Downright Upright

UPDATED: Improv Reading List

Hey it’s that time again. It’s been 5 months since the last update to the Improv Reading List. For my new followers: the improv reading list is the greatest hits version of this blog and improv nerdery on the internet. I do my best to catalog all of my favorite things I read there.

But it’s getting pretty long, so if you check out the main page, you’ll see two new sections Class Notes (compiles class notes found on Tumblr) and Classes & Shows in LA (guide to classes and shows for LA locals).

Added to the reading list:

• The Legacy of Heather & Miles by Sabrina London
• [podcast] Dickie Copeland on Improv Obsession
• [podcast] Matt Besser on Improv Nerd
• You Will Never Figure this Out by Will Hines
• Let’s All Go to Camp by Stephen Perlstein
• [video] The SAG Foundation introduction to all of Los Angeles’ Improv schools, including The Miles Stroth Workshop, UCB, Groundlings, iO, and Second City.
• [video] That time Snoop Dogg gave a shout out to the UCB NY Harold auditioners.
• A Thing I Like About Improv by Hal Phillips
• Groundlings and (but not vs.) UCB by Tim Stafford
• Find the Thing You’re Most Passionate About & Do It On Nights and Weekends for the Rest of Your Life (from The Onion)
• [video] 3 Step at the Improv Prize Fight Tournament

Check it out.

Fast play

I like playing fast. All my favorite teams play fast. I appreciate slow play, but I don’t seek it out. It’s not to my taste. I’m okay with that. 

Miles Stroth told me something very important, when it comes to speed:

“Speed comes later.”

Read More

You Will Never Figure This Out

improvnonsense:

I mean this as a consolation: you will never completely figure out improv. Not forever, anyhow. It moves, somehow. You have a grasp on it for a few weeks, maybe even a few months, and then it’s gone. You stumble on a new exercise or a new mantra and can do no wrong. Decisive moves. Certain viewpoints. Audiences liking you right away. But then it just fades and you are lost again, searching for the next key.

Things that have given me the key to being good at this in the past:

• “listen and react”
• “find the game”
• “match energy”
• “accept every offer”
• “live life onstage”
• “justify”
• “point of view”
• “be brave and honest”
• “chill out”

Each one of those was like a booster rocket for a while, and then weirdly stopped working! I had to switch up my game and try something else. It’s like improv is this invisible balloon that you cannot get your arms all the way around no matter what. You hold it, just barely, but it gives and starts to slip away you must adjust your arms, and find your grip again.

I love this, and I’ve found it to be true as I’m sure we all have. Mantras that have booster rocketed me in the past:

• “listen and react”
• “accept offers”
• “react honestly”
• “have fun”
• “play from a position of power”
• “decide to be great”
• “follow the fun”

I feel like those are different variations of the same 2 or 3 notes.

Let’s All Go To Camp

improvobsession:

Camp is a new show at the Clubhouse that you may not know about. I’ll say it, I think Camp is the best new show in town, and you should check it out.

I first went to Camp when my team Styx Martin got booked. They sent us an e-mail saying, we’d love it if you dressed up in costumes of some sort, sort of like a camp talent show. We obliged and dressed up as cowboys. And had fun doing it.

Cowboy costumes aside, showing up there I proceeded to have more fun at an indie show than I’ve had in a while.

Read More

Perlstein is 100% right and I’m so glad he posted this and happy to immediately jump on the bandwagon. Camp is the fucking best. I love that when you step into the upstairs room at the Clubhouse that Camp feels like this wonderful comedy secret. Then you’re up there and there’s improv and there’s a burlesque dancer and stand-up but then the stand-up realizes that he’s stepped into something pretty weird and we laugh because we know that yes, he did. And then more improv and then half of the Flashlites do a hula hoop show and then this 17-year-old kid puts on an amazing magic show that blows your mind because he’s great and it’s 1 in the morning and you might be a little wasted and then the endless chanting and Boat of Truth and I forgot to mention their super weird artnoise dance opening and Warlock Sex Tape are all super nice, talented people and holy crap. Let’s all go to camp, everyone.

(Camp is on Friday nights at 11:30 at the Clubhouse. Check it out.)

Commitment in Improv

sabrinalondon:

What would happen if you committed really hard?

But not just hard. Really, really hard. So much so that you believed the words you’re saying, and the things you’re doing. You’re no longer an improviser trying to dream up the smartest move in a scene. You’re a character existing in this reality, and it’s actually happening to you. 

What if you committed even harder than that?

What if you made a comedic choice and stuck to it no matter what? Even when it wasn’t getting laughs. Even when you’re terrified.

What if you just kept doing it with greater confidence and conviction?

What if the audience truly believed your character, and understood your world view? Your thoughts and actions make sense because they HAVE to.

What if you committed so hard, you could never be wrong?

Soulmates is coming to iO West

Hey! I finally have my own show to promote!

Soulmates & Scary.Killer.Nice will be performing at the iO West mainstage, Monday 2/25 at 8PM. It’s $5 in advance, or 2-for-1 at the door if you show them this Facebook event:

https://www.facebook.com/events/466758320052814/

It’s going to be a fantastic hour of improv. Hope to see you there.