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July 9, 2002
Evolve or die.
When last we spoke it was my birthday. Since then, my entire life has changed. Not in a world-shattering sort of way, but enough that I can say that my life has changed, eh?
1776 went well. Lots of fun and a nice turn-out. There were plenty of mishaps, more than any other year, but lots of fun nonetheless. I think I was less nervous about singing than I have been for previous attempts. We had plenty of pie and milk. I love apple pie. After the show people just milled about talking and eating pie.. ah, the young americans. Later in the evening, several people just sat around the piano with Stephanie singing madeup songs. I felt like I should have been wearing a sweater and welcoming people to the Crosby home for Christmas.
That Friday, I went to the Wizard World convention in Rosemont, IL. I wasn?t able to work at it like last year, but I did finagle both a free pass and a ride to the show. Lots of cool stuff to see and buy. Finally got a good copy of the alternate ending to "Little Shop of Horrors" where the plants take over the earth. Also, some fucked up japanese horror movies. I love conventions like this if for no other reason than the incongruity of it all. Back in the day, there were comic-book conventions and then there were Star Trek conventions and never the twain shall meet. But with the rising cost of space rentals and the "stunning" discovery that there?s a great deal of cross-over between fan genres, the conventions began to merge? so at this convention alone the "Star Wars:Men Behind the Mask" (where you can meet Kenny Baker, Davide Prowse, Anthony Daniels (R2D2, Body of Darth Vader, and See-Threepio, respectively)) was right next to the Lou Ferrigno signing. Just a few yards from them was the mammoth GI Joe booth where you could have your picture taken with (*gasp!*) The Baroness!
Attendees Who Came To The Convention (re: paid $20) In Costume Just For Fun: Dr. Frank N. Furter (surgical garb), three Ghostbusters, Megaman, really goth dude with japanese sword, some really guy in really elaborate leather fantasy garb..
"You know, it's really sad to have that elaborate a costume just to have people go, ?Huh? Who are you??" - Eric Dicorsi
July 16, 2002
The new team I'm on, The Gwinnlaws (I think we're choosing a new name tomorrow actually), has their second show at ImprovOlympic. I'm very excited about it. Last week we had our first one and that went pretty well. The odd thing is that rehearsals haven't been stunning- and, in fact, our warm-up just before our first show was terrible... we couldn't even get our names right! The show, however, was great fun. Lots of trust and energy. I'm really looking forward to tomorrow's visit with (as TJ calls it) "Our Lady Improv."
Oh, something cool is happening this weekend. I can't write about it now, but I will on Monday.. promise... or e-mail me and I'll tell you- maybe.
Did you ever read the Chronicles of Narnia? Well, there's this part in the first book, "The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe" where the children run and run and run without getting tired or running out of breath... it's really descriptive and I've always wanted to do that. I used to run, but my flat feet don't enable me to run very fast even though I am possessed of massively powerful legs.
"Taliban Johnny Cops A Plea!" - headline from the New York Daily News (courtesy of David Letterman. Thanks Dave!)
I recently had the opportunity to watch a preview copy of the pilot for an upcoming improv/reality show called "Meet the Marks." I don't think it's getting picked up. That is good. It was more like very elaborate Candid Camera than anything else. I kept waiting for the "victim" to say to the "husband" in the piece, "Hey, aren't you Clarissa's dad?"
I accidentally rented the DVD of "Austin Powers 2." I wanted the first one, but I watched/listened to the commentary which was much funnier than the actual film, to tell the truth.
Alright, see you later.
Tonight are the Del Close Awards, the ImprovOlympic's annual schmooze and booze fest. Created by the team Baby Wants Candy, this show/ceremony rewards people/teams in such categories as Best Team Name, Best Drunken Spectacle, Worst Host, etc... I'm against the awards in principle, but support the show itself. I think the odd combination of "actual" categories ("Best New Team", "Best Supporting Player," etc.) with goofy ones ("Most Glittered Player", "Most Indulgent Moment", etc.) sends conflicting messages.
Perhaps the phrase "Most Favorite" would be more accurate in that all the winners are chosen by popular vote within the ImprovOlympic student/team community. I think calling anyone "best" anything is bad, particularly in what is supposed to be an ensemble-based world. On the other hand, you have to love the show itself. It's regularly hilarious, biting and fun to watch. It's just like the Academy Awards broadcast; I will never forgive them for giving Best Picture to "Gladiator" but the show itself is lots of fun. That all being said, I will be at the show tonight. I'm presenting an award with Craig Cackowski and performing in the Dance Tribute to Fallen Teams with the Pat Shay Dancers. We put it together relatively late and rehearsed it fully for the first time last night. We?ve never rehearsed with ALL of us. I think it's going to be very funny.
Where was I?
Oh, yes, last Friday night.
Tina Fey and several casting people from NBC/Saturday Night Live came to Chicago looking for, basically, Will Ferrel's replacement. So, Friday was ImprovOlympic's night (they would be at Second City the next night.) Charna scrapped the teams scheduled for the 10:30 show and created three teams composed of people that might fit the role (as relayed to me- older, authority-type figures.. good for Dads, Gameshow Hosts, Talkshow Hosts, Maitre'd's and such). I was asked to be part of one of the teams and I was very grateful for that.
Friday, I had a choreography meeting for the Del Awards from 7-9 and then I ran over to IO and changed from my ripped jeans and t-shirt (which is pretty much all I've worn for the past two weeks since I'm not working in the Loop) to my Show Outfit. My team was me, Peter Gwinn, Miles Stroth, Mike Bertrando, Christina Gausas, Ryan Gowland, Rush Howell, and Paul Grondy. Our suggestion was cheese, and overall, I think, the show was pretty good. Nice solid Harold, basically. No big whoop.
After all three shows (no Dream, but an really long FreezeTag) we all went out back. Charna said that Tina had "some notes"? She came back and we all said hi and she just said that all three shows were really good and that she was proud. It was nice to see her again. She looks great, and from all accounts (I'm hunting for the inevitable rerun) kicked ass on the Dennis Miller show recently (so much so that Miller talked about her visit with the subsequent week's guest, Dana Carvey.) So, then people just kinda drifting in and around the back and Tina hugged and spoke with old friends, but also introduced herself to people she didn?t know.
Oh, when I first got to IO that night, I walked in the back downstairs door around 9:40pm. Baby Wants Candy was ending their show with their usual big number and all I could see was Ali Davis walking to the front of the group singing clapping her hands together like she had cymbals.. the singing, the music and the resultant explosion of laughs and applause was incredible. I discovered that I had a giant smile on my face- I didn't know what happened in the show, I didn't know the significance of Ali's cymbals, or even when they were singing.. my reaction was a visceral response to a room full of enthusiastic, excited audience. It was great to see/hear/feel that.
Thriller Theater 5 auditions are coming up soon. Honestly, the shows have been so much to do and I'm really looking forward to this one as well. I better finish writing the script. Go here to learn more about the auditions.
I did the Inside the Improviser's Studio last night. Al Samuels was great and funny and had interesting takes on things. I like his Robin Hood philosophy. When he graduated from Stanford Business School he saw how much his fellow MBA?s were making compared to how little his fellow improvisers were and decided to "redistribute the wealth" by creating a company so the MBAs could hire the improvisers to do shows for them. He loves the Hulk (which is ironic because according to a fairly popular song in the 70's, "Nobody Loves the Hulk") and I didn't know that until recently. I bought him a Marvel Treasury Edition of "Hulk on the Rampage!" (it's a giant-tabloid size comic) I'm already gearing up to do another Studio by the end of next month.
The Jam ("jam")
I've begun hosting the ImprovOlympic Saturday Night Jam. It's all short-form games with audience members coming up and playing. It's not just me though.. there're about 8 other people (called the Jam Sqaud! Well, that's I call them. The name hasn't really caught on, sadly. Maybe if I bought them all jumpsuits?.) The first week was lackluster, but last week's was dynamite. Lots of fun with tons of people getting onstage and getting laughs because of good play. I think my favorite part was Conducted Story (my favorite game) where Sean Cusick took the two suggestions he heard and did "Tupac Shakar's Choose Your Own Adventure."
Well, according to WORD, that's about 1,000 words. Which was only about $100 from PerformInk and I just did it for free. What's wrong with me!?
END OF LINE
"The artist is nothing without the gift, but the gift is nothing without work." - Emile Zola (1840-1902)
"Give me a museum and I'll fill it." - Pablo Picasso (1881-1973)
August 26, 2002
I know I haven't been updating a lot lately, but that's for two different reasons- there's not really a whole lot to tell and I've been really busy of late.
The Halloween show is in full rehearsals right now and it's a lot of fun... check out that page for more information thereof. I have another Halloween show all scripted and ready to go.. my dream a while ago was to do both at the same time, but I know that would be a tremendous drain on my precious sleepy-time resources. The other one is an actual attempt at creepiness/scary-stuff as opposed to the wackiness of Thriller Theater. I will probably wait for early next year to do the scary one.
I am teamless at the moment.
I had to leave the new team (of my own volition) and I still can't manage to get to the Dancers. Performing every week or even once a month is so precious and fun- I really miss it. I'm lucky enough that "Instant Karma" was revitalized for a three week run at ImprovOlympic. Just two more Fridays @ 10:30pm. I've got two improv shows that should see the light of day before the end of the year and that'll be fun even thought I won't be in them. I hate making that choice, but, at least for me, it's much easier and more productive to direct from off-stage than from on.
Medal of Honor:Frontline is very addictive.
Does anyone else think the way that girl from the Circuit City commercial says, "I floss." is really sexy?
I can actually see the floor of my bedroom. This is a rare and blessed occasion.
I wish I saw more shows. Not only is my time at a premium (it's sometimes nice to visit your apartment for a bit instead of just flopping down for sleep) but since I spend so much time a day (about 10) actually in a theater it's hard to get the energy to go to another one and just sit there. I have to change that. I wonder if that situations is the same for other people?
I love kung-fu movies. I don't know why I'm suddenly obsessed with them. I just got about three DVDs of really bad (well, two are cheaply made and transferred, but one "Iron Monkey" is really welldone) Hong Kong movies. I just love 'em. The translation is so off and sometimes completely incomprehensible. Even in "Iron Monkey", which was officially bought and brought over to the US by an American company has moments of weirdness. I listend to the english dub with the subtitling on and in one sequence the Iron Monkey's sidekick/partner, Miss Orcid shows up and the dub has the IM say, "Hi. Thanks." while the subtitle says, " I knew even this rain couldn't stop you from joining me. Thank you." Another weird one is a young boy who says, "Dad! Don't leave me alone!" while the subtitle says, "Father! Fight back!"
Playing any game with a first-person perspective, like Medal of Honor or Doom or something, I get really motion sick and all nauseous. It's sad really.
Hey, you know what's weird? In the movie and on the DVD box of The Royal Tenenbaums Margot won a Braverman Grant of $50,000. In the trailers on the selfsame DVD, she is said to have won the Pulitzer.
See, I've discovered Larry King's secret.. he doesn't have random thoughts on a myriad of subjects-- he's just trying to fill column inches.
Great line-up on Letterman tonight. Alright. Gotta go.
END OF LINE
"There are only two important for things for you to do in life; have the courage to begin and have the courage to continue." - an aikido saying.
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