By Sonnjea Blackwell
I've said it before and I'll say it again: a "job" is a concept with which I'm only peripherally acquainted.
Okay, okay. I used to have a real job. I was actually quite good at it, as a matter of fact. But I prefer working for myself, doing a little of this and a little of that, wearing PJs all day, having a 20-second commute, showering at 2 p.m. (if I feel doing it that early), winning all the office arguments and always having someone to give the sh*t jobs to.
Oh, right.
Anyway. Even someone with as cushy a gig as I have needs improv to keep my morale up. So all you incredible people who manage to go to an office or a factory or a funeral home or a baseball park or a hospital or a school or a fire station or wherever and deal with John Q. Public as well as all the office politics and cutbacks and coworkers' shenanigans... wow! you guys need improv a LOT!
Once again, Held2gether's got you covered! We do lunchtime stress reduction/morale boosting improv gigs at the office/factory/funeral home/baseball park/hospital/school/fire station/wherever to give you a break from the mundane and grease up those rusty laugh muscles. 30-minute options include Feed Me the Line, where you and your coworkers write lines of dialogue that a 3-person H2G troupe turns into a 30-minute long-form play; or Laughter Supplement, 30 minutes of improv games and exercises that you and the gang play to relieve stress and shake off the afternoon doldrums.
I'm embarrassed to admit that my office hasn't gotten the website updated to include the specifics of these awesome options yet; you can rest assured I'll have a talk with my employee about that. In the meantime, you can email Darren for more information.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Bravo! or Rotten Tomatoes?
By Sonnjea Blackwell
I had a class the other day with a substitute teacher who happened to be one of the founders of the Groundlings. So I guess you could say she knows a little something about improv comedy. And Phyllis got on to the subject of audiences for some reason, saying that if she could ever study anything she wanted she would study the psychology of audiences.
I totally agree. Audiences are just plain weird, no offense to those of you who find yourselves in an audience from time to time. Which I guess would technically be all of us.
When H2G performed with The Magic Meathands the other week, it was interesting to hear the audience's comments. People who are Meathands regulars liked the Meathands better. Our fans liked H2G better. So there appears to be a certain element of liking what you're used to better than that new, weird stuff that other people do.
Of course, there's a limit to that as well, because recently some of our hard core regulars have suggested we mix it up a bit more. So audiences want to feel comfortable and know kind of what to expect, but they still want surprises and changes from time to time.
But enough about my musings. Back to Phyllis who, after all, is the expert. She said that in her years of performing with and directing the Groundlings she learned that sometimes it simply doesn't matter what the performers do on stage - the audience will love or hate the show regardless because for whatever reason, that's what that particular audience was in the mood to do that night. She said there were shows where the cast was beyond spectacular, and they all knew they nailed it. Only the audience was like, "meh." And other shows when everybody sucked and the audience could not get enough.
This is not meant to encourage the Held2gether troupe and students to quit practicing and throw all the rules out the window. It's simply to illustrate that you can't please all of the people all of the time, and with improv (as with life) you should just do the very best you can and be happy with that - regardless of what anybody else thinks.
I mean, that's just my opinion and all, and I hope you think that's okay.
I had a class the other day with a substitute teacher who happened to be one of the founders of the Groundlings. So I guess you could say she knows a little something about improv comedy. And Phyllis got on to the subject of audiences for some reason, saying that if she could ever study anything she wanted she would study the psychology of audiences.
I totally agree. Audiences are just plain weird, no offense to those of you who find yourselves in an audience from time to time. Which I guess would technically be all of us.
When H2G performed with The Magic Meathands the other week, it was interesting to hear the audience's comments. People who are Meathands regulars liked the Meathands better. Our fans liked H2G better. So there appears to be a certain element of liking what you're used to better than that new, weird stuff that other people do.
Of course, there's a limit to that as well, because recently some of our hard core regulars have suggested we mix it up a bit more. So audiences want to feel comfortable and know kind of what to expect, but they still want surprises and changes from time to time.
But enough about my musings. Back to Phyllis who, after all, is the expert. She said that in her years of performing with and directing the Groundlings she learned that sometimes it simply doesn't matter what the performers do on stage - the audience will love or hate the show regardless because for whatever reason, that's what that particular audience was in the mood to do that night. She said there were shows where the cast was beyond spectacular, and they all knew they nailed it. Only the audience was like, "meh." And other shows when everybody sucked and the audience could not get enough.
This is not meant to encourage the Held2gether troupe and students to quit practicing and throw all the rules out the window. It's simply to illustrate that you can't please all of the people all of the time, and with improv (as with life) you should just do the very best you can and be happy with that - regardless of what anybody else thinks.
I mean, that's just my opinion and all, and I hope you think that's okay.
Monday, June 6, 2011
All I Really Needed to Know, I Learned in Improv
By Someone Else
You know the book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, by Robert Fulghum? We’ve taken the liberty to adapt his fantastically written perspective on life and frame it in the context of improv. Yeah, we’re ego-centric like that.
People who have seen one of Held2gether’s long form shows (Trixie Keeps the Books, Jim Beam & a Hundred Dollars, Over Easy Like Sunday Morning) often express how seemingly more difficult long form is to perform than short form improv. And yes, long form can be more complex -- you’ve got multiple story lines to juggle, you’ve got a performance set that can last 20 to 30 minutes (which means your energy and your commitment needs to last that long, too), and you’ve got multiple characters to play.
But the rules of short form still apply to long form. Sometimes, you may have to modify the rules a touch to fit the complexities of long form; however, the underlying principles remain the same. For example, you still need to agree with the information your partners have provided (yes, and!). But in long form, you don’t have to stay confined in the same scene - you can branch out to create something new that agrees with already established information. The underlying principle of “yes, and” still remains. Only now, you can form a whole new scene, based on a previous scene.
In other cases, the rules of short form are intensified in long form. For example, in short form improv, you learn to balance the amount of listening you do with the amount of talking you do (give-and-take). In long form, that balance becomes even more critical. That’s because long form improv involves eight, nine, maybe even ten players -- way more than in the typical two or three-person short form improv scene. Now you have more information to synthesize with your own brilliant ideas.
It’s just like the lessons Robert Fulghum covers in his book. In Kindergarten, you learn that warm milk and cookies are good for you. As you get older, the same still holds true - only now you drink 2% milk to maintain your girlish or guyish figure. In Kindergarten, you learn to share everything. Later in life, you know to share everything, except communicable diseases. In Kindergarten, you learn to not hit people. As an adult, you never hit someone, unless they really, really deserve it. See? Life is just like improv. Stuff you learn in Kindergarten still holds true, but you may have to adjust the lessons a bit as you get older.
So, whether you prefer short form or long form, Held2gether classes teach you the foundation for good improvisation. We’ll teach you a set of basic rules: listen to the information given to you, balance give-and-take, commit to the scene, and agree with your scene partner. Once you’ve mastered the basics, the improv sky is the limit!
You know the book, All I Really Need to Know I Learned in Kindergarten, by Robert Fulghum? We’ve taken the liberty to adapt his fantastically written perspective on life and frame it in the context of improv. Yeah, we’re ego-centric like that.
People who have seen one of Held2gether’s long form shows (Trixie Keeps the Books, Jim Beam & a Hundred Dollars, Over Easy Like Sunday Morning) often express how seemingly more difficult long form is to perform than short form improv. And yes, long form can be more complex -- you’ve got multiple story lines to juggle, you’ve got a performance set that can last 20 to 30 minutes (which means your energy and your commitment needs to last that long, too), and you’ve got multiple characters to play.
But the rules of short form still apply to long form. Sometimes, you may have to modify the rules a touch to fit the complexities of long form; however, the underlying principles remain the same. For example, you still need to agree with the information your partners have provided (yes, and!). But in long form, you don’t have to stay confined in the same scene - you can branch out to create something new that agrees with already established information. The underlying principle of “yes, and” still remains. Only now, you can form a whole new scene, based on a previous scene.
In other cases, the rules of short form are intensified in long form. For example, in short form improv, you learn to balance the amount of listening you do with the amount of talking you do (give-and-take). In long form, that balance becomes even more critical. That’s because long form improv involves eight, nine, maybe even ten players -- way more than in the typical two or three-person short form improv scene. Now you have more information to synthesize with your own brilliant ideas.
It’s just like the lessons Robert Fulghum covers in his book. In Kindergarten, you learn that warm milk and cookies are good for you. As you get older, the same still holds true - only now you drink 2% milk to maintain your girlish or guyish figure. In Kindergarten, you learn to share everything. Later in life, you know to share everything, except communicable diseases. In Kindergarten, you learn to not hit people. As an adult, you never hit someone, unless they really, really deserve it. See? Life is just like improv. Stuff you learn in Kindergarten still holds true, but you may have to adjust the lessons a bit as you get older.
So, whether you prefer short form or long form, Held2gether classes teach you the foundation for good improvisation. We’ll teach you a set of basic rules: listen to the information given to you, balance give-and-take, commit to the scene, and agree with your scene partner. Once you’ve mastered the basics, the improv sky is the limit!
Friday, June 3, 2011
Playing Pretend
By Sonnjea Blackwell
Last night's Held2gether Improv Comedy Level 2 class was, like, totally AWESOME, as Missy would say. It made everyone stretch and work new improv muscles, and the entire class rose to the occasion.
The best thing about H2G is that we are committed to making improv accessible to everyone, and as far as I can tell it's the regular people who see the real power of improv - the skills it teaches and the personal growth it offers. Actors are wonderful people as well, it's just that most actors simply see improv as another way to perform and/or a way to improve their acting. Totally valid, of course and if you happen to be an actor, we'd love to have you in class!
What I'm getting at is that, the L2 class is made up of normal folks just like you and me. Okay, like you. I'm not normal, as regular readers of this blog can attest. And yet, no matter how you slice it, when you do improv you are pretending to be people other than yourself. Which is, technically speaking, acting.
ACCKKK! She said the A-word. Don't freak out. I figured out a way to get around my fear of acting and learn to be okay with being characters. I just call it make believe, or playing pretend. You did that when you were little, right? Played house and you were the mom or the dad, or perhaps you were movie stars or you were in the Army or whatever. When I played pretend, my characters were always named Lisa.
More information that you don't need. Sorry. Moving on.
Back to last night's class. (Sorry this article is all over the place, I'm already getting excited about H2G Presents Wait Till Your Father Gets Home tonight.) Last night's class was all about being characters. Each person was three totally different, distinct characters. It was super challenging, but SO MUCH FUN! It was awesome to see what everyone tried - there were sneaky, devious people, old crotchety people, self-important people, insecure people, geeks, nerds, sexpots, confused Oklahomans, snooty people, loud brash people and every other kind of person you can imagine.
I know if you come out to Elise's Tea Room for the show tonight, you'll see some of those devious, self-important, sexy, nerdy confused Oklahomans. And, seriously, who would want to miss that?
Last night's Held2gether Improv Comedy Level 2 class was, like, totally AWESOME, as Missy would say. It made everyone stretch and work new improv muscles, and the entire class rose to the occasion.
The best thing about H2G is that we are committed to making improv accessible to everyone, and as far as I can tell it's the regular people who see the real power of improv - the skills it teaches and the personal growth it offers. Actors are wonderful people as well, it's just that most actors simply see improv as another way to perform and/or a way to improve their acting. Totally valid, of course and if you happen to be an actor, we'd love to have you in class!
What I'm getting at is that, the L2 class is made up of normal folks just like you and me. Okay, like you. I'm not normal, as regular readers of this blog can attest. And yet, no matter how you slice it, when you do improv you are pretending to be people other than yourself. Which is, technically speaking, acting.
ACCKKK! She said the A-word. Don't freak out. I figured out a way to get around my fear of acting and learn to be okay with being characters. I just call it make believe, or playing pretend. You did that when you were little, right? Played house and you were the mom or the dad, or perhaps you were movie stars or you were in the Army or whatever. When I played pretend, my characters were always named Lisa.
More information that you don't need. Sorry. Moving on.
Back to last night's class. (Sorry this article is all over the place, I'm already getting excited about H2G Presents Wait Till Your Father Gets Home tonight.) Last night's class was all about being characters. Each person was three totally different, distinct characters. It was super challenging, but SO MUCH FUN! It was awesome to see what everyone tried - there were sneaky, devious people, old crotchety people, self-important people, insecure people, geeks, nerds, sexpots, confused Oklahomans, snooty people, loud brash people and every other kind of person you can imagine.
I know if you come out to Elise's Tea Room for the show tonight, you'll see some of those devious, self-important, sexy, nerdy confused Oklahomans. And, seriously, who would want to miss that?
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Wait Till Your Father Gets Home
By Sonnjea Blackwell
I wrote a holiday blog, then took two days off - sorry! I blame a) the sinus infection, b) the pile of work on my desk, c) the unicorns, or d) all of the above. Choose an answer that makes you happy and I'm happy to go with it. Thanks.
Anyway. Tomorrow night is Held2gether Presents: Wait Till Your Father Gets Home at Elise's Tea Room for First Fridays Long Beach. You don't want to miss this one, where a bunch of H2G students show off for the crowd. It's free! There are scones! And tea! And a strange man in a superhero costume usually drops by!
If grownups in capes isn't enough of a temptation for you, how about this: we're doing some new stuff, along with your favorites! And the cast - Antonio, Leon, Barney & Natalie, Lisa, Steven, Lorna - had an awesome rehearsal last night, where Antonio made me laugh so hard in a scene I had to sit down. Andy and I are playing, too. And, of course, as always the show is directed by Mr. Held2gether, Darren Held.
Stop by for proper tea and improper (but family-friendly) improv! Write some lines for Fishbowl, yell out some suggestions and come up and introduce yourself if you read this blog! We love our fans, you know!
I wrote a holiday blog, then took two days off - sorry! I blame a) the sinus infection, b) the pile of work on my desk, c) the unicorns, or d) all of the above. Choose an answer that makes you happy and I'm happy to go with it. Thanks.
Anyway. Tomorrow night is Held2gether Presents: Wait Till Your Father Gets Home at Elise's Tea Room for First Fridays Long Beach. You don't want to miss this one, where a bunch of H2G students show off for the crowd. It's free! There are scones! And tea! And a strange man in a superhero costume usually drops by!
If grownups in capes isn't enough of a temptation for you, how about this: we're doing some new stuff, along with your favorites! And the cast - Antonio, Leon, Barney & Natalie, Lisa, Steven, Lorna - had an awesome rehearsal last night, where Antonio made me laugh so hard in a scene I had to sit down. Andy and I are playing, too. And, of course, as always the show is directed by Mr. Held2gether, Darren Held.
Stop by for proper tea and improper (but family-friendly) improv! Write some lines for Fishbowl, yell out some suggestions and come up and introduce yourself if you read this blog! We love our fans, you know!
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