Thursday, August 21, 2008
So as commenter The Gooch rightly noted, I have not written about Bobby Moynihan, of UCBs Stepfathers, being picked up by SNL. This is of course amazing news. Bobby had auditioned for SNL last year and was not added to the cast, but I think all of us expected if he auditioned again he would get the spot.
One of the many words of wisdom I got from Bobby was back in my UCB 401 improv class, Bobby was subbing for Billy Merritt, and he spoke about this face he does which always gets a laugh. He did the face, which is a magical shrug, and we all laughed. I then decided to create my own face which I could do and always get a laugh. Unfortunately Bobby was unavailable to coach me on the face and had to cobble together my own face from various sources, but at the end of a year — I had a face. It’s not Bobby’s face, by any stretch, but it’s good enough for government work.
All that is totally true.
Bobby is one of the nicest, most supportive, super talented people I have ever met. He’s been a staple at UCB since I started and I’m really sad to see him go, but at least it will give America a chance to see that lovely man’s face. (Oh, and America, I just danced with Bobby the other night and let me tell you, Bobby can dance too.)
Also totally true.
This year started off to an exciting start as the DCM Press Conference was reserves to talking completely about the UCB concepts about improvisation. It was a unique look into UCBs brand of improvisation and what they feel makes good comedic improvisation.
Roberts, Walsh, and Besser laid out the UCBs “theses” on improvisation. Who h ranged from the expected “Game is fundamental” to more subtle “having your own opening isn’t important.” I will be sure to post my full notes once I’m near an accrual keyboard.
The UCB3 then played a few of Del’s earlier, less known recordings.
Shows
MySpace was as usual incredible, with some hilarious scenes about what sounded like the most bizzare workout system spx90, of something in that vain. Bassprov was as wonderful as I remember it and Horatio Sans, who has lost a considerable amount of weight, approached the stage with a poise I have not seen. The Stepfathers was by far the most stressful improv set with Shannon O’Neil and Chris Gethard getting into a slapping brawl on stage. For anyone at the theater, it was like watching your mom and dad start to fight - although very funny once everyone decided not to kill each other.
The highlight of the night, however, was Directors commentary live. The film was Universal Soldier and the commentary was by far the most inventive and hilarious I have seen to date. “I call ziss a Van Damn”, “no sleeves means you don’t have to pay for sleeves” and “That’s me, that’s not me” had people litterally rolling in the isles.
The next few updates about the DCM are going to be coming from my iPhone. Please excuse any bizarre spelling mistakes while I sort out what I’m doing with this thing. I will try to give frequent updates to the site complete with photographs… if that’s possible.
I’ll be updating throughout the DCM10, so that I’m not overwhelming your browsers and RSS readers, I’ll try to keep updates as concise as possible.
I’m headed into the city now after taking off Friday to prep. And by prep I mean sleep. I’ve got a shopping list of trail mix, water, energy bars, and perhaps a few tissues. It gets rough down in the trenches.
See you down there soldier..
Del Close Marathon time again kids. Remember last year’s marathon? Yeah me neither. Last year I clocked in over 30 hours of improv. I felt gross, stinky, and never wanted to see another scene again - I can’t wait for this year.
Last year I gave you a few tips on how to survive the DCM marathon and some marathon suggested viewing, this year I thought I would give you a few updates, although I still stand by those two previous lists.
Additional Del Close Marathon Tips
- Drink more water - Considder this a plane flight. Drink more water than you normally would. Seriously, I would suggest Airborne as well, because
- Bring Snacks! - Although the UCB does not normally allow food into the theater, during the DCM it is allowed. Avoid salty snacks, they dehydrate and raise your blood pressure leading to hypertension after 3 days. I suggest nuts, trail mix, energy bars, and of course going out for a few meal occasionally. Don’t be the dick with the Halal platter - you will be asked to leave.
- Have a marathon buddy - going to the marathon alone is fine and dandy, but it’s always better to have a friend to bounce criticisms, laugh together, and hold during those awkward silences. Also, just like weight lifting, sometimes you need someone to push you one more hour.
- See Wicked Fuckin’ Queeyah at UCB Sat 02:00 am and WeirDass at FIT Kate Murphy Ampitheatre Sat 07:00 pm - I know I say it every year, but every year I am proven right. These two shows define the DCM for me.
- Find Me - I’m there most of the marathon. Make sure to say hello if you see me, I also accept hugs.
DCM10 Suggested Viewing
I just finished up my second 501 at the Upright Citizens Brigade with Anthony King and by the end of 8 weeks it was clear, we wanted more classes together. We had all started to “get” each others playing styles and were also starting to see what Anthony was talking about in scenes. After our final performance we all wanted more.
This was also true of my first 501 a year ago with Chris Gethard for another reason. Chris had really let us devise our own path with our improvisation and was pushing us to own our philosophies. By the end of 8 weeks we had just scratched the surface of what was possible. After our final performance we all wanted more.
So when news that UCB had decided to start offering classes for August with a 12 week class schedule, I have to admit, I was excited. I think the major reason I was excited was because I have a problem in letting my inhabitions go around performers I don’t know. It takes me at least 4 weeks to feel comfortable enough to let loose in class and by week 8 I am finally feeling totally comfortable (this is one of those ongoing things I battle with in my improvisation).
I’m also a firm believer, due in large part to the teachings of Chris Gethard, that group mind in one of the pillars of longform improvisation. It’s that magic glue that binds performers on stage to one another and let’s them seemingly read each other’s minds. If you are really working on forming group mind, it may be possible by 8 weeks, but again it’s another reason why 12 weeks appeals to me. That’s good group mind territory.
Unfortunately all this extra class time doesn’t come without a price. A 12 week 501 class is now $475 up from an 8 week class of $350. If you do the math, UCB has not raised the price per class, about $40, but for students looking at their scant checking accounts it may be a deterrent. However, I think it’s a move in right direction and as always, UCB still offers other 8 week classes at lower levels.
UCB also let us know that they have no plans at the moment to discontinue 8 week 501’s. So everybody gets the best of both worlds.
So, is 12 weeks the right time, or was 8 great? Speak up.
July 5th (when I started writing this) marked my second anniversary of taking classes at the Upright Citizens Brigade New York. It’s been a fast 2 years, but when I think back to even just a year ago, I am a amazed how far I have come. There have been plateaus, peaks, and a lot of different ways of looking at everything. You learn one thing, think you have mastered it, and before you know it you find you really didn’t know anything at all. Improv is both the most rewarding thing I have ever done with my life and the most frustrating.
UCB has been the center of my education (14 Classes) for the last 2 years and I still count myself as lucky to be part of such a warm and open community. No school is going to give you the golden key to improvisation and make every student into the next Bill Murray, but UCB is a place where if you want to make something of yourself, you can. It’s been frustrating, sometimes humiliating, and occasionally overwhelming, but it’s also been the most educational endeavor I have ever undertaken.
And so I thought I would write down, for posterity, the lessons that are currently bouncing through my mind after 2 years of clases. Hopefully next year I will look back and think “Oh, that’s what I was thinking last year?! Wow, that seems like second nature now”
State-of-My-Union
- I’m not sure if I’m a slow exception, but almost 2 yeas to the day of starting classes, and taking them consistently, I finally understand game. That’s a huge thing in my improvisational career.
- I’ve also started to feel like my work outside of classes in practice and performance is really starting to shine. I am consistently asked after shows where I trained and who I’ve trained with, which I take as a compliment.
- My 4 person improv group is flourishing. We’ve played enough shows that I feel super relaxed on stage and truly feel that no one’s skills outshine any others. We need to write more sketch.
- My performance in class still suffers from being too polite and shy to people I don’t know well. I sometimes feel like sociopaths would have a much easier time performing than I do, but feel lucky I’m not a sociopath.
- The indie improv community is the healthiest I have ever seen it. New groups are starting to once again surface, which is reassuring that it wasn’t just my generation that had a group boom. I feel very lucky to be part of the indie improv community.
- Longform Musical Improvisation is one of the best trainings for all of your improv skills and from reading Funniest One In The Room, Del knew it too. It has taught me more about the themes in life than any other class. Eliza Skinner elevates the craft to an art form. (She’s teaching two DCM workshops - take them! Sunday 2-5pm & Wednesday 6-9pm)
Current circulating ideas
- Be truthful always — never go for the joke. Truth in Comedy is good, but Comedy in Truth is better.
- Game is not about the unusual things, but rather your relationships to them. (relationship - noun - the way in which two or more concepts, objects, or people are connected, or the state of being connected). If this is true (about my character/behavior/relationship/environment/etc.), what else (about my behavior) is true?
- Game is celebrating/exploring/wallowing in situations/problems/fun, rather than trying to invent/solve/move past them.
- Never take any lesson from any instructor at face value — you must own it before it can be true for you. Discover why the rules are true.
- Support everything, in improv, unconditionally always. Everything you or your partner say is brilliant - listen to that subconscious brilliance and figure out what it means.
- “Yes And = Yes Why” -Anthony King
- Always make your partner look better. You are always on stage to protect your partner, always take the bullet.
- Game is usually in the first 3 lines of dialog, so pay special attention up top to everything you and your partners say.
- Listen to yourself as much as you listen to your partner — you may not be aware of the games you are setting up.
- Trust your opinions — your opinions make your improv different from everyone elses.
- And! - Anding is how you make your mark on a scene.
- “Perform each scene like it will be your last.” -Amey Goerlich
- Never be polite — take, give, demand, and never apologize.
- Tell your scene partner what you are feeling, don’t assume they are on the same page.
- Take your time — perform in the same tempo as you live your life, anything else will feel foreign.
- Make this be the day something happens — something happening doesn’t always mean something external.
- Allow your characters to have wants for themselves — this can flesh out a character better than anything.
- Always warm-up before a class or performance - remember exercises warm up different parts of your brain and body. Try to do a left brain exercise (7 things, Hot Spot), right brain exercise (3 characteristics, character wheel, made-up hot spot) and an energy exercise (Crazy 8’s, knife throw, moving in space)
- Group mind, group mind, group mind.
- You are brave for trying this — most people go through their lives never living to their potential, feel comforted that even if you fail you are still one of the few who are trying.
We're always open to criticsm, corrections, news, writers, praise, and hot hot tips.
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