Everything I Know in Life, I Learned From Improv

A Blog for Haiti

2010-01-22T19:13:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys,
I haven't posted anyting in a couple of months because life has been busy. I'll try to write some more as I continue to prep for Improv Summit. This blog is kind of depressing, and for that I apologize BUT after that earthquake that happened in Haiti and all of the people out there that are hurt and orphaned, I think it deserves attention from everyone. I am aware that there is probably no one who reads this blog but with a lack of money and a lack of fame I feel there is very little I can do. So I'll write.

Tonight I watched the telethon for Haiti which was on virtually every channel. I was somewhat aware of the situation but I tried to avoid it as much as possible because I know how much I take things to heart and I know that if I boar the burden of this knowledge it would tear me down. After seeing the telethon, I have a hard time ignoring it now. I turned it on and was planning on trying to sleep but as I saw the faces, the people crying, the stories of the terror and fighting the odds I took out my notebook and began to write.

Please note, it's not very good and it was done in about 15 minutes, but here it is...my contribution to Haiti:

Angel

A child lost among the rubble
In a crowd of broken dreams
A new tear drips down her cheek
Every time she hears those screams

She is now alone,
Her family has passed
An angel on earth,
Can her innocence last?

A young mother carries her injured babe
Trying to find what help there is.
Every breathe she takes is pain
But she is more concerned about his.

She holds her tears and holds her breath
As she watches him fade
The doctors did their best
With the tools that they’d made.

She collapses by her baby boy,
Unable to go on.
They are angels now singing
A peaceful song.

They sit by the phones,
They call in to give.
They know there is hope
For the Hatians to live

They do what they can,
And give what they’ve got
Angels on Earth
And lives for which they’ve fought

I ask that anyone who decides to read this would donate as much as you can. I have donated a few dollars around my school. It doesn't seem like a lot but if everyone got together and did the same we could make a difference.

Live Long and Improv,
Katie

Take the Risk

2009-11-16T09:36:00.000-08:00

Hey guys,
So, last week I auditioned for my University's competitive Improv team who will be competing in Summit in Montreal. I am not a great Improv-er so I was not planning on auditioning-you know, no risk no chance of failure. Anyway, I got this really good pep talk from one of my coaches, basically telling me to go for it-have a good time and get some experience.

Before Monday's audition I was miserable-I didn't want to be there and I had convinced myself I had failed before I even started but was ready to try anyway. I had no clue how I had done until I got the email asking me to audition again on Wednesday-I was CONVINCED that they were just being nice, but I went out and auditioned anyway-that time I actually saw some good parts to my performance. So Friday came, the day we were supposed to find out the team-I checked my email and low and behold-I am on the team.

So, I am really excited about that, obviously (Even though I think they were just being nice and liked my passion for Improv) and it has definitely inspired me to take more risks-something that is a must in Improv. I have always been a risk when it comes to taking risks-I'll do it on stage sometimes but definitely not in real life.

RISKS-doing something that can either be REALLY GOOD or REALLY BAD...it's pretty much one or the other. An example of a risk in Improv is coming in to a scene with a really major character OR putting political humour in your scenes which can get you in trouble or totally fall flat, but could also totally work out and save a scene.

We were told during the auditions-if you are going to fall on your face-do it with dignity-but at least have the guts to take the risk in the first place.

Anyway, I should be working on a project that is due today so I should go. Comment if you read :) If there is anything you want to say to me-feel free...I love feedback :)

Improv For Life
Katie

It's All About the Status

2009-11-10T05:43:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone,
I'm new to the blogging community so why don't I introduce myself. My name is Katie, I am 19 years old, I am a writer, student and Improv lover. I have 5 siblings, which is probably the appeal of Improv-I can be an only child, I can be quiet or loud, I can be anything I want to be. In Improv you are not constrained by your past or by the person other people think you are.

Alright, I am obviously not that interesting so let's move on. Everyone who says that they don't improv is a LIAR. Seriously, I only script about 70% of my conversations-every other time, it's completely improv. For some reason when it takes place on a stage people start to freak out. I like to think of it as having a really rediculous conversation with my best friends that's just being watched by everyone else.

So, I have to confess, I am not that good of an improv-er. I work my ass of but I am still just okay. It's more that I am rediculously passionate about it. I take everything that is said and try to improve. I think my best quality is probably my characters. I get really into them and I make them fun and interesting and give them insane quirks that is hard not to have fun with it.

Alright-on to the topic of my blog. Status-in Improv status is the way you act...okay, so that's a really bad definition. Status is separated into 2 categories: High status and low status. High status characters are confident, they stand up straight, they are not afraid to look you in the eye, they have a firm hands shake and are visibly not nervous (think Donald Trump or Oprah). Low Status characters prefer to look at the ground, they won't start a conversation unless they have to, they are quiet and often have their hands in their pockets or in some other place that shows they are uncomfortable (please don't go dirty on me).

It's usually a good thing to have one of each status in a scene. That way they work off of each 0ther and it makes for a really interesting scene. It also helps with the levels, most of the time high status people keep themselves at higher levels than low status to show that they are in power. Status is also interesting when you go from high status and you are brought down a notch and the characters switch status-with the lower status preying on a visible weakness of the high status.

Me, I would LOVE to be high status in every scene. In real life I am probably closer to low status so when I get a chance to be powerful, stong and evil it's so much fun.

When you think about it, you use status in your everyday life as well. For example, the likelihood of you going up to your Trumpesque boss and trying to bring him down a notch is not high, and if you do the likelihood of you keeping your job is even lower. On the other hand, imagine you are a teacher and you let a group of first graders bring you down a notch-in that situation you need to be high status and in control.

I have a boss with whom I am constantly low status, always polite, doing exectly what I am told and apologizing for her mistakes sometimes, I really wish I could go high status on her ass.

Anyway, hope you enjoyed my first blog-I'll probably post more. Leave your comments and let me know what you think and what you want me to improve. Also, if you are an improv-er and you don't think I explained something right or well enough, comment and tell me-better know that not.

Improv for Life
Katie