Thursday night the workshop was abuzz. Twin Cities Improv Festival is in full force this weekend, folks, and it is a BLAST! I'm going to be catching as many shows as I can this weekend for sure to see different styles, games, functions of improv.

One of the many things that I love about this art form is that as an artist, you're always growing no matter how many years you've been performing, or how many techniques you know (or think you know). I love watching improvisors I've seen before play with other improvisors. It's almost like they're different performers at times. One player plays particularly well with another, so they have a two person team, but are also on a team of eight people who they play a completely other way with, perhaps more meekly, or maybe with louder character. I love that. Similarly, to recognize one's own strengths and weaknesses within this makes it sort of a sport. You want to be at the top of your game, so you either get a coach, take workshops, watch as much of it as you can handle, observe, play. A friend of mine was recently describing a game he made up called "Kick the ball" in which one player kicks a ball through goalposts to obtain points for himself and the other players of the game try and block them so they don't get points. It's a group game and at the same time, individual. I feel like this is analogous to improv because you're trying to hone your own skills of listening, declaring, responding, while at the same time working as a group or team to get "group mind" or create together a scene that can keep going, is a mirroring of life, like a play.

Last night I was in a wedding (not my own, I was a bridesmaid, most beautiful wedding ever, but unfortunately had to miss part of TCIF), and I was chatting with a mutual friend of the bride and he was telling me about his time in Chicago. He offered advice and support and it was completely unexpected. I think that's what's been so incredible about this for me thus far is that I'm so independent and I'm getting awfully worried about not yet having a job, place to stay, etc. that I feel like I have to do it all myself, but I'm getting so much support and offers of help that I think I've realized my personal greatest challenge. It's going to be asking for help, or even accepting the help that's given without asking. I 172% appreciate every ounce of advice and help that anyone has to offer, and wholeheartedly thank those that I've talked to so far, or who have responded to that first blog. I didn't expect to get such response. Now, I'm going to look into whole foods and some university work around Chicago and also email the three theatres of my dreams and let them know what I'd like to do, and see if they have intern positions. I'm doing this now in hopes of gaining the connection I would need to just walk into something like that, jump right in, and be in the thick of it right when I get there!

So, something about me that I realized this weekend: I look just like my old roommate emy. Her own FAMILY was asking if she had a sister. Wow. We took a picture with her husband Brett, his twin brother, Guy, Emy and I. It was the perfect twin couple pic.

Also, gonna be needing some fun, new headshots soon. Working on that.

Hope you have a good day, I'm gonna go take a Mark Sutton intensive. Eeeeee! :)

Thanks for reading!
Lis

Ok, for real

Really now, I'm going to stick with this blog. This is my serious writing standpoint. A point of view if you will on where I'm going in the next two years, how I'm getting there, and why. I do improv. I like to write comedy. I'm sure this is what I want to do with my life right now.

Last night we had Six Ring Circus and it went pretty well. Our team, Straight Up, had a great set since we are working on long drawn out scenes and we only got two scenes out in a fifteen minute set. I felt really good about that if not about anything else. Don't get me wrong, we did well with some details, we had good strong big characters, heck even the environment in both scenes was pretty rich, but over all, I think I'm the proudest that we only had TWO SCENES! And they didn't get boring! They were good, strong scenes with character carry through. Yay! This form really works for this team in particular because we all have great characters, I think, and we've all been wanting to do this kind of work for a while, but we've not really been given the opportunity, or we've just been too timid to do it on our own. We often have gotten into a montage, and known we have a good idea, so we'll just cut a scene too short to give our input or while we're in a scene we'll just get everything we want to out right away. I like this trust our team is building with all agreeing to do the longer scenes. Last night it harbored kind of a timid back line which was maybe partly detrimental, but over all, Straight Up's set was a success.

As far as Chicago Goes, we don't yet have a house or jobs or classes signed up for yet. I recently was speaking with a friend of mine who spent some time in Chicago and said that he could possibly get me a job at Ed Debeviks (sp?) which might be fun or hell depending on how you look at it. Rollerskating around in costume serving customers diner food. Could be a blast. Could just be a job. Ideally, I would get an internship of sorts at the second city, the io, or the annoyance and just either make my money that way, or at least pay off my classes! Hooray!


My goals when I'm there: 1. learn all I can about sketch writing and improv comedy. 2. have a different experience. 3. come back to minneapolis because I love the people and the community here so much.
I'm not looking to get famous. I don't expect to get picked up by second city or by saturday night live or anything like that. I'm super pumped to try my hand at a bigger city though. I like chicago fine but I have a feeling the limited time there will be plenty. I love the growing improv scene here in Minneapolis and I love the people and how supportive everyone is. I don't want to leave forever, it's just such a great place to settle, but I do want a different experience for a while.

I'm trying to get into this regular writing deal. I think it'll be good for me.

Thanks for reading

LIS