Here's an annoying song my baby likes: Herman The Worm Here's the thing... It makes for one fun group warm-up with echos of One Person, To The Ether, Help Desk and Hey Everybody game patterns. Give it a try!
Here's an annoying song my baby likes: Herman The Worm Here's the thing... It makes for one fun group warm-up with echos of One Person, To The Ether, Help Desk and Hey Everybody game patterns. Give it a try!
"Silver." "Eclipse." "Model." Not a Word Association that would pass muster. How does the second move build on the first? How does the third Cement the pattern? What's the progression?
I'm wishy washy about improv class showcases. On the one hand, if the point of going through classes is to learn to do performance-ready-level improv, then it seems sadistic to make 101 students "put it up on its feet." But on the other, nothing informs an improviser like improvising and all it entails - collaborating […]
I coach The Johnsons, so they've been steeped in a rich tea of group games. They know One Person Scenes. They know To The Ether Games. They know Help Desk Games. And they know Hey Everybody Games. And that knowledge makes them masters of the Organic Game. And that unfortunately means sometimes they perform games […]
I've said it before, I'll say it again, "I love me some Johnsons." Check out this great example as Improv As Improv Does Best...in the face of "mistakes." [wpvideo VTaSJK8G]
The first time it's random. The second time it's purposeful. The third time it's expected. This progression informs how we build collaboratively in improv, be it in service of a pattern of emotional behavior, a relationship dynamic, a group game, or forging an organic format. What is necessary to elevate a random occurence into a shared […]
The Johnsons hosted a BBQ and everyone came. But they spaced out their arrival to allow time to heighten the sequence between new entries. Check it out. [wpvideo jJJTjvrC] To clarify: That last line out of Jonathan is "I brought the hounds of hell." The Johnsons are: Scott Beckett, Shawn Hambright, Townsend Hart, John Hilowitz, […]
Player One stands rigidly on stage, stroking an imagined object on his right wrist and says, "I love my shield." Player Two enters stage, stares agog at the imagined shield and says, "Wow-wie! That is one awesome shield." The question for you is: If you were told to enter the scene as the third player […]
Here's an example of a Tag-out from The Johnsons. Notice how they leverage the Help Desk dynamic, repeating/heightening the sequence of dialogue. [wpvideo B5sbwlAF] I'd've preferred they'd've never sat down, instead playing out being high on the job. It's hard to keep a scene active while sitting down. Chairs are a privilege, not a right. […]
The Johnsons have been working on building a more collective world in their long form performances. One tool they've practiced is using their scene edits to establish and heighten an organic pattern progression. And on January 16th, 2016 they did it on stage for the first time. Watch. Enjoy. [wpvideo TajAtDB3] First time is random. […]