Hey everyone,
I've been off the grid LITERALLY, the last few weeks. I've made the move from Inwood, to a friends couch in Washington Heights the back to Astoria. The whole mess took about a week and a half and I was sick for a majority of it.
I was even sick for my 3rd deconstruction show which KILLED ME. I remember that day clearly, I had a meeting with a new Sketch team that wanted me to join them, the off to deconstruction's show, then off to a Magnet Circuit Show. Three show night!! But, at like 4pm, I just was shivering in a bed saying, "Not going anywhere tonight".
I usually pride myself in being able to perform under all circumstances. But, in all honesty, this is different than a musical. There's no understudy needed. So, I felt bad but I didn't go.
The next week, which was last week, I got started again.
I got back into rehearsal with Decent Proposal, a 10k team I joined mid-summer last year. The first team I ever joined actually. Finally, after all the scheduling issues I can play with them again. Though most of us are sick we make do.
Here's what I love about Decent Proposal:
1) Everyone is smart and funny.
2) Nothing ever seems forced. People are literally just reacting not trying to get any laughs.
3) It's never hectic.
It's a good dynamic because we have fun, it's not stressful, but sometimes we get lost. We had our first show in January. We actually had a 3rd beat kiss run. Leila made a bold move and kissed Christine and she reacted just to the kiss. I jump in and kiss Christine, reaction. Jamie jumps in and licks her face. And James kind of lovingly touches her cheek. Those are the moments that I love in improv. Bold moves where everyone jumps on board.
Deconstruction show #4
Last show of Deconstruction, I literally love this form. It is so much fun. I was lucky enough to be in both shows. Theme wise, it was kind of space, twilight zone, craziness. But, it was amazingly fun.
I remember Ted had brought up Frasier at some point. So in the second beat/flavor scenes, there was an initiation of "Hey everyone, It's me, Norm". We all kind of jumped on board with the "Norm!" chants. It's so great that we all were in the same spot. I kind of leaned in the window seal trying to make it like the counter of a bar. Norm made a joke and I said, "Classic Norm" and when there was a slight pause I said, "Anyone wanna see any of my old Red Sox jerseys?". To some great laughs.
Personally, I can't do a Ted Danson impersonation, but saying Classic just felt like cheers to me. Adding the red sox, may have just been enough to make the audience say, "That's Sam". In a later run, I was praying to have an opening to come in as Sam again. I was looking for the weirdest scene to call it out as someone else from cheers.
Someone initiated with, "Yea, I'll take a look at your ass!", I jumped into the window and said, "Classic Cliff." and it felt amazing.
I think the great thing about that is that it wasn't my idea, it stemmed from a frasier quote to a cheers initiation. I would have never done that without everyone else. That's improv for you.
Musical Megawatt Auditions?
I've gotten to the point where I'm coming full circle. The first improv show I ever saw and fell in love with, Musical Megawatt at Magnet theatres is going to audition soon.
Oddly enough, I feel like I've gotten a little worse at Musical Improv. I want to take more classes to hone the skill itself. Sometimes practicing with teams just doesn't cut it. Maybe I'm just a little sad to not have musical improv classes anymore.
When the opportunity comes, I'm gonna have a good time. I find that the few chances I get to do improv in front of people, I feel I do well. I just try and make bold choices or jump on someone elses choice.
Can I do this? Can I get onto a Musical Megawatt team? This has been a goal of mine for a while. The PIT musical team was a side goal and as much as Adorable is a PIT team, it doesn't get a weekly slot, so it is not really a musical house team. So, in a way, on that side goal, I succeeded and kind of failed.
Come on Magnet. Lets get these auditions goin!!
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