February 2012
30 posts
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Improvana: 101 Improv Relationships →
What follows in the quoted post is a list of labels. These labels define the social moors or settings or trappings that people might find themselves in, but they are not relationships. That is just how they know each other, or happen to be talking to each other. A relationship cannot and should not be defined only by the occupations your characters happen to have.
A relationship is how two...
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Ask me anything about improv–I'll give my take on... →
*All answers are a matter of opinion and reflect only my aesthetic and experience.
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“When we started we HAD no style, no understanding of ourselves or what we were...”
– Teller, of Penn and Teller, in a letter at http://shwood.squarespace.com/news/2009/9/21/14-years-ago-the-day-teller-gave-me-the-secret-to-my-career.html
Strangely, advice as good for writers or musicians as it is for magicians.
(via neil-gaiman)
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“I’m interested in the theater because I’m interested in communication with...”
– Stephen Sondheim, on life, writing, theater. (via nprfreshair)
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“Fundamentally, all stories are about the relationships between characters and...”
– Paleofuture writer Matt Novak via.
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“Think of a cool character like James Bond. Do you have an idea how James Bond...”
– Via
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Boiling Point: A Journey in Improv →
A blog with a special dedication to advice on directing and coaching. Marking this as a read for later.
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There's No Place Like Home: An LGBTQ Improv Night
Like The Wizard of Oz itself, which helped shape the landscape for queer people in the U.S. through its multi-level themes, our LGBTQ identities informed the landscape of our performances, without being the sole focus of the scenes. My favorite part about improvising is the relationships formed on stage between scene partners, and the relationships portrayed at “There’s No Place Like Home”...
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What I Learned Today (About Improv): Breaking →
Don’t beat yourself up too much. Sometimes, when a scene is really clicking and everything seems to be working super-well, your scene partner will say say or do something so perfect yet so surprising that you just can’t help but laugh and react to it. In those moments, it’s cool to take a second and recollect yourself and move on.
If it is a commitment issue, it’s because...
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Improlympia!: Submit to the 4th Annual... →
ryanjameshitchcock:
improlympia:
Submissions are now open for Improlympia 2012! Generation Friends is combining it’s 4th Annual Evergreen Improv Festival, with what would be it’s 2nd Annual Evergreen Sketch Festival! The result will be an all-out comedy assault featuring a vibrant range of sketch and improv comedy. …
This is my alma mater’s comedy festival!
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Don't forget to submit your out of context improv...
outofcontextimprov:
“Lesbian kiss for the win!”
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UCBT Announces 14th Annual Del Close Marathon |... →
via comedynerdsunited
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UCB Training Center Diversity Program: The UCBT... →
Attention NY-based improvisors:
ucbdifference:
Hello all,
I am excited to make the following two announcements:
1) the creation of LLOYD TEAMS at UCBeast
2) the possibility of auditioning as either an individual or a team at the upcoming Harold/Lloyd audition at the end of March.
Read on for more information.
What are Lloyd…
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Whether The Weather →
Six University of Florida students found that out when they competed in the College Improv Tournament on Feb. 26, 2011 in Chicago, Illinois. Eleven other teams also competed and threatened their hopes at every moment.
Along the way, we had nationally-acclaimed improvisers give their opinions on what improv actually is and the skills required to have a great show every show.
These students,...
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the Montreal Improv blog: Dramatic Improv →
I was once told that the greatest comedy comes out of the greatest tragedy. While individual scenes will usually clearly lean one way or another, going in to play Comedy or to play Drama is strange to me. This is because I love the range of expression available to me in Improv, and I like knowing that I can let a show go either way.
But of course, sometimes we do want to have a show be one thing....
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Improv, Fashion, and Puppies: Organic Scenes: Part...
There’s a lot of good thoughts here, and definitely some things to think about. A few reactions: I find it more useful to use “weak” and “strong” when talking about moves instead of “good” or “bad.” A Weak Move can still be used, because anything can be used in Improv, but a Strong Move is preferred. I find it to be a helpful way to avoid a...
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“I have never listened to anyone who criticized my taste in space travel,...”
– Ray Bradbury (via misswallflower)
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“…this is something - this is my daily mantra - sometimes minute by minute...”
–
RuPaul: Half A Century Of Pure Glamour
(via likethecastofafellinimovie)
Improv advice from a drag queen.
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Improv Ramblings: Why we ask why and what why...
chrisreblogs:
Justifications are tricky business and I’ve been trying to figure out how to coach them.
So you have scene with some weird/odd/funny. Usually the funny thing is behavior and some actually thing or activity. The activity or thing might be weird it is darn hard to continue to play and to heighten unless it is associated with a behavior. Justification is often how we get to that...
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Twelve Things You Were Not Taught About Creative... →
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The Bear
Just dug up the following exercise in an old notebook of mine. This one’s called “The Bear” and it works like this. One player is the “bear.” Everyone else in the room lies down as though they are playing “dead.” But this is a very special bear - he’s going to try and make the playing-dead-people laugh. Once someone breaks, they join as another new...
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The Magnet Mixer
The one thing that I will always unequivocally love about the Magnet Theater is the Mixer - a chance to get up on stage and play. To me it represents what Improv is all about - truly making something up with no preparation. You don’t even know who you’ll be doing a scene with until moments before that scene begins. Every good habit you should have about improv, trusting your scene partner,...
