demonstrating your talent and commitment to the art of performance through skill and authentic expression will win their respect and loyalty. And they'll remember you and come back for more.

Ten rejected improv ideas

2009-06-03T15:50:00.004-04:00

Top Ten Improv ideas that don't work

10. Absolutely no emotion or movement scene
9. Every time the director rings the bell the performers have to reenact a scene from Momento
8. Zombies vs. Shakespeare vs. John Woo
7. Audience offer: Amish Mime
6. Forward/Reverse/Time Inverse
5. Story, Story, Wedgie
4. Sounds like a limerick
3. Pan Left (Decagon Version)
2. Star Trek 2: Wrath of Kahn Ballet Musical Adaptation
1. Half life scene: Mike's dating history

Super Hero Improvisors, pt. 1

2009-05-31T14:15:00.009-04:00

As a comic geek, I often wonder which superheroes would make great improvisors. I'm basing this criteria along the lines of Swithun No's improv theory of 4 types of improvisors. In this article, I'm also limiting myself to the DC universe.

Runners-up:

Batman

Improv Strength: Head Improvisor

Given that he's one of the few heroes that doesn't really have any special powers, this "dark detective" tackles some of the most criminally insane by out-thinking them by one step. Sure he's got mad body skills, but it's his brains that really set him apart from all the others heroes. That and his innovative ability to use props.
Improv Weakness: Beard
Does he find anything funny? I guess when your arch-nemesis is a guy called the "Joker", "why so serious?" is a rhetorical question.

Green Lantern

Improv Strength: Head & Body Improvisor
This guy can produce any object, any size with his green ring. He's only limited by his imagination (and the color yellow). Already he would be good at thinking off the top of his head. Since he's good at getting a team together really quickly, he probably knows how to "make his scene partner look good."
Improv Weakness: Heart Improvisor

The original Green Lantern, Hal Jordan, was a test pilot who was chosen by the Green Latern Corp. because he was a "man without fear." While this makes you a great green policeman, if you can't emote fear on stage, you're really limiting your scenework.

Flash

Improv Strength: Body & Beard Improvisor
This guy would be great at improv games that require rhythm and timing. Since he has the speed, he'd be great with coming up with things to say real fast ("quick-witted?"). In the Justice League, he tends to provide some comic relief.

Improv Weakness: Head Improvisor
I'm willing to face the fact that he can be impetous. He's not really the type to think too far ahead. He has the dubious distinction of being one of the few superheroes to stand trial for KILLING an arch-nemesis.

Wonder Woman

Improv Strength: Heart Improvisor

Like every other male counterpart, Wonder Woman has powerful attributes. But unlike the rest of the DCU, one of the 6 deities that blessed her disembodied soul before birth gave her a special gift; Aphrodite blessed her with beauty and having a loving heart. Also, she has a lasso that makes anyone truthful.
Improv Weakness: **ahem** none.
I know better that to point out a woman's weakness. Especially, one that could kick my butt.

WINNER: PLASTIC MAN!
This guy has improv written all over him. He's incredibly imaginative and flexible. He's also generally considered the comic relief of the DC Universe. He can do nearly anything with his body.

Part 2: The Marvel Universe.

About Last Night.

2009-05-31T07:17:00.004-04:00

The best part of our Dress Rehearsal was the interaction between the players. We, for the bad and good of it all, are like a family. Sometimes good, sometimes bad but we are in this together either way. We have to look out for each others backs, fronts and insides. Sarah says, " It's about trust." The tough part about learning this is whether or not I can apply it. To me, being an Idiot means (I)Inspiration (d)dedication (i)Intent (o)our (t) truth.

see its true it will fall off

2009-05-30T06:34:00.001-04:00

spaced out

2009-05-28T23:54:00.001-04:00

Village Idiots Improv Comedy

Reconsilec

2009-05-27T18:17:00.000-04:00

It's Beard Improv at its best. I love satire.

The Love Machine

2009-05-27T07:20:00.001-04:00

Lobbying for new slang

2009-05-19T13:05:00.002-04:00

Ok, so our teenage, hoodlum slang used today is getting old, politically incorrect and a bit tired. I thought it was time that we changed the trends up a bit and sparked a fire in our society. I introduce to you words that could replace some of our old language.

Old word: Retarded
Use: Something of low popularity or extremely low intelligence.
new word: Plutoed
Why: Pluto is starting to be used as an insult after scientists found out it was not a planet. Now people use it to show others how low value they are.

"You totally plutoed that test."

Old word: Gay
Use: Something of low popularity or extremely low intelligence.
new word: Birth
Why: I saw the movie Birth and it was atrocious. We can all agree that when something is Birth it is low value and lacking intelligence.

"You like N'sync? That's birth."

Old word: Bad A$$
Use: When someone is tough and able to accomplish dangerous feats with little limitation.
new word: Ninja
Why: Ninja's are making a comeback as the most amazing creatures on Earth. Plus, there is no non profane way to say bad a$$.

"That guy came in with two shotguns and he was totally ninja."

old word: douche bag
use: A jerk with high arrogance
new word: Slap chop
why: it just sounds fun to call others a slap chop.

"You made her buy your dinner? Stop being a slap chop."

old word: f***ing
use: It's a catalyst word that intensifies the word that comes after it.
new word: Frocking
Why: The old F word literally means to allow the king consent to rape your bride. I'm tying to get away from that. It sounds like we just need a crunchy intensifier before a word.

"That last mogul was frocking awesome!"

If you agree with this post then please do your part and start spreading these words. If by chance you hate these new words, then stop being a total slap chop because these words are frocking awesome.

Linguini. Fettucini. Bikini.
Amen.

The xxcking Blog

2009-05-10T12:12:00.002-04:00