Free Long Beach Improv Show!

By Sonnjea Blackwell

Hey, I keep forgetting to remind you all that Held2gether presents Last Laugh Saturday is THIS Saturday. See:

Told you. I don't lie about these things.

For the uninitiated, LLS is our free monthly show at Hot Java, where we do an hour of unscripted short-form improv based entirely on the audience's suggestions. Since it's improv, we never know exactly what to expect, but there's a good chance vampires, Westerns and lovers will be suggestions. Maybe we'll take 'em, maybe we won't, although we are especially fond of scenes about vampire lovers in the Wild West.

For you regulars, I just wanted to let you know we're making some changes! Even though it's improv and every scene is always different because it's based on its own unique suggestion, it is possible to get into a rut. I don't know what surprises Darren has up his sleeve, but he's been going around laughing that evil mwahahahahaha laugh for a few days now, so I for one am a little concerned.

The show's at 8 p.m., and it's a good idea to get there a pretty early if you want a good seat. If you want a crappy seat, come whenever.

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!

Cranky-Ass Day

By Sonnjea Blackwell

I don't know where you live, but in the LBC it's cold, rainy and windy and doesn't bear any resemblance to spring whatsoever. Which further dampens my already foul mood.

Yes, even Buddhists who spend most of their waking hours doing improv comedy get cranky sometimes. I know, weird, right? So I'm just going to plod through my work, checking things off my never-ending to-do list as I go, and not think about things that make me cranky and instead think of a short scene I did in class last week where my "sister" Lorna and I were so sweet we made everyone else gag. Or another scene that I did with Viet and Paul at Last Laugh Saturday that involved a nasty hotel at the Jersey Shore. Or any number of scenes that I've witnessed over the past not-quite-2-years that have left me with a pain in my side from laughing.

Because nothing gets you through a cold, rainy, windy, cranky-ass day like laughing. That's the power of improv. And I promise to be funny tomorrow. Cuz, you know, that's just how I roll.

So Much Fun, So Little Time!

By Sonnjea Blackwell

Wow, sometimes we get overwhelmed with all the great stuff happening in our world and we just have to share it or we'll explode. Exploding is messy and not productive, so we strive to avoid it whenever possible.

So I guess we better share... First off, tonight at Old World Huntington Beach, our good friends The Corporate Recess Players are doing their monthly-ish improv show, featuring none other than our own fearless leader, Darren Held. This is a great opportunity for all you Held2gether students to see your teacher in action and count the number of times he asks questions! $15 a person, 8 p.m., Old World.

Then on Sunday, we have the 1/2-day Intro to Improv Workshop in my 'hood, Bixby Knolls. There are a couple spaces left, so hurry up and register at the website if you've been on the fence. $40 a person, noon - 4 p.m., EXPO Theatre.

And it's already that time of the month again (no, not that time of the month; I don't share everything) - it's time for Held2gether's signature show, Last Laugh Saturday next Saturday night at Hot Java! As Delilah says, get a sitter and fill your flask cuz this one's always a doozy! FREE, 8 p.m. March 26, Hot Java.

DrinkingRehearsing

We're getting ready to rehearse for tomorrow night's improv comedy show at Hot Java. Rehearsing for an improv show is different from rehearsing for other kinds of shows. There are no lines to memorize, for one thing. We don't know what you, the audience members, are going to suggest for any given game, so we can't rehearse for that. We never know what our scene partners are going to say or do, so we can't rehearse for that, either. We don't know what order the scenes will be in, so we can't even rehearse for that.

So basically, if you wanna know the truth, "rehearsing" for an improv show means that the troupe gets together, plays some improv games and drinks some vodka. Which is pretty much what the troupe does on any given Friday night anyway. But it sounds so much better when you tell people you're "rehearsing." And if we're rehearsing, no one helpfully suggests that perhaps we might need a meeting...

Remember, Hot Java fills up quickly, so get there early!