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Archive for April, 2011

Edit-cation ~ Volume 1, Issue 4

Saturday, April 30th, 2011

Just “Sweep” it.

Remember, all edits must serve the scene that is on stage currently, not the scene we want to bring in from the sides.  The original scene is being shown to the audience for a reason.  It is up to the folks on the side of the stage to serve the scene with the edit.


What is a Sweep?

A sweep is the most basic way of ending one scene and starting a new one.  The traditional sweep occurs when someone from the side of the stage runs across and in front of the scene currently taking place.  This lets the players on stage know that their scene is over and they may leave the stage in character.  After a sweep, everyone in the swept scene must leave the stage.  The person that swept then usually initiates a new scene to prevent an empty stage.

 
How do I initiate a Sweep?

The player who feels the need to sweep, runs in front of the current scene without making eye contact.  The players in the scene that is being swept, leave in character.  Then the person who initiated the sweep starts a new scene.

Sweep Example:

Jennifer: John, that is horrible about Jessica. So it was out of nowhere?

John: Yeah, it was kind of weird.  (Cavalierly) At least she is dead now.  I wish she would have paid me that twenty bucks she owed me first. (trying a joke)


In the above example the player who was sweeping heard a joke (Someone saying something that comments upon the scene.  In other words, a comment that is about the situation rather than generated from the situation.  Or a comment that would never be said in that situation.) 

Why should I Sweep?

Sweeping is the easiest way to “fix” a scene that has come to its natural end, is stuck, or just isn’t working.  If the scene is over, for example a new status quo is established, somebody got what they wanted, or the scene is heightened too far, sweep.  Sometimes you know something is not going well, but you don’t know what to do to fix it, in that situation you would also sweep the scene quickly.

 

Reasons to Sweep  

As I mentioned before the scene is over or struggling is the reason to sweep, so if a scene is ended, or looping (repeating), or stuck.  Sweeping with this in mind does two things, it makes our bad scenes shorter while letting our good scenes go further.  This makes our time on stage better and the audiences time in the seats better too.

Sweeps serve the scene by ending it and lets the other players start a new scene, like Shiva destroys to allow Brahma to create anew.  Depending on your form, you may or may not use the information from the scene that is swept.  You may or may not see characters come back depending on your form, but these choices are more contingent on your long form style and do not concern the functionality of the edit per se.

Sweeps have to be done very quickly and speedily.  You need to sweep out a scene before the next line is said.  If you are on the side of the stage and you feel yourself being pulled on stage to sweep, in most cases, you need to jump as soon as you feel it.

If the scene is going very well, try to edit when it ends or on a huge laugh.

Happy Improv!

 

Please remember, if you are adding a comment to our site please include the word “improv” in your comment. I use this as a filter for the thousands of spam comments we get.  Thanks!

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Edit-cation ~ Volume 1, Issue 3

Tuesday, April 19th, 2011

Monologues (Asides and Soliloquies)
Remember, all edits must serve the scene that is on stage currently, not the scene we want to bring in from the sides.  The original scene is being shown to the audience for a reason.  It is up to the folks on the side of the stage to serve the scene with the edit.

What is a Monologue?

A monologue is a speech done by one person on stage for a period of time.  This can be to the audience, to another character in the scene, to a group of characters or even to characters who are not being played by any one on stage (Such as an onstage character talking to a bartender who is invisible to the audience).

What is an Aside?

An Aside is a type of monologue, where a character from the scene comes down and tells the audience something that the character is feeling or thinking.  Asides are always the honest inner monologue of the character.

What is a Soliloquy?

A Soliloquy is a type of monologue where the character is alone on stage and is talking to him or her self.

So, Soliloquies and Asides are types of monologues.

How do I initiate a Monologue?

·         Character Starting a Monologue to Another Character.  The player who wants to monologue needs to take focus by eye contact and start talking.  They hold the focus by going on about whatever their monologue is about without breaking eye contact or allowing for too many breaks in the speech.  The more you play with people, the more that this type of focus is understood and players just start to read each other.  The other players continue with stage business (object work and connecting with the environment of the scene) while listening.

·         Character Starting an Aside Type of Monologue.  The player must physically “jump out of time and space” and come down stage. You can usually do this by taking a quick step or two down stage.  The players who are on stage, but not doing the aside freeze.  An Aside is a glimpse into the head of the character, therefore the other characters must freeze until the Aside is over and the character “jumps” back into the scene.  By the way, when I say jump, I mean move fast.  You have to move quickly enough that no one else in the scene follows you downstage and knows to freeze.  Also, if you want, you can lean into the audience a bit, like you are sharing a secret with them, depending on the aside.

·        Character Starts a Soliloquy Type of Monologue, Players just need to start talking about the matter at hand when they are alone on stage.  I love soliloquies because they are so very theatrical, but because we are doing a group activity like improv, you are rarely alone on stage.  If you ever do find yourself alone on stage, jump on a soliloquy.  It’s a lot better than looking awkward and trying to find some stage business.  Remember, soliloquies are the character talking to them self on stage, aloud, about something that matters.

·         Character is Starting a Monologue to a Group, they need to initiate the monologue in a way that addresses everyone on-stage.  Staging for these scenes can be difficult.  For example, if you are Up Center facing the audience and have the other actors with their backs to the audience, you are addressing the audience through the guise of addressing the group on stage (think Ayn Rand).  You can also go Up Left or Up Right and hope that the group goes up stage on the other side of the stage and both factions cheat out (or bend the space).

·         The Player (not the character) Addressing the Audience in a Monologue.  This is used in Improv when the player wants to say something to the audience.  The people on stage don’t usually freeze for this type of monologue.  This type of monologue can add a joke or personal look into the players life that will then influence the scene.

·         Monologue to an Invisible Character. I don’t recommend starting a monologue to someone who is not there, because in improv, whomever you are addressing will be usually filled out by another player.

Aside Example:

Jennifer: John, that is horrible about you and Jessica. So it was out of nowhere?

John: Yeah, I have no idea why she left. It was kind of weird.

(John Leaps Downstage to initiate and Aside, Player 1 freezes) I had been treating Jessica poorly for about 6 months, because I wanted to break up with her but I didn’t want Jennifer thinking that I broke up with her sister to be with her.

John: (Runs back into the scene, Jennifer unfreezes) Totally out of the blue.

In the above example Jennifer knows to freeze because John has made such an abrupt move downstage toward the audience.

Soliloquy Example:

Jennifer: John, that is horrible about you and Jessica. So it was out of nowhere?

John: Yeah, I have no idea why she left. It was kind of weird.

Jennifer: I’ll be right back; I have to get that box from in back. (Exits)

John: Oh my God, if she sees Jessica’s body in back I’ll have to kill her too.

Jennifer: (enters carrying a box) Got it.  Well I guess I should be going.

In the above example Jennifer decided to leave the stage.  John took the opportunity to give us more information in the form of a short Soliloquy.

Monologue to the Audience Example:

Jennifer: John, that is horrible about you and Jessica. So it was out of nowhere?

John: Yeah, I have no idea why she left. It was kind of weird.

(The player playing John turns downstage and addresses the audience as the actor, not the character.)  Guys are dumb.  I have been dumped like 6 times in my life and I have never known why.

Jennifer:  I know why she left you.

In the above example the player who was playing John’s character decided to talk about his personal experience to help inform the scene or maybe to try to get a laugh from the audience.  This type of information can help influence a scene and if the monologue is honest, possibly make the scene more honest.

Monologue to a Character Example

Jennifer: John, that is horrible about you and Jessica. So it was out of nowhere?

John: Yeah, I have no idea why she left. I was working so hard at the plant.  I was putting in a lot of overtime.  I was working 60 and 70 hours a week.  We were saving for a down payment for a house.  And when I asked her why she was leaving, she said it was because she never saw me anymore.  But I was killing myself so that we could build a life together.

Jennifer: I am so sorry John….  How much money did you save?

In the above example the character went off and started telling a story.  When you use a monologue like this it adds weight to the situation.  Matt Donnelly, Improviser from P.I.T., says a great way to monologue is to just start talking about a subject with respect to a personal history or a personal philosophy or a metaphor.  These types of monologues can infuse scenes with details, energy and stakes, which can propel a scene forward.

Who should I engage in a Monologue?

This depends on what type of monologue you are doing.

Why should I do a Monologue?

Monologues can infuse a scene with stakes and make the seemingly trivial into something with weight, thereby heightening a scene.  They can also be an “explore”, a way for us to get more information into the scene and the lives of these characters we are playing.  Monologues can help us figure out the relationship, true feelings about the other characters on stage or give us a history.  Monologues can also be used to address the audience directly, putting them on the inside of the joke or adding a personal narrative to a scene.

Monologues can also help the player and the audience relate to a character.  For example, if you are playing a bigoted character, coming out a doing a player monologue about how this was just like how you as a player remember a family member being at a party, can infuse a reality into the scene that makes it more funny than just “bigots are stupid”.

There are so many reasons to do monologues, but if you do an aside or a soliloquy you run the risk of “claiming” the scene.  Saying to the audience on a subconscious level, this scene is “about” my character or from the perspective of my character.  Most audiences and improvisers won’t mind this. However, if you do there is a simple fix; the other people in the scene just need to do asides or soliloquies too.

Happy Improv!

Please remember, if you are adding a comment to our site please include the word “improv” in your comment. I use this as a filter for the thousands of spam comments we get.  Thanks!

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Edit-cation ~ Volume 1, Issue 2

Friday, April 8th, 2011

Swing Baby! “The Swinging Gate”

Remember, all edits must serve the scene that is on stage currently, not the scene we want to bring in from the sides.  The original scene is being shown to the audience for a reason.  It is up to the folks on the side of the stage to serve the scene with the edit.

What is a Swinging Gate?

For all intents and purposes, a swinging gate is a split scene (two scenes sharing the stage simultaneously) with one person in both scenes.  It is used instead of a tap out, if the person you want to tap out is on the far side of the stage or if you want to give more information than just a one off (for example a he said/she said type of scene).

Technical Execution:

  • A Swinging Gate is an edit in which one player enters and starts a scene with just one of the characters in the scene.
  • The player who is not engaged freezes.
  • The player who is engaged should stay in the same character that they were before the entrance and swing (turn) to engage the new character on stage.
  • The person who initiated the Swinging Gate does a scene the character who they engaged.
  • The new sub-scene takes place before or after the original scene.
  • Anyone can “swing the gate”(change which scene is active), the outside players by just by pulling focus with their voice, the inside player (the gate) by just turning toward someone else.

Example:

Player 1: John, that is horrible about you and Jessica. So it was out of nowhere?

John: Yeah, I have no idea why she left. It was kind of weird.

(Jessica runs in and starts talking to John, careful not to make eye contact with Player 1, Player 1 Freezes)

Jessica: I have told you a million times that I hate being treated like a servant.  I am out of here!

Player 1: (Loud enough to assertively take focus) Totally weird.

(Jessica freezes, or leaves)

John: The worst part is I have to get my own beer now.

(If Jessica stayed, John turns toward Jessica activating that scene again, Player 1 freezes)

John: Oh. Hi Jessica, Long time no see. How have you been?

Jessica: Hi John, I’ve been good.  Have you lost weight?

John: Yeah, from getting up and getting my own beers.

(Player 1 starts to talk loudly enough to swing the gate, turning John and freezing Jessica)

Player 1: You “accidentally” ran into her at her office?

(Jessica starts to talk loudly enough to swing the gate, turning John and freezing Player 1)

Jessica: I’m happy for you.  But you need to get out of here before they call security again.

In the above example Jessica does not leave the scene, but she could after the gate swings back to the original scene. By staying out on stage we can further the scene into the future or give more background information if needed.

Swinging Gates are fun, but are easily misinterpreted for an entrance.  If Player one says “Hi Jessica” in the above example then Jessica did not initiate a swinging gate, but instead did an entrance.  Swinging gates are one of the most improvisational of edits, because you don’t know if you are going to initiate a swinging gate or do an entrance.

How do I initiate a swinging gate?

When you want to initiate a swinging gate you run into the scene on the side of the player you want to do the scene with and you come to the same level of the stage where the scene is taking place (downstage or upstage) making a straight line across the stage, so the player you are not engaging cannot see you. Start saying your line to the players back (if you tap them they may take it as a tap out and leave. Then you will be doing a scene with the other player on stage).

When you see a bad swinging gate, the person initiating the swinging gate either looks at the player they are trying NOT to engage, or they tap the player they are trying to engage and they leave, or the third player says “Hi” to the player initiating the swinging gate and the initiator ignores them (instead of realizing they just entered the scene).

If the player you want to do a swinging gate is on the far side of the stage, you may still run behind the scene and initiate a swinging gate, however this is clunky.  If the player with the lower stakes is on your side of the stage, I much prefer a “Tap Out”.

Who should I engage in a swinging gate?

Engage the player who has the highest stakes in the scene.  In the scene above, Player 1 has no name and we talk about John’s relationship.  So John is engaged.  If you engage player 1, it had better be Jessica having an affair with Player 1.  But even this changes who the scene is “about”.  If both players in a scene have no stakes, i.e. transaction scene, engage the player who you want to do a scene with and move it toward the relationship or a game.

Why should I do a swinging gate?

They can bring a history for the character or move the scene forward. They can move a scene to the past or future being talked about on stage. You should use a swinging gate to raise the stakes in a scene, to give it some personal history (of why this moment is crucial), or just to add a quick joke or game.  They can lead us to the focus of the scene and take a sagging scene and give it purpose.  Swinging gates are fun; however they are a misunderstood and underutilized edit.

Bring in a history: Since you are initiating a swinging gate onto the original scene, the original scene is our point of reference.  If your gate goes back in time, say to be the characters mean mother, when we swing the gate, we come back to the same moment and see how that mean mother flash back has added depth to the character.

Move the scene forward:  Since you are initiating a swinging gate onto the original scene that is our point of reference. If you do a swinging gate and move forward to the point of action being talked about, when the gate is swung back to the original scene it should be even further down the line than the first swinging gate scene.

Raise the stakes: To raise the stakes you must engage one of the characters and let us know why the original scene has more consequences than normal.

Add a quick joke or a game: If someone says  ”you have got the worst luck” and then we see a series of quick swinging gates showing us increasingly horrific examples of how bad the characters luck is in actuality.

Swinging gates are a blast and you never know what may happen and isn’t that the point of improv?   People coming in with a swinging gate may have an idea, but they don’t know if they will be initiating a swinging gate or actually doing an entrance or a scene with the person they didn’t mean to do a scene with.  And isn’t that perfect?   As long as the swinging gate is done with the idea of helping the original scene, then it is worth trying.  Like any edit, Swinging Gates must be done to support the original scene and not usurp it.

Happy Improv!

Please remember, if you are adding a comment to our site please include the word “improv” in your comment.  I use this as a filter for the thousands of spam comments we get.  Thanks!

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Edit-cation ~ Volume 1, Issue 1

Tuesday, April 5th, 2011

In and Outs of “Tap-Outs”

Remember, all edits must serve the scene that is on stage currently, not the scene we want to bring in from the sides.  The original  scene is being shown to the audience for a reason.  It is up to the folks on the side of the stage to serve the scene with the edit.

What are tap-outs?

  • Tap-outs are an edit in which one player is tapped.
  • The tapped player(s) leave.
  • The player(s) not tapped stay on stage in the same character that they were before the tap-out.
  • The person who initiated the tap does a scene the character(s) not tapped out.
  • The new sub-scene takes place before or after the original scene that was tapped out.

Example:

Player 1: John, that is horrible about you and Jessica. So it was out of no where?

John: Yeah, I have no idea why she left. It was kind of weird.

(Jessica taps out Player 1)

Jessica: I have told you a million times that I hate being treated like a servant.  I am out of here!

(Player 1 taps out Jessica)

Player 1: Totally weird.

John: The worst part is I have to get my own beer now.

75% of all tap-outs should return to the original scene and players.  You noticed in the above example how Player 1 returns to the scene.  There are many reasons for this; she says “I’m out of here”, the tap out has added information for the original scene to ingest and to let it morph the scene, the original scene was seen for a reason and we need to see it through to fruition.

When do we not return to the original scene? When the tap-out generates a huge response, if the original scene had no stakes and the new scene has higher stakes, if the tap-outs generate a game (a pattern of jokes that escalate in making it worse for the character) that makes the stakes in the original scene seem trite.

How do I tap out?

When you want to initiate a tap out you run into the scene and tap out the player you don’t want to do the scene with from upstage (if you do it from downstage both players may take the edit as a sweep).  You tap them several times on the shoulder or back.

Bad tap outs look like someone asking to “cut-in” at a high school dance.  The player runs behind the player they want to tap out and then taps, waits  for the player to acknowledge the tap and leave and then finally starts the new scene.  I prefer when a player runs in front of just the player they want to tap out.  As they step in front of the player they tap them with their upstage hand as they start talking initiating the new scene, all in on swift move.

If the player you want to tap out is on the far side of the stage, you may still run behind the scene and tap out.  However this is clunky.  I also dislike the “waive off” (when a player runs in and gives the hand to someone letting them know they are dismissed).  If the player with the lower stakes is on the far side of the stage, I much prefer a “Swinging Gate” (Look for my next blog) to be initiated.  However, between the long run and tap from upstage or the waive off, I prefer the long run, but both pale compared to the swinging gate.

Who should I tap-out?

Tap out the player who has the lowest stakes in the scene.  In the scene above, Player 1 has no name and we talk about John’s relationship.  So Player 1 is tapped out.  If you tap out John, it had better be Jessica having an affair with Player 1.  But even this changes who the scene is “about”.   If both players in a scene have no stakes, i.e. transaction scene, tap out the player who you don’t want to do a scene with and move it toward the relationship or a game.

Why should I tap out?

Tap-out are by far the most energizing and fun edits.  They can bring a history for the character or move the scene forward.  They can move a scene to the past or future being talked about on stage. You should tap out to raise the stakes in a scene, to give it some personal history (of why this moment is crucial), or just to add a quick joke or game.  They can lead us to the focus of the scene and take a sagging scene and give it purpose.

Bring in a history: Since you are tapping out the original scene that is our point of reference.  If you tap out and go back in time, say to be the characters mean mother, when we tap back in, we come back to the same moment and see how that mean mother flash back has added depth to the character.

Move the scene forward:  Since you are tapping out the original scene that is our point of reference. If you tap out and move forward to the point of action being talked about, if there is a tap back in it should be even further down the line than the first tap out.

Raise the stakes: To raise the stakes you must tap-out and let us know why the original scene has more consequences than normal.

Add a quick joke or a game: If someone says  ”you have got the worst luck” and then we see a series of quick tap outs showing us increasingly horrific examples of how bad the characters luck is in actuality.

Tap-outs are a blast.   As long as the Tap-Out is done with the idea of helping the scene, then it is worth trying.  This can be hard because they may be the least organic of all the edits.  People coming in with a tap-out have an idea, they have a joke or a way to fix the scene.  But like any edit, they must be done to support the original scene and not usurp it.

Happy Improv!

Please remember, if you are adding a comment to our site please include the word “improv” in your comment.  I use this as a filter for the thousands of spam comments we get.  Thanks!

Posted in By Author, Eric Farone, Classes, Performing | No Comments »