2003-03-27 - 10:52 p.m.

I Was Brilliant!

Tonight my improv class had its graduation showcase.  It was a free show for relatives, friends, and strangers who happened by.  I think the audience had about 30 people in it.  That was fine, the whole theater seats 100.  I invited my sister and my coworker Kevin, who brought his bride to be.  I didn't really mention it to anyone else.  I was not sure if it was going to be awful or not.  That is, awful for the audience to sit through.

They all seemed to enjoy it.  They were enthusiastic.

The show was Theater Sports (an improv type I have described in the past).  My class broke into two teams and each team took turns doing a scene.  The audience graded us on a scale of 1 to 5.  Through very creative judging we ended the show in a tie.  No hurt feelings.  Everybody wins.  And, to tell the truth, both teams were very well balanced and equally good.

We started off with a warm-up game that everyone played. The audience called out a topic and a director pointed at us one at a time and we had to give a response.  For example, the audience suggested a color.  So when the director pointed at me I had to say a color.  And it moved very fast and kept going until someone messed up.  Then we got another suggestion from the audience. The one who messed up was eliminated.

How can you mess up?  By saying something someone else already said.  Or by saying something completely wrong, or by stammering and saying noting.

It is harder than it sounds.

I did not make it to the final round.  I got weeded out about halfway through.

We did a few scenes that I thought were funny. Both teams did stuff that was extremely funny at times.  And, I knew this but it always surprises me, stuff that is plain not funny got a laugh from the audience.  That is so great.  I love a live audience.  They are so pumped up to enjoy themselves.

One of the scenes we did was one where I spoke gibberish and another improviser translated what I was saying. That is always a crowd pleaser.  I got a few laughs.  I really missed that.  Applause is a drug.  I literally stood under the spotlight tonight and I like it.

It was easy because the stage was filled with very good people.  I was not worried at all.  I did get a little nervous throughout the day whenever I thought about it.  But I was more excited than anxious.

I really want to be good at this and I want to take another class as soon as possible.  The theater company that held the class has a lot of stuff going on all the time, like workshops and shows and whatnot.

I am really tired now.  It has been a long day and I am a little out of it, but I knew as soon as I got to the theater I would snap to attention and I did.  It is weird. All the stuff that weighs on me though the day just evaporates when I get into that environment.  It is like a little vacation.

After the show I talked to Kevin and his lady for a few minutes. He told me he would give me the full review tomorrow at work.  My sister said it was funny and she enjoyed it.  I did not realize she brought along her video camera.  I am not sure I want to see the tape.

My sister is leaving for a vacation tomorrow. She and my mother and aunt are once again heading out on a trip to some tropical paradise on the coast of South American.  They found another really good deal on the internet and so they are off.

Now I must go to sleep.

Jimmy
 
 
 

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