Well, PantsHappy is coming back. "Together again for the first time!" The first time Messers Mulhern, Shay and I got together to perform PantsHappy1 we did a three person scene that lasted 50 minutes. It worked out spectacularly in one episode and then horrifically in another. Ach, well, you rolls the dice and you takes yur chances.
We decided to try out a new form and we've been rehearsing (on and off) for the past two months. We were going to have a giant art book on stage and an audience member would pick a piece of art and we would look at it. Then one of us would tell a monologue and then we would do a short three person scene. Then, we follow one of the characters from that first scene, we go back and do the exact first scene again. Repeat as necessary. Anyway, that's what we had been rehearsing for about 6 weeks.
Then John saw "Octet" with TJ Jagadowski, Peter Gwinn and Jack McBrayer. Pretty much the same thing. Then I saw "Dasarickski" with Bob Dassie, Rich Talarico and Craig Cackowski. And that's pretty much the same thing.
Fuck! We all said.
Then we came up with something new. It's a combination of several things, but it's fun to do and it's something we don't normally do. We begin next Wednesday, March 14th @ 10:30 @ ImprovOlympic. Join us, won't you?
All The News That Print To Fit:
- A recent article in PerformInk about the Siren's Improvathon for Gilda's Club stated that they were Chicago's only all-female improv group. The freelance all-gal team of Cheetarah McNutt fairly recently won several Cagematches at ImprovOlympic.
- Oh, Jack.
In the Reader, Jack Helbig wrote a very nice article about Martin DeMatt and his contributions to the improv community. Well, most of it was nice.
It's acknowledged within the article that the manner of Martin's death was "not something he wanted out there spiritually." In an article praising someone who recently passed away why not abide by his or her wishes? Plus, just from the information presented in the article there is No Proof of the cause of death. Just hearsay and a supposition that "such euphemisms are transparent." Good journalism there.
Oh, and speaking of good journalism.
I am at a complete loss to explain, justify or rationalize the seemingly random and odd potshots at Del Close. The stories concerning Martin and Del's interactions are, of course, fair game in that they depict Martin's feelings on the subject, but the randomness of such lines... Such statements seem out of place in an article about a gentle caring man and does a disservice to two Improv illuminaries.
(that sound is me getting off of my soapbox and talking about things that having nothing to do with improvisation)
I went to see "Hannibal" the other day. Just as good as the book.
I wonder if a "Survivor" diet (nothing but rice and a little bit of fish) for 42 days.
Another school shooting. I was almost in one. It was a long time ago. I was going to school in New York; junior high school. I was nerd with not many friends. One of my friends from elementary school, "Louie DePalma" (not his real name. For some reason, I've decided to not use any of the real names in this story) was kinda popular and for good reason. He was funny. Not just "watch me do this" kinda funny, but actually witty and smart. This usually wouldn't make you too popular in junior high school, but "Louie" would vent his wit on teachers at the drop of a hat and even they had to admit that he was funny as they sent
him to the Dean's Office.
"Louie" was very good friends with "Helena." "Helena" was in a fight with a tough girl named "Sheila." (alright I'm tired of using the quotes) Helena was a small girl, short and thin. Sheila was big; tall and strong. A bit of a bully. They were fighting (you know cursing at each, writing nasty things about each other in notes, threatening to beat each other up, etc.) over, of all things, a boy.
One day, Sheila showed Helena a box cutter that she had brought in. Sheila said that Helena better be careful or ELSE! Helena got scared and asked Louie what to do. They agreed that they had to scare Sheila too and what's the best way to scare someone? Why, with a gun, of course! ("Here's how you get him. He pulls a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago way." That was in the '30s. I guess we're more advanced now; kids in school are doing it.)
So, Louie got a gun and some bullets from a kid in his neighborhood.
Louie didn't know anything about guns so he went and got "Alan." Alan lived across the street from me and he was Trouble with a capital "troub." He knew how explode just about everything known to man. He collected weapons and even had a subscription (we were in junior high, remember) to "Guns and Ammo." He would later not only be my first exposure to being a crimelord, but also Pink Floyd's The Wall. Those are both for later entries, I imagine.
Alan and Louie met in a bathroom near the cafeteria just as 5th period lunch began. Alan took the bullets and loaded the gun. Then he set the safety and showed Louie how to hold a gun and shoot it. Louie put the gun in his sweatshirt jacket pocket and then he and Alan went to lunch.
Alan, Louie, Helena sat at one end of a table and I sat at the other, reading. I could some of their conversation concerning Sheila. When they were going to show her, when does it need to get back.. I had no idea what they were talking about and from their dirty looks it didn't seem like my input was wanted.
Dean "Winters" came into the cafeteria and looked around. He noticed Louie and walked over to the table. The three students were in abject fear and shock as he approached.
"Louie? Could I speak with you in my office, please?"
Louie nodded and he got up to walk with the Dean out of the cafeteria. The Dean was about 6 feet something and about 300 pounds; he was an intimidating figure and most eyes in the large cafeteria were on him and his chosen prey as they began to leave the room.
Suddenly, Louie sprinted away from the Dean and stopped about 4 yards away from him. Louie drew the gun out of his pocket and pointed it, with both hands, at the Dean. He pulled the trigger three times. Nothing happened. I remember this all in slowmotion. The Dean was frozen, the other students were frozen and I remember watching this all with a dreamlike objectivity. Louie was puzzled; what was he doing wrong? He fiddled with the gun and then held it over his head and pulled the trigger twice. Again, nothing happened. Now, the Dean began to walk towards him. Louie panicked and ran out of the cafeteria with the gun.
He bumped into someone and apologized as he ran past her and out of the side entrance. It was his mother. She was a volunteer at the school's general store and she barely had time to recognize who it was before he was gone.
The aftermath was weird; Louie was on the run from the police and he held up a Fotomat (these tiny little photo developing places). He was eventually caught and he ended up spending some time in a juvenile center. Helena was expelled. Some faulty banded together and attempted to get Alan expelled as well. It was pointed out that, yes perhaps he should have reported Louie to a teacher, but it was also pointed out that proper gun safety saved the Dean's life and who knows how many other lives? How traumatized would we have been; witnessing murder? I'm glad I don't know. Sadly, we'll have plenty of reports years from now about the traumatic effect of school shootings.
Louie eventually got probation and came to my high school. He was assigned to me as a student/mentor thing. He was fine; going to classes, very quiet. About a month back at school he was in a car that his friend had stolen. They both went to jail. I wonder where he is now.
(sorry about that tangent.. now, back to Lady Improv)
I'm teaching two classes at ImprovOlympic right now and it's fascinating... I have one Level 1 and a Level 2. I'm learning a lot. It's good timing too as this May will mark my six year anniversary in Chicago Improv.
Alright, I gotta bolt. See you later... visit the message board, why don't you?
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"THIS IS THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD. I JUST WISH TALENTLESS HACKS ANDSUITS WOULD STOP F***ING AROUND WITH IT!!!" - John Byrne
"I want you to stay focused. I don't care if Jesus himself is in the audience. If Christ himself got out of the audience and walked behind us in line, I expect you to glance over your shoulder, go "Oh, it's the Messiah," and then turn back to the improv at hand. We're here for improv, not for the Second Coming." -Angela Forfia
3/11/01
The Pat Shay Dancers had a show on Thursday. It was a very fun show. I was more nervous than usual actually... the classes I teach at ImprovOlympic (Levels 1 and 2) were supposed to come and someone I had not seen in 16 years (16 years! We last saw each other in my junior year of high school. You do the math, eh?) was there as well.
The show was lot of fun. We rehearse every week and it’s always pleasing when we actually use things we have discussed and work them into the show. This past weeks show we used some quicker editing and more detailed “primal” scenes (the first four we do are the basis for the rest of the show).
This coming week we have a show at midnight... we’ve never done one upstairs so this should be interesting. I plan on using the doorbell, the door, and the window. In that order. That’s comedy times three!!
In the Dream I got to play Chairman Kaga from “Iron Chef.” That was fun. One of the funniest shows on television.
I went to a party this weekend that had absolutely nothing to do with improvisation. It was good. Lots of piercings and tats. And weird hair colors. And delicious fennel. Yes, fennel.
What exactly are Moleculo’s powers any way?
Pat Shay, John Mulhern and I begin our three week run of PantsHappy2:electric Pantaloons this week. It’s on Wednesday @ 10:30 at the ImprovOlympic. It’s free! The form is fun to play and we’re experimenting with it. Please come and see me make an arse out of myself.
Hey! Brian Stack plays “Brian” in a Staples commercial during the SNL hosted by Conan! Weird...
I really want to see a movie with ninjas, giant robots, people with superpowers who actually know how to use them well, space ships, diabolical super geniuses, love, passion, art, evil henchmen with distinguishing physical characteristics and catchphrases, ‘splosions, hilarity, very smart people who know what they’re doing, no product placements, intrigue, a couple of musical numbers, special effects that serve and enhance the plot instead of the other way around, romance, capes, justice, actual surprises, and if the lead HAS TO BE Caucasian may be he or she can have a minority friend who doesn’t be killed for dramatic effect in the 2nd reel. Just asking. Oh, and I want to be in it. Alyson Hannigan will be the female lead. Or (fill in your name).
Is there a Hill Street Blues cereal? No, there taint.
I’m extremely luck enough to be able to improvise at least once a week. I wish it was more.
I did something goofy the other day... I made a handout for my level 2 class. It’s a “Venn” Diagram of the Basic Harold. I remember Paige Stoltenburg made Harold Handouts for our very first team meeting (“ThroatCulture”). It was everyone’s first team and we all sat down and talked about the Harold and stuff. At the time teams could choose their own coaches and we asked new Second City Tour Co. member, Rich Talarico to do the honors. He was great. I remember one rehearsal in the summer when our space rental fell through and we went to a park to rehearse. There was a giant map of the USA and we played Super Giants for a bit.
So, uh, see you Wednesday for the Pantsin’?
Hey, remember to vote in the Poll and leave a message on the board!
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“Ohmigod!!! You’re a man!!!” - a very surprised old friend to me. I’m still not sure how to take that.
“On this wall is a very funny Far Side cartoon” - Rich Sohn, “explaining” to the audience why Pat Shay is looking at the back wall and laughing.
“I’m going to quit smoking- I didn’t know that’s how the dinosaurs died.” - Pat Shay, returning to the scene.
March 23, 2001
PantsHappy 2: Electric Pantaloons ends this coming Wednesday. It's been going very well so far and I enjoyed both our shows. It's a very addictive form to play and I will miss it once it's gone. Noah has seen both shows and he was kind enough to offer me some very constructive criticism, which I have put into practical use already. (He said, "In one episode, the Lone Ranger had to go undercover. He put a rock in his boot so he could really limp and he fooled the outlaws completely." I knew what he meant.) I never had Noah as a teacher... maybe I'll trade in some of my IOBucks and take a 5B class. That'd be fun. Some muggles/civilians/non-improvisers were at the show and they enjoyed it. That always pleases me.
"Fantasies get ruined when they are touched by the stink of reality." - Pat Shay
Pat Shay Dancers had a great show last night. So much fun and I think we did a good, honest to goodness, actual exploration of the suggestion ("Tools.") We're still working on a few, new tricks to use in the show but they have yet to appear. I saw an opportunity to do some last night, but I completely chickened out. We're rehearsing in the library near my house and I like that. I like libraries. I have a book out now. It's late, but I haven't finished it yet. I always dread going to rehearsal, but then I end up laughing and having so much fun that I forget the dread.
"I can't believe I said 'vagina.'" - Dina Facklis
Dinner for Six is wrapping up it's run. We have another show at the Chicago Improv Fest, but that's only half an hour (show usually runs about 50 minutes or more). It's going to be weird/tough. I must admit I was very disappointed when D46 was not asked to be on the CIF Mainstage. It's a great show, one of the longest running long-form shows currently in Chicago and an amazing critical success. I thought D46, instead of a sketch show, would be a better fit. That's me though and I'm a big fucking baby. I wish Ali Faranahkian were here so he could punch me in the head with those meaty paws of his.
"If you smoke it means you're weak and that one day you will betray me." - Ali F.
FYI: the Keith Johnstone created show, Lifegame, is going to be a TV show on TNN (no longer the Nashville network). It's an improvised show based on an audience member's life (kinda like a two hour "Dream/Nightmare"). They're not done casting yet, but I do know that they are planning on shooting it in New York.
"In China, improv is still about the love, Jason, the love. They just have different names for things. We play Zip-Zap-Zup, and they play Ping-Pong-Cho." - Ali F., who may or may have not, gone to China to teach improv. We're still not sure.
To Scooby Doo or not to Scooby Doo? That is the question. Halloween is my favorite time of the year and this is usually when I think start thinking about a new Halloween show. I have done for the past three years and I loved doing each and every one of them. The first one was a collection of horror vignettes that I wrote (with an improvised slasher movie), the second one was a team-up of the world's greatest teenage detectives (Hardy Boys, The Scooby Doo Gang, Encyclopedia Brown, and Nancy Drew) and some horror vignettes, the third one was a team-up between the Scooby Doo Gang and the "Scooby Gang" from the Buffy the Vampire Slayer show and some horror vignettes. All three ended with the entire cast dancing the "Thriller" video dance. Fun, fun. Three years straight and now I find myself contemplating whether or not to do one this year. I said last year that it was the last one, so what do I do now? I'd love to squeeze one more Scooby show out before the movie ruins the franchaise, but each year I have included a semi-serious horror vignette that usually ended up as one of my favorite parts of the show. Last year was the vignette "Just Friends" and I have been thinking of doing a show with just the horror vignettes without the "hook." The Scooby stuff virtually guarantees an audience, but - ah, I don't know... maybe I'll do both, eh? Two separate shows for Halloween. That'd be cool.
Did you know that KFC no longer has chicken in the buckets? They come in these boxes now. That's no fun. Ironically, on the boxes and bags there are drawings of buckets of chicken.
"Then how do you get people to do what you want?" - Tony Soprano, responding to the suggestion that behavior modification therapy would help him control his anger.
In 1985, I was a teaching assistant and a teacher for a summer preparatory course. We taught English to incoming high school students and used improvisation as a classroom tool. We would improvise a scene and then we would script it out for a later performance in front of the rest of the classes. I loved teaching. Now, I'm teaching two different classes at ImprovOlympic and I love it too much. In repeating the basic tenets of improvisation and the Harold I am re-learning and refining them within my own head. The Pat Shay Dancers do a form known as the Jazz Freddy, but in teaching the Harold again I really want to do them again.
I'm also teaching a workshop at the Playground using the techniques from "Dinner for Six." I'm really looking forward to that as well. Teaching improv. Too good. Now, I could get a gig teaching how to read and appreciate comic books...
"To teach is to learn twice." - Joseph Joubert
Hey, the USA Network is going to run Mark Burnett's old series called "Eco-Challenge." That show was some hardcore competition utilizing brains, brawn and experience. Very good show. Survivor with all challenges and no soap opera antics.
Del Close passed from this mortal plane a year ago this month. In listening to students and performers who never had Del as a teacher I keep hearing some misconstruments (?) of his ideas and philosophies. Everyone remembers the "outrageousness" of some of his deeds and thoughts, but few remember or treasure his incredible respect or adoration of theater and improvisation. Now, it's something I've been meaning to do for sometime, but we're finally going to do it in April. I'm going to host/moderate a panel discussing long-form improvisation, Del Close and their relationship to ImprovOlympic in the here and now (and the future.) Panel guests will be Charna (duh), Noah, Miles and Jeff Griggs. It'll be after the Armando show, probably the second week in April. There'll be posters and postings as we get closer to the date.
The ImprovOlympic has many student groups come to shows and sometimes they ask for a question and answer period with the performers afterwards. The questions are usually the same; "Where do you get your ideas?", "Where did you study?", "Why did you do/say this in the show?" Stuff like that. I remember there was a high school group from out of state that had a q-n-a with the cast of Armando one night. Just about everyone answered their questions but Brendan Dowling was very shy and reticent that night.Afterwards, when I asked him why, he said "I felt like Shelly Long at the Cheers reunion up there." That just popped into my mind.
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"And now, Mike Meyers, who this year refused to do a movie because the script wasn't any good. What Hollywood is he from?" - Steve Martin, hosting the Academy Awards.
