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Archive for April, 2008

Fun and Games: What the Bovine Taught Me

Sunday, April 27th, 2008

When I was first trying to choose an internship, I employed the lazy way - surfing a database of internships someone else had already compiled. Most of these internships were typical, run-of-the-mill courses in busy work where I would probably be working a few hours a week in a cubicle. In the end, I sent my resume to the Bovine because I was rebelling, not because my qualifications in any way matched the posted internship.

That act of rebellion turned into one of the best decisions I’ve made. While I knew that an internship with the Bovine wouldn’t be all fun and games, I hoped that it would at least be mostly fun and games. Instead, I got a finely balanced blend of fun and work that eased me into real-world experience with the soothing salve of laughter.

The Bovine taught me how to work to have fun and how to have fun at work. At school I’ve learned how to examine and analyze interpretations of life, but the Bovine taught me how to take a big whiff of life itself and tell people that it is actually worth checking out.

So as I’m about to head off to whatever else life has to fling my way, I should thank the Bovine for teaching me to laugh at it. 

- Jen Janes, Intern Extraordinaire

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We’re pretty awesome…

Friday, April 11th, 2008

This Wednesday, the Bovine threw its first annual Bovine Awards. And the SansScript Players brought two Golden Cows home! I just wanted to thank everyone that voted for us. We all LOVE doing what we do, and it’s so great to know that we’re doing something right.

I was most pleased to receive the Innovation in Improv Award. This award shows that we are always working on making each show something different and new. The reason I so love this award is that we’ve been playing together for a while now (I’ve been in it for about two years, and others have been in it even longer), and when a group’s been together for a long time, it’s really easy to stagnate or to rely on a tried and true form to get laughs. It’s wonderful to know that we’re “innovative”!

I find it especially cool to get this award because our current form is based on the Harold, one of the oldest forms. How is it that we can be “innovative” while doing such a traditional format? Well, I think this says two things. 1. The Harold is a truly awesome form, in that it can be twisted and shaped and molded into whatever you want it to be, allowing lots of creative freedom to the players. 2. It doesn’t matter what form you do, so long as you are always seeking to push yourself a little further than before and go all out on stage.

Staying in your comfort zone can be very dangerous. Improv needs to evolve in order to be intriguing. I imagine a girl in the 80’s, who’s found her comfort zone in AquaNet, giant bangs, acid wash jeans, sweat bands, blue eyeshadow, and shoulder baring sweaters… and that girl wearing that same kit every day for the rest of her life. Sure, she might find a time in her life where she’s “retro”, but for the most part, she’s just… sad. We’ve got to change to keep up and continue kicking ass. And I hope the SansScript players always do!

Posted in Nanna Ogburn, Shows, Performing | No Comments »

Captivating characters

Saturday, April 5th, 2008

Whether I am sitting in the audience or performing in front of an audience, I’m often frustrated by improvisers’ reliance (including my own) on “clevering-up” themselves. By clevering-up, I refer to all the witty one-liners, plays on words, references of all kinds and innuendo. They get laughs, but are like Cheetos. They taste great, but you’re still hungry after an eating an entire bag.

What’s the manna to satiate my hunger? Captivating characters. These characters burst and even sneak on to the stage ready for relationships. They are instantly recognizable with their accents, idiosyncratic physicality, distinctive perspective or emotional depth.

As an audience member, a captivating character always grabs my attention and creates the magic of not seeing an actor, but believing in a character. That’s what gets me at the edge of my seat. As a player, a strong character is the greatest gift that can be given or received on stage.

A captivating character don’t need a lot of words to tell a great story. Check-out this 48 Hour Film Festival Winning Submission from Washington Improv Theater for a great example. Granted, this is a film and not entirely improvised, but you can see the power of strong character choices.

This is not to say that listening to a great character monologue or dialogue isn’t some of the most fun you can have in a theater. The mistress of characters herself, Tracy Ullman, proves this in her recent interview on NPR’s Fresh Air. Listen for how Ullman totally transforms from minute to minute.

The Sans Script Players delivery quality characters every Thursday night. If you come to a show watch for Mark Shonsey and Kathleen Boland who always bring characters that transform from scene to scene or even within scenes.

Posted in Andrew Stober, Performing | 2 Comments »

Just Do It

Thursday, April 3rd, 2008

I love doing improv. It’s fun and exciting and it’s always different. Even when I have a crap show, I know that it’s way better than doing laundry. As improvisers we get to go out there and ENTERTAIN people. That’s why it’s so fabulous.

The most common question I get from people is “how do you do it?” This question always perplexes me, because improv is the most natural thing in the world to me. It’s like breathing, only with applause at the end. Yes, there are rules you should try to follow. And yes, there are a lot of people watching your every move (if you’re lucky). But at it’s simplest, improv is just about listening and reacting.

It’s like having a conversation with your friend. You don’t know exactly what you’re going to say until the other person says something. You don’t try and push your ideas on how the conversation should go. You don’t try and make them laugh at each word that comes out of your mouth. You just talk. And LISTEN. No one likes a friend that doesn’t listen, right? And no one likes a friend who doesn’t add anything interesting to the discussion either. Unless you’re an egomaniac, I suppose… then having someone who’ll just sit there and listen to you drone on for hours might be fantastic. Which is why egomaniacs don’t make good improvisers, for the most part.

Another great thing about improv: it doesn’t have to be funny. New improvisers often think they should be funny. So they try to be funny. Which generally makes them not funny. Heck, even seasoned improvisers fall into this trap. Imagine that guy that’s always dropping corny jokes by the water cooler because he desperately wants someone to like him. It’s like that guy. No one wants to be that guy. Improv should be entertaining, but that doesn’t necessarily mean funny. If the audience is quiet, intently listening to what you’re saying, wondering what’s happening next… then you’ve got them. Even if they aren’t laughing. They’re interested. And that’s much more important.

God, I love this stuff.

-Nanna Ogburn-

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