Panda Sneezes

Sneezing panda, priceless!

How was Saturday's Comedy Pig show you ask? Well, I can tell you that we performed for a sell out crowd of at least 270 people. They are planning to book us again. It was a great show at the Carroll County Theatre. They treated us like celebraties.

So what a great feeling. I held my own and it felt really good being up there. I was nervous at first but after the first game I started to get comfortable. After the first show we did on Feb. 24th, I didn't feel great about it. The minimal contributions that I made to the improv portion made me feel insignificant to the troupe. But after this past Saturday's performance, I feel more like a Comedy Pig now. I was in 5 games and they all seemed to get some pretty good laughs.

I think a couple of times I felt like I wasn't getting the reaction I wanted from them so I tried to add more emotion to the scene or go a little over the top and that seemed to get more of a reaction from the audience. It was also a nice performance overall because we relied more on our wit instead of going the easy way by making it blue. I think there we only a couple of 'F' bombs from Keith and I know I said something about sweat going down the crack of my ass. But that was really it. There were some teens in the audience so we tried to keep in somewhat clean and it made for a better performance.

Also, Gus had their first show of the spring season on Friday. I was not a part of that show. They did a long-form called Banjos. And I think they are (or rather we are) still trying to figure it out. I think it could have been a little tighter but it was fun to watch. I'm not sure that I am entirely crazy about the style yet but I think if we can perfect it then people will find it interesting. I am very excited about performing with them. Tonight we have rehearsal so I should get to hear what they thought of themselves.

Til tomorrow...

I think it was Vince Vaughn as Trent Walker in Swingers who said, "I don't want you to be the guy in the PG-13 movie everyone's *really* hoping makes it happen. I want you to be like the guy in the rated R movie, you know, the guy you're not sure whether or not you like yet. You're not sure where he's coming from. Okay? You're a bad man.!"

So, Pigs rehearsal last night was productive. Learned a few new games that we will incorporate into our show this Saturday. Before I begin, let me say that this is very exciting to me. I like all the members in the troupe and I feel that we are on a new journey together. I am sure there will be some bumps and bruises along the way; hurt feelings (usually mine), things said that shouldn't have been said. Stuff like that. But we can get through it together, I believe, if we just support one another.

Last night, we warmed up and discussed our set list for Saturday. We decided that we will be doing Mouse Trap again. It will be the last thing we do and I am sure will be a crowd pleaser. People like to see others conflict pain on themselves. Ali and Keith will be performing that together. Denny said that he and I should do it on April 21st when we are back at the MET. If I do it I am just going to have to get out there and go. He said that it's not as painful when you are on stage because of the adrenaline. We'll have to see.

We played a game I've never seen called Deaf Replay (we made up the name last night). Basically 2 people begin a 1 minute scene that should be very physical while 2 other players are in the back or on the side holding their hands over their ears so they can't hear the dialog. Then once the scene is over, the two other players that did not hear the dialog will begin reenact the scene to the best of their ability. It's best, we found, when taking a suggestion from the audience to only get a relationship between two people and let them create the specifics. What makes it so funny is watching the next 2 performers try to recreate it but now with a different relationship and a completely different dialog. Obviously they must still try to recreate the physicallity. So, it's important that they watch and try to remember all the specific motions by the characters.

The other game that I've never played is called Parrellel Universe. This is a game with about 3 players. The host takes 3 suggestions from the audience. This is very important. The first suggestion might be a place that you would like to vacation. Seems very normal and easy to do, which is why this is the beginning point of the game. The next suggestion might be, where you would not like to go, ie. Mother-in-laws. And the third suggestion would be a place you can't go such as eye of a needle or lint tray of the dryer. They begin the scene with the first suggestion. Then the host will call the second suggestion after the scene has been created and relationship developed. Then the third suggestion is called after a little while. Each scene must be different from the previous. They must have different characters and relationships, which will just happen. It's kinda like a freeze and then they justify the position after the new suggestion has been called. After a few times the host may want to pick up the pace a little. It's a lot funny when they are trying to go back and forth so quickly and justify the postition they are currently in starting up the scene from where it left off last time they were in it.

We also played some singing games but I can see we all have some work in that department. None of us are really rhyming besides for maybe Denny. And it's almost like we aren't paying attention to the music. We are just making up our own melody against what is being played on the guitar. We just need to keep practicing. It'll be fine. It's funny nonetheless.

Til next time.

Ok...last night I got my answer about performing in this weeks show with Gus. I will not be performing. It's not a bad thing 'cause I get to still go and watch as an audience member and feel what they feel. It's good to see it before you participate.

So, last nights rehearsal with Gus was an excellent one. I think that I am beginning to come out of my shell. I feel like I hold a lot back and it takes me a while to get comfortable with a group. I need to start being more confident and sure of myself because when I do, great things happen and there are these magical scenes that we create together.

I think for me the basis of all my scenes should be to just agree and really support my scene partners. The moment I do those things, real stuff happens. When I give my partners gifts in a scene and take their gifts, it really becomes fun to watch. It's funny...when I first started taking improv classes I had not idea what I was doing. Slowly it's starting to make sense and I am getting the bigger picture. I still have a lot of work but the process is a blast. It's like all of a sudden the light turns on in your creative mind and you can finally see it. The minute I step out of the way and try to control it, that's when the magic happens.

One of the things I want to look into is how to better my memory skills. I have a difficult problem with getting into my head and not paying attention, which really costs me. You can't support your scene partners when you are stuck in your head. There's got to be something out there that I can do that would help me. I am thinking like a weight lifter has to stick to a weekly regimine, I could workout my brain, so to speak. I am going to look online today to see if there are excercises that I can do. I am sure meditating once a day would also make a difference in my overall health as well. I just can't seem to relax my mind unless I am watching T.V.

Well, I never made it to Pig rehearsal last night cause I didn't get out of rehearsal in Baltimore until 9:20. It took me almost an hour to get home - totally speeding too. So, I will make the Wednesday rehearsal and hopefully get some playing time in with those guys before our show on Saturday, which I am definetely in!

I can feel spring just around the corner. Well, not today but it's coming. Next week we get to spring the clocks forward by an hour giving us more daylight time. Isn't it funny how warmer weather, sunny days, and more daylight give people a reason to smile? I know that's the case for me. This weekend I was smiling more and saying 'hi' to people in passing. I am always a lot happier when I can feel the sun on my face and I am not going and coming from work in the dark.

So, speaking of this weekend - I have a very busy schedule with improv. Friday night the new troupe that I belong to is performing our very first spring show at Hamilton Arts Collective in Baltimore at 8PM. Gus, the long form troupe, is on mainstage. Before us thought, there is another troupe performing (not yet announced) and then the 3 Spot is Mike and Roy's Intro Class is after us. I've never seen a BIG show before so I am looking forward to being a part of it, hopefully. Because I am in a provisional period and only been a member since the beginning of February after my audition in January, they may want me to sit the first one out. I should know more tonight during rehearsal. Either way, I am looking forward to working with them.

We rehearse every Monday. And each week I learn so much about improv and myself. It has really challenged me to step up my game. I am so excited about being apart of this troupe and BIG. I don't think we are exactly were WIT is but I believe that is the direction we are headed. So, it is very cool to be a part of that and hopefully I am part of the reason it does well in the Baltimore region. Improv comedy has really exploded in D.C. and this area in the last 10 years (maybe a little less).

On Saturday, the Comedy Pigs have a show at the Carroll County Arts Council in Westminster, Maryland on Saturday, March 10th at 7PM. We will do an all out improv show with short-form and long-form. The Comedy Pigs are part of the Maryland Ensemble Theatre, one of the region’s most acclaimed professional theatre companies. The “Pigs” are the longest continuously running improvisational comedy in the state and are well known to local audiences. They have also been seen on the Comedy Central cable network channel, at national improv festivals, and by audiences in Washington and Baltimore. We are known for our raucous skits and timely parodies!

On February 24th, we had our first show after a long 6 month haitus with basically 6 new members and two veterans, Denny and Tom. The newest members are Brian Irons, Reiner P., Keith Summers, Paula Pits, Ali L., and myself. Anne Raugh and Wendy Donigian, also members, were unable to perform with us that evening.

That first weekend we peformed mostly with our own original sketches for the first set and then short-form improv for the second set ending the evening with a game of Mouse Traps....ouch...performed by Ali and Denny - our brave souls. Talk about entertainers glutton for a punishment. I would do almost anything for a laugh....but that!

So, schedules are getting busy and weekends are filling up for sure. I've got a lot going on and more to mention.