By Sonnjea Blackwell
Our usual Long Beach venue for Held2gether's long form improv class was out of order last night. Something scary having to do with electricity that left us with visions of smoldering electrical outlets and random fires breaking out in every direction. Hopefully that was just our overactive imaginations.
In any event, we moved class to my place since it's close by and my living room can be improv-ready in a matter of seconds. Seriously, that can't surprise you at this point. It was a weird day for everyone, and class got a late start because 1/2 the class was waylaid by unpublicized bus re-routing, another student was stuck in a rain-induced traffic jam in the O.C. and yet another had to walk because his parked car got totaled by a drunk driver earlier in the week.
So I was a little worried it would be a low-energy, cranky sort of class. But no. Even though we did difficult exercises and tried out bazillions of new characters (some of which worked and some, well, not so much), class was fantastic. People were energetic and enthusiastic and bold, and that's all you can ask for in an improv class.
I guess I don't have a point. C'mon, that can't surprise you now, either. I think I'm just sayin' that even in the midst of a difficult week for everyone improv class is just what the doctor ordered to lift our moods and give us something to laugh about while we pretend to be professors and schlubs and cocktail waitresses and people obsessed with their cars. If you want to pretend, sign up for the next round of Held2gether Intro to Improv classes! If you already happen to be a professor, a schlub, a cocktail waitress or a person obsessed with their car, don't worry. You can pretend to be something else. We're easy that way.
