Improv.
I wanted to take improv classes for a while. I didn’t have the guts to do it. In June of 2015 I looked at Second City’s website to see what the schedule looked like. I decided the Friday evening classes made sense. I did not sign-up. When the first day of class came around, I told myself I would just show up, sign-up day of, and see if it was a fit. I went to work that day, and I almost convinced myself not to do it, but I had already told friends I was going to. It was too late to back out –I am not the person to not live up to doing the things I say I will do. I couldn’t back out. At 5:30pm I left my office, and headed to Second City. I have been doing improv ever since.
When I was a kid, my cousins and I would put these variety shows together for our parents. We would design sets and we would assign people roles. We would create these shows, and as the older ones I just remember giving our selves the best roles. We looked at our younger siblings and cousins, ‘Ok, you can be the camera person.’ I would stay up late and watch The Tonight Show and repeat Jay Leno’s jokes, or make up my own stupid kid jokes and tell them to my family members when we were together. Even as a kid I wanted to make people laugh. I remember one time I nailed this stupid joke, and my aunt laughed so hard and said, ‘Oh you’re going to be the next Jay Leno.’ Ok, she was clearly wrong, but the point is, I believed her. From a very early age I thought I could be funny… I can make you laugh. I guess even as I child I abided by the rule, if you think you can, then you can.
When I lost my job last year I thought I would really devote myself to improv and writing, and see where the path led. The world of improv is so crowded. There are so many performers. It’s over saturated. I’m not that great at it –I’m just surrounded by great performers. I didn’t want to be a starving artist, but I wanted to continue to perform for fun. That’s what I’m doing these days.
I finished the first part of the Second City improv program in May of this year. We have done a few shows since. The last two months we have been putting together a new show, based on a murder mystery at a Christmas party. I know, it sounds weird, but trust me it works. The format is interesting, and the cast is good. Friday is opening night, as a string of texts go back and forth on my phone about memorizing lines and rehearsals. I am underprepared as usual. I have five lines, maybe less, and only one of those lines memorized. Probably best I stuck to my day job.
Anyway, if you want to come see the show, the link is below for tickets. Friday night is sold out, and so is the second show, but come December 30th! Again, I’m not that great, but my friends are amazing. They make me laugh when they’re on stage, but also just in real life. I’ll keep trucking along here, watching them grow, hoping one day just to be in their entourage… guys, I’m so fun to hang out with and I’ll help you seal all those endorsement deals! Promise!