Universal Mind Control - Common
Self Destruction - Doug E. Fresh
The Old Man/Gee, I Wish I Was Back In the Army - Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye
Gatsby - Anna NicoleMiner's Daughter
Lady - Kenny Rogers
It's A Man's World (Live @ the Grammy's) - Christina Agulera
Gonna Fly Now (Theme from Rocky) - De Etta Little & Nelson Pigford
All The Way Down - Glen Hansard
Krank It Up - JuicenJen
Voiceover Session from "Thriller" - Michael Jackson, Vincent Price
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
MixTape by Jen Caldwell - December 2008
Friday, November 14, 2008
MixTape by Bill Seybolt - November 2008
A note from Bill Seybolt on the creation of this MixTape:
I eagerly volunteered to put together a mixtape for your show, thinking it would be a breeze. As time grew closer and closer, I found it difficult. The music selection would peek inside my library. It had to be a decent, yet eclectic selection. And then I remembered a while back you asked about burning some music by They Might Be Giants. I nearly have all their catalog in my library. What better for MixTape than a selection from the Johns?
I Know What I Saw
Intro to the musical Flansburgh wrote called People are Wrong. One of those productions done off, off Broadway. It was met with positive press and a limited run.
Thunderbird
A great song that started appearing in concerts in 1999 but wasn't on an album until 2004. I remember being front row at one of their concerts and a girl next to me bummed my sharpie and wrote "Thunderbird" on a foam finger given out by the band. Flansberg aknowledged it and later played the song as a special request.
In the Middle, In the Middle, In the Middle
Originally a 1960's PSA for New York City Department of Transportation. Flansburgh's wife sings lead.
Don't Let's Start
Probably the first song I heard from the band. I remember seeing MTV off in the background. The music, the video, EVERYTHING drew me in. I was hooked from then on.
Older
Another great one performed live. Linnell would hold the band for long beats and then start back up.
Never Go to Work
I had to cut and paste this from their podcast. The video is quite cute of a beagle playing a trumpet. My kids love it.
Drinkin'
This fanfare has been recorded several different ways (one with Linnel playing sax in a bathroom). For a good while, it was the fanfare the rest of the band played prior to the show starting.
South Carolina
John Linnell released a solo album in 1999 which was pretty good in its own right. I loved this one in particular since it involves bicycles and crashing.
Birdhouse In Your Soul
If the audience has no clue who these guys are at this point, they should know this song at least. Probably their most famous aside from Istanbul, Not Constanople.
Subliminal
TMBG would close shows with this. Figured it would be a great one to end on.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
MixTape by Jeremiah Prescott - 10/11/08
1. George Gershwin-Rhapsody in Blue. Leonard Bernstein conducting the Columbia Symphony Orchestra and playing piano. Classic performance of this piece from 1959
2. Ludwig Van Beethoven-Piano Sonata No. 21 in C-Major op. 53, the "Waldstein" Sonata. Played by Emil Gilels.
3. Johann Sebastian Bach-The Art of Fugue, BWV1080: Contrapunctus IV. Played by the Emerson String Quartet.
4. Johannes Brahms-Symphony 1 3rd movement. Sir Georg Solti conduction the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
5. Nicolai Rimsy-Korsakov-The Flight of the Bumblebee from The Tale of Tsar Sultan. Wynton Marsalis and the Eastman Wind Ensemble.
6. Pablo de Sarasate-Zigeunerweisen, op. 20 "Gypsy Airs." Gil Shaham and the London Symphony Orchestra.
7. Giuseppe Verdi-Lacrimosa from the Requiem Mass. Robert Shaw conducting the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra.
8. Edward Elgar-Elegy op. 58. Royal Philharmonic Orchestra.
9. Modest Mussorgsky-Ballet des poussins dans leurs coques from Pictures at an Exhibition. Sir Georg Solti, and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
10. Gustav Holst-Jupiter from The Planets Suite (excerpt.) The London Symphony Orchestra.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
You are your own school of improv ~Jill Bernard
I met up with Jill Bernard at Black Box Improv Festival here in Atlanta this past weekend and had the pleasure to swap stories and theories with both her and Robert Lowe. After a brief exchange on the limitations of judgement I mentioned to her that I had a copy of her book that was given to me by my friend Sacha Dzuba just a few hours before. I assumed since I agreed with her in conversational theory of life and art in Improv that I would feel the same way about her book. It is entitled "Jill Bernard's Small Cute Book of Improv" and from the cover you would not expect too much serious hard core improv insight. On Sunday while I was recovering from Saturday night's late hour and strange brews I cracked the cover of this pamphlet sized writ.
Let me just say I was FLOORED. In 17 pages she really covers quite a lot of ground... The first 3 pages discuss her philosophy of "Yay!" the last 6 are short essays covering a large range of improv topics and the middle 8 pages lay out for the reader an awesome character creation technique called "VAPAPO."
This book passed my test in the search for truth in improv and life... this was not only encouraging, supportive and fun but it also snuck in several slap in the face moments to those that are abusing this great craft. Jill's focus seems to be mostly getting people to believe in themselves, drop judgment by the wayside and play!
Excited and want a copy? Click Here.
I will definitely use this book as a tool in future work and will be placing this one quote from the book in large print on our theatre wall:
Know that you are right.
Know that you are good.
Know that you knew how to do this when you were six years old, other stuff just got in the way.
Play.
~Jill Bernard
Monday, September 29, 2008
BBIF 2008 MixTape by Chris Pierce
I was really excited about this MixTape for two reasons... It was created by my good friend Chris Pierce who was the other half of my two man show JaCKPie and also because this was being done at a festival for other improvisers and I wanted to see how it would read to this type of crowd.
Here is the tracklist...
1. Sweep the Leg Johnny by No More Kings
2. Steve McQueen by Sheryl Crow
3. My God Called Me This Morning by The Fairfield Four
4. Smooth Criminal performed by Alien Antfarm
5. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) by They Might Be Giants
6. God's Hotel by Nick Cave
7. There'll Be Some Changes Made by Dave Brubeck
8. Holiday by Green Day
9. Devil in Disguise by Elvis Presley
10. Break On Through by The Doors
1. Sweep the Leg Johnny by No More Kings
This one was a great song to start with (and I think Chris new that) because we've talked about this song before. Chris Pierce met William "Billy" Zabka (the actor who plays Johnny in the Karate Kid movie) at a party in LA. He found out about the video for "Sweep the Leg" that was being written, directed and starring Billy Zabka. So needless to say the first second I heard the music all other mental images were washed away and I was left with a showdown between two highschoolers. In my mind I named them after the characters in Karate Kid but they didn't really have any of their characteristics.
Daniel: 15 year old high school Freshman who is a track star. Timid and awkward but high profile at school and cute.
Johnny: 17 year old miserable bully whose only real outlet for his rage and hatred is finding smaller kids and picking fights.
Johnny and Daniel are on the path between the school and the main road which is a straight stretch of a mile to Daniel's house. Daniel has no interest in fighting but Johnny has been picking fights with him for the entire first semester and now he has surprised him and has a buddy behind a bush ready to grab him if he runs. We learn that Daniel is a track star even though he is just a freshman in high school (he is FAST!) After trying to plead with Johnny, Daniel eventually tries to lie to him and indicate that he is a great fighter... when this doesn't work he gets ready to run...
2. Steve McQueen by Sheryl Crow
This one was a real contradiction in my mind. After the first couple of lyrics I had a girl character forming in my head who would be the love interest of Daniel but a little further on in the song I realize that she is a female Steve McQueen... Which is hilarious to me because she would be beautiful, really bold, direct and would get what she wanted.
Sally McQueen: Beautiful, bold, direct and gets what she wants.
Sally has found Daniel at a party. She tells him that she was going to just leave because there is no alcohol at the party but she saw him and just had to have him (indicating "own" him.) Daniel is really timid and confused at this directness but eventually figures out that he really can't lose and so he moves closer to her and tries to needlessly impress her by saying that he got in a fight today.
3. My God Called Me This Morning by The Fairfield Four
Pastor Williams: Father of Daniel and very wrapped up in the church, his own image... has little interest or time for his son.
Pastor Williams is telling Daniel that this is the last time he ever wants to hear about him fighting at school. He is worried that this type of behavior will ruin his reputation with the church and expects Daniel to be perfect in the Church's eyes. Daniel replies by questioning his father and discovers that not only does his father not know anything about his interests he isn't even sure if his father knows his name...
4. Smooth Criminal performed by Alien Antfarm
Annie: Young, cute girl with coke bottle glasses. She is brainy and sweet.
Daniel finds Annie lying on the ground after being hit by someone (her mouth is bleeding) and Daniel makes sure she is ok, raises her to her feet, becomes melodramatic about chasing her assailant down and plants a big kiss on her as the lights fade to black... the start of the melodrama indicates the part of the scene that is happening in Daniel's wishful version of how he had left things. As he dips her for a kiss, the lights fade to black.
5. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) by They Might Be Giants
Daniel and Sally McQueen are studying. Daniel is going on and on about how they shouldn't rename countries once they are already named. He claims that Math doesn't contantly change names of things, it just gets clearer... We learn that Sally had no interest at all in really "studying" she had wanted something else and wasn't getting it... she doesn't understand why he isn't all over her and suspects that there may be someone else.
6. God's Hotel by Nick Cave
Johnny is alone in his room... he is screaming at his mother filled with rage but then crying and showing his tender and confused true self by playing with his toy dinosaurs on a shelf. We see that he really is a sympathetic character and as he cries we begin to hope that somehow he will eventually find himself and stop his bullying.
7. There'll Be Some Changes Made by Dave Brubeck
Dave Gillespie: Divorcee and father of Annie. He is a singer at a jazz club for his living.
Dave Gillespie is talking with his daughter Annie and is obviously trying to win her love over her mother... He raises her coke bottle glasses and while undermining her mother he tells her how beautiful she really is... He obviously really loves her and is just not very good at keeping balance as a father.
8. Holiday by Green Day
Daniel is dreaming of running after Annie's attacker from the previous scene... It is silent except for breathing as the assailant and Daniel both run... it is clear that Daniels is at least twice as fast as the assailant without even trying... as Daniel reaches out and grabs the mugger's shirt to try to stop him, he wakes up and realizes the dream. He is considering going back to sleep when he realizes that outside his window is Annie... he has no idea how she has gotten up there but invites her in as the lights fade to black...
9. Devil in Disguise by Elvis Presley
We learn just how horrible Sally McQueen really is... before we thought she was just shallow but as she shows down against Annie and tells her that she knows about her kiss with Daniel she threatens her... to hurt her or destroy her life. The scene ends as Annie becomes bold enough to say "Boys make their own decisions... and if he decides to be with me then..." and the lights fade to black...
Technically this should have been the end to the show but due to the tech of this theatre it was impossible for them to bring it to a full blackout... and so it seemed no different than any of the other scenes. I started right in on the next song as Houston realized that he was going to have to change tactics to end the show. The audience was in no way aware of any of this...
10. Break On Through by The Doors
Both Daniel's and Annie's fathers (Pastor Williams and Dave Gillespie) have met together with the children to talk about what has happened between the two of them... They have found out about their night together in Daniel's room (following the running dream) and the Pastor wants their relationship to stop. The two fathers fight and realize that they do not agree at all on how to raise children. While they are distracted and insulting each other, Daniel and Annie escape... At this point the lights went down again... I wasn't sure if it was the end of the show or not and then realzied it was Break on Through playing again... however... unfortunately... I paused to long to do a confident bow... I apporoached the audience and realized that it would not play to bow at that point... so I did one more quick monologue...
The final monologue was a sermon by Pastor Williams telling parents to be overprotective of their children and never let them out of their sights... ever... even go to school with them... and sit with them... and watch them always... it is the only way to protect them.
Lights to black and show is over...
Here is the tracklist...
1. Sweep the Leg Johnny by No More Kings
2. Steve McQueen by Sheryl Crow
3. My God Called Me This Morning by The Fairfield Four
4. Smooth Criminal performed by Alien Antfarm
5. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) by They Might Be Giants
6. God's Hotel by Nick Cave
7. There'll Be Some Changes Made by Dave Brubeck
8. Holiday by Green Day
9. Devil in Disguise by Elvis Presley
10. Break On Through by The Doors
1. Sweep the Leg Johnny by No More Kings
I was a super hero
king of 1985
I showed no mercy
I was always Cobra Kai
but I caught a crane kick to the face (uh huh)
I guess he sealed my fate when he said:
Sweep the leg (Johnny)
This one was a great song to start with (and I think Chris new that) because we've talked about this song before. Chris Pierce met William "Billy" Zabka (the actor who plays Johnny in the Karate Kid movie) at a party in LA. He found out about the video for "Sweep the Leg" that was being written, directed and starring Billy Zabka. So needless to say the first second I heard the music all other mental images were washed away and I was left with a showdown between two highschoolers. In my mind I named them after the characters in Karate Kid but they didn't really have any of their characteristics.
Daniel: 15 year old high school Freshman who is a track star. Timid and awkward but high profile at school and cute.
Johnny: 17 year old miserable bully whose only real outlet for his rage and hatred is finding smaller kids and picking fights.
Johnny and Daniel are on the path between the school and the main road which is a straight stretch of a mile to Daniel's house. Daniel has no interest in fighting but Johnny has been picking fights with him for the entire first semester and now he has surprised him and has a buddy behind a bush ready to grab him if he runs. We learn that Daniel is a track star even though he is just a freshman in high school (he is FAST!) After trying to plead with Johnny, Daniel eventually tries to lie to him and indicate that he is a great fighter... when this doesn't work he gets ready to run...
2. Steve McQueen by Sheryl Crow
Well I went to bed in Memphis
And I woke up in Hollywood
I got a quarter in my pocket
And I'd call you if I could
But I don't know why
I gotta fly
I wanna rock and roll this party
I still wanna have some fun
Iwanna leave you feeling breathless
Show you how the west was won
But I gotta fly
I gotta fly
Like Steve McQueen
All I need's a fast machine
And I'm gonna make it all right
Like Steve McQueen
Underneath your radar screen
You'll never catch me tonite
This one was a real contradiction in my mind. After the first couple of lyrics I had a girl character forming in my head who would be the love interest of Daniel but a little further on in the song I realize that she is a female Steve McQueen... Which is hilarious to me because she would be beautiful, really bold, direct and would get what she wanted.
Sally McQueen: Beautiful, bold, direct and gets what she wants.
Sally has found Daniel at a party. She tells him that she was going to just leave because there is no alcohol at the party but she saw him and just had to have him (indicating "own" him.) Daniel is really timid and confused at this directness but eventually figures out that he really can't lose and so he moves closer to her and tries to needlessly impress her by saying that he got in a fight today.
3. My God Called Me This Morning by The Fairfield Four
Well my God called me this morning
Just a little while before the day
Pastor Williams: Father of Daniel and very wrapped up in the church, his own image... has little interest or time for his son.
Pastor Williams is telling Daniel that this is the last time he ever wants to hear about him fighting at school. He is worried that this type of behavior will ruin his reputation with the church and expects Daniel to be perfect in the Church's eyes. Daniel replies by questioning his father and discovers that not only does his father not know anything about his interests he isn't even sure if his father knows his name...
4. Smooth Criminal performed by Alien Antfarm
As he came into the window
Was a sound of a crescendo
He came into her apartment
He left the bloodstains on the carpet
She was sitting at the table
He could see she was unable
So she ran into the bedroom
She was struck down
It was her doom
Annie, are you ok
Are you ok
Are you ok, annie
Annie: Young, cute girl with coke bottle glasses. She is brainy and sweet.
Daniel finds Annie lying on the ground after being hit by someone (her mouth is bleeding) and Daniel makes sure she is ok, raises her to her feet, becomes melodramatic about chasing her assailant down and plants a big kiss on her as the lights fade to black... the start of the melodrama indicates the part of the scene that is happening in Daniel's wishful version of how he had left things. As he dips her for a kiss, the lights fade to black.
5. Istanbul (Not Constantinople) by They Might Be Giants
Istanbul was Constantinople
Now it's Istanbul, not Constantinople
Been a long time gone, Constantinople
Now it's Turkish delight on a moonlit night
Every gal in Constantinople
Lives in Istanbul, not Constantinople
So if you've a date in Constantinople
She'll be waiting in Istanbul
Daniel and Sally McQueen are studying. Daniel is going on and on about how they shouldn't rename countries once they are already named. He claims that Math doesn't contantly change names of things, it just gets clearer... We learn that Sally had no interest at all in really "studying" she had wanted something else and wasn't getting it... she doesn't understand why he isn't all over her and suspects that there may be someone else.
6. God's Hotel by Nick Cave
Everybody got a room
Everybody got a room
Everybody got a room
In God's Hotel.
Everybody got a room.
Well you'll never see a sign hanging on the door
Sayin 'No vacancies anymore'.
Johnny is alone in his room... he is screaming at his mother filled with rage but then crying and showing his tender and confused true self by playing with his toy dinosaurs on a shelf. We see that he really is a sympathetic character and as he cries we begin to hope that somehow he will eventually find himself and stop his bullying.
7. There'll Be Some Changes Made by Dave Brubeck
For there's a change in the weather
There's a change in the sea
So from now on there'll be a change in me
My walk will be diff'rent my talk and my name
Nothin' about me is goin' to be the same,
Dave Gillespie: Divorcee and father of Annie. He is a singer at a jazz club for his living.
Dave Gillespie is talking with his daughter Annie and is obviously trying to win her love over her mother... He raises her coke bottle glasses and while undermining her mother he tells her how beautiful she really is... He obviously really loves her and is just not very good at keeping balance as a father.
8. Holiday by Green Day
This is the dawning of the rest of our lives
On holiday
Hear the drum pounding out of time
Another protester has crossed the line (Hey!)
To find, the money's on the other side
Daniel is dreaming of running after Annie's attacker from the previous scene... It is silent except for breathing as the assailant and Daniel both run... it is clear that Daniels is at least twice as fast as the assailant without even trying... as Daniel reaches out and grabs the mugger's shirt to try to stop him, he wakes up and realizes the dream. He is considering going back to sleep when he realizes that outside his window is Annie... he has no idea how she has gotten up there but invites her in as the lights fade to black...
9. Devil in Disguise by Elvis Presley
You look like an angel
Walk like an angel
Talk like an angel
But I got wise
You're the devil in disguise
Oh yes you are
The devil in disguise
We learn just how horrible Sally McQueen really is... before we thought she was just shallow but as she shows down against Annie and tells her that she knows about her kiss with Daniel she threatens her... to hurt her or destroy her life. The scene ends as Annie becomes bold enough to say "Boys make their own decisions... and if he decides to be with me then..." and the lights fade to black...
Technically this should have been the end to the show but due to the tech of this theatre it was impossible for them to bring it to a full blackout... and so it seemed no different than any of the other scenes. I started right in on the next song as Houston realized that he was going to have to change tactics to end the show. The audience was in no way aware of any of this...
10. Break On Through by The Doors
You know the day destroys the night,
Night divides the day
Tried to run, tried to hide,
Break on through to the other side,
Break on through to the other side,
Break on through to the other side, yeah.
Both Daniel's and Annie's fathers (Pastor Williams and Dave Gillespie) have met together with the children to talk about what has happened between the two of them... They have found out about their night together in Daniel's room (following the running dream) and the Pastor wants their relationship to stop. The two fathers fight and realize that they do not agree at all on how to raise children. While they are distracted and insulting each other, Daniel and Annie escape... At this point the lights went down again... I wasn't sure if it was the end of the show or not and then realzied it was Break on Through playing again... however... unfortunately... I paused to long to do a confident bow... I apporoached the audience and realized that it would not play to bow at that point... so I did one more quick monologue...
The final monologue was a sermon by Pastor Williams telling parents to be overprotective of their children and never let them out of their sights... ever... even go to school with them... and sit with them... and watch them always... it is the only way to protect them.
Lights to black and show is over...
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Plotting a course for this blog... My Obsession
The slide above is from the blog by Merlin Mann who is the creator of 43folders.com. This one slide has helped me more than any other piece of blogging information available. It caused me to ask myself "What is my obsession?" Once asked I was able to answer "Well that's easy! I love the connections between things... the truths that cross over from one artform to another or better yet from art into life." I call these connections "Equal Signs" and I use this term quite frequently when I am teaching. I tell students that often I don't even need to teach them certain things, I just have to get them to make a connection between what I am teaching and something that they already know. This... equals... that... Ah!!!
Now that I have my obsession identified I know what I want to blog about... truths... equal signs... connections... Artform to Artform... Artform to Life...
So... what is an example of an equal sign? My favorite is found within human desire... the "want." In every character/person there is something that drives them to action... their want. If I am still and silent with no movement save my breath and I want something to drink then I will rise and spring into action to get myself a cool glass of water. The action is caused by the want. This motivation is true in anything relating to real live human beings and it is true consequently to all well written characters from books to film to live theatre and improvisation. The want tells us the "why" behind bank robberies, affairs, nobel prizes, marriages, murder and any other action.
So here we are... a clear mission in front of us...
Locate a truth in life or in art.
See how far reaching it is.
Apply it to make my art and my life better.
OR...
Locate something someone else feels is a truth.
Evaluate it and test its reach and span.
If it is not a truth in my opinion then define why and show my view of its limitations.
If it is a truth then apply it to make my art and my life better.
Thanks for reading! See you again soon!
Friday, September 5, 2008
BarProv
So last night I did my one man improv show at a bar in Little 5 points (Atlanta GA) to support a friend of mine who was hit by a car and does not have insurance. Before I go into what happened during the show, let me say that Jillian Fratkin did amazing job organizing this fundraiser and it did bring in $800 in one night! I think people enjoyed themselves and the evening itself should be seen as a success!
It was more or less what I expected as far as floor layout goes... a bar with a stage at the other end of the room and a bunch of tables and chairs set up throughout. I was pretty determined to make talking into a microphone work for the show (there was no way possible my voice would carry enough to make it work without one)... What I didn't count on was 3 small but vital details...
1. The show MixTape revolves solely around me using music as a scene partner. When I got on stage for the show itself I realized they had cut all of the monitors and speakers that were directed toward me. So there I stood on the stage... and I couldn't hear my scene partner. I made out a word or two here or there but the actual song was coming to me as if through 10 inches of whale blubber. For those of you trained in spontaneous theatre I was now without a scene partner and without a source of information to inform the scenes.
2. As I stood up on the stage to introduce the night I realized that the entire crowd was talking with the exception of maybe 10 people who were listening intently. My brain said "What? Aren't they here for a show?" to which I answered myself "No dummy, they are here to support a fundraiser for their friend Michael McReynolds. Some of them just walked through the door 2 minutes ago and what they WANT is to be left along to drink and talk to each other."
3. The lights were brought up right before the show started and unlike the pictures I saw on the bar's website, all of the lights were red. Not gelled red, but actual RED BULBS. If you don't know, red is perceived as evil, pain or blood when placed on top of theatre. Nuff said there.
As the show started, saw the 4'X4' area I would be performing, saw the microphone I would be leashed to, saw the crowd talking, felt the moisture from my mouth completely drain away, realized I don't have a bottle of water, realized the red lights remove any evidence of physicality, realized I can't hear my music and think... ok man... you gotta do this show... No backing out now. So I did... I justifed that all of the characters I was playing were all literally speaking into microphones (with the exception of trying to do a police officer pulling someone over.) My brain went crazy and since I couldn't hear the music I used the transition time to try to figure out how to make the situation better... trying to see how I could improve the show... I tried changing the mics, sitting at 2 different mics, holding both mics at once, standing closer to the audience and talking TO the audience. None of these really changed much about the situation and so I went ahead and bowed out after what I think was probably 7 songs.
When it was all over I headed over with Houston to the bar... He wanted to buy me a beer but I desperately needed about 30 glasses of water instead. I reeled as people came up to me and said "I'm so glad I FINALLY got to see your show MixTape." My brain screamed "That wasn't it! Don't judge me by that show please!!!" but I nodded politely and tried not to be down about the show. When things feel off for me and I have no concept of my show I lose the ability to decide if people are being polite or if they really liked something. So all in all, not the worst experience ever, but I certainly won't put myself back in a Bar atmosphere again to do improv (especially long-form... and especially a one man long-form.)
It did the job so I am happy... we raised $800 for Michael and will continue to take donations for him throughout the year. I'm glad that my performance helped. Now I want to create a scripted show that is done on microphone that is designed to be done in a bar for just this kind of occasion.
Thursday, September 4, 2008
Supporting Michael McReynolds...
So I'm trying to get my brain together for this show I'm doing tonight to help Michael McReynolds recover from his mugging and hopefully replace some of the items that were stolen. The interesting thing about the performance is that it is at a bar... I have played many different types of theatres, gymnasiums, community rooms and outside stages but I have never ever ever performed in a bar. Part of my mental prep is to figure out what happens if the accoustics are terrible and I am forced to hold a microphone. If you've ever seen my one man show MixTape it is heavy on the physicality and character and I am worried about how that will translate to a bar crowd. Now the nice thing is that a majority of the people there will be there specifically to help McReynolds and so it will not be a hostile crowd, but that may not matter if they cannot hear or see my performance. I think I may try to justify the mic into the show if I have to hold one so that I am not fighting it but instead have it make some sort of "sense" that every character is holding/using one.
I am also pretty emotional about how everything has happened with Michael... He is the second friend I have had who has been mugged and this time it resulted in thousands and thousands of dollars in hospital bills. I hate seeing my friends hurt and I really hope that this fundraiser does enough to actually make a dent in the damage.
If you are reading this and want to come out tonight... please do it... the cover is only $5 even if you can't afford to donate additional. Check out http://jackpie.com/theblog/?p=44 for more info.
How to blog...
So why am I reading about "How to Blog" on the net? Simple... because I am a good solid writer but a TERRIBLE blogger. Unfortunately I have this need to make everything perfect and I seem to want my blog to be book quality (or have someone approve that it is interesting and readable) before I will post it. I have no issue being prolific on paper nor do I have trouble doing micro-blogging on twitter or on plurk. For some reason the issue occurs when it comes time to put a long paragraph entry out there... It is obviously because I am a people person... I am visual... I want to know that my point is getting across or that someone has read and approved (i.e. an editor) before it goes out. So... I'm ready now to get sloppy. I have changed the name of this blog to "Do Not Read This Blog" and I am now going to share my opinions, likes, dislikes and experiences WITHOUT RESERVATION. This might get messy folks! I might offend you! I might say something that you disagree with! It might not be book quality! I might use waaaaay too many explamation points!!! So here goes. A blog without worry or fear. Take that inter-web-net!
Monday, August 25, 2008
MixTape: Semiosis by Sacha Dzuba on 8/23/08
Sacha emailed me, texted me and called me many times during the creation of this mixtape to tell me how excited he was and how inspired. Unfortunately our conversations and emails were brief because I am not allowed to know any details of the mixes before the actual start of the show or the whole thing is shot and the mixer has to start over. Needless to say now that I've performed it, I can see why he was so excited.
I absolutely loved this show top to bottom. I am getting better each time I do this form and my work with Sacha and Houston in the booth broadened the range of the music within the work. Unfortunately the youtube videos you will see in this post do not do justice to the environment, energy or detailed facial expressions... so if you hear the audience bellow with laughter and you don't have any idea why, it was probably a "you had to be there" moment.
Here are Sacha's liner notes that I received once I was onstage (he made me read them to the audience before I began.)
JIM! READ THESE LINER NOTES!!!
**British Lecturer’s Professorial Voice**
Semiosis is any form of activity, conduct, or process that involves signs, including the production of meaning. Briefly – semiosis is sign process. Semiotics is the study of signs, including, but not limited to the following: “signs” from everyday life (road signs, billboards, etc.), “visual signs”, signs can also be drawings, paintings, and photographs, word, sounds, or “body language”. Umberto Eco states that “semiotics is concerned with everything that can be taken as a sign”. Semiotics involves the study not only of what we refer to as “signs” in everyday speech, but of anything which “stands for” something else. In a semiotic sense, signs take the form of words, images, sounds, gestures, and objects. Studying how meanings are made and how reality is represented not through signs that are isolated, but as part of semiotic “sign systems” (such as medium and genre).
Enough with intellectualisms…on with the show! Thanks to Daniel Chandler and Wikipedia
These liner notes will self-destruct in 2,103 seconds…
And here is the mix itself:
Harder Better Faster by Daft Punk
Momma Sed by Puscifer
Twentysomething by Jamie Cullum
The Devil by PJ Harvey
Destroy everything You Touch by Ladytron
Corpus Christi Carol (For Roy) by Jeff Buckley
I'm Afraid of Amercans by David Bowie
Utopia by Goldfrapp
All is Full of Love by Bjork
2 Hearts by Kylie Minogue
***CLICK THE READ MORE BUTTON FOR VIDEO AND COMMENTARY***
Thursday, August 14, 2008
The Media Discovers Improv... Again...
http://lifehacker.com/400367/think-faster-and-better-on-your-feet-with-tricks-from-improv
Tuesday, August 12, 2008
My BBIF Schedule for 2008
Thursday 9/25 at 8pm - Dramatech Theatre to Support Free Kittens!
Thursday 9/25 at 10pm - Dramatech Theatre to Support Babies mit Bearden!
Friday 9/26 at 8pm - Under The Couch to perform MixTape: Solo. Impov. Theatre.
Friday 9/26 at 10pm - DramaTech Theatre to catch Razowsky and Clifford
Saturday 9/27 at 10am - Teach Playwrighting for Improvisers at DramaTech
Saturday 9/27 at 8pm - Under The Couch to support In Harm's Way
Saturday 9/27 at 10pm - DramaTech to catch Drum Machine and then skipping over to perform at Under The Couch inthe All Star Show.
Sunday 9/28 at 2pm - Private Workshop
There you go! Happy Stalking everyone :)
Thursday, August 7, 2008
Art of the Mix
I am checking out this site as a way to do MixTape shows submitted from people via the web... Check them out... It is crazy unique!http://www.artofthemix.org/Writings/faq.asp
Foundtrack.com
Ran across this really cool site online today... Foundtrack.com
I haven't had a chance to see what it is all about but it looks incredible. Here are the digits:
http://www.foundtrack.com/Current_Mix.html
MixTape Take 2
Still working on the logo for MixTape... got a little closer with this one but the perspective is still severely off... and it also still appears to say elmprov instead of Improv to some viewers...
Monday, August 4, 2008
SPACED
This weekend we spent our post-church Sunday afternoon with Michael Chambers, Sacha Dzuba and Kenny Cole at their home in Decatur. Naturally we were there to watch the season finale of Doctor Who on their giant plasma television while eating biscuits and drinking tea with the Dzuba... what we didn't expect was a show called "Spaced" created by Simon Pegg better known for Shaun of the Dead and Hott Fuzz. I instantly fell in love... unfortunately Sacha can't lend me the DVD until his roomies are done with it... which may be months. I left the house with plenty of old Who and Farscape so I'll survive... but I need to get back to that "Professional Couples" flat ASAP!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog
With my freeze-ray I will... Stop... the world... #
Watched Dr. Horrible at the suggestion of EVERYONE online. I was enchanted but then I am a Scifi fan, trained in musical theatre and a lover of Joss Whedon. It is no longer available for free to watch but if you share any of the interests above you may want to hop on over to http://www.drhorrible.com/
Watched Dr. Horrible at the suggestion of EVERYONE online. I was enchanted but then I am a Scifi fan, trained in musical theatre and a lover of Joss Whedon. It is no longer available for free to watch but if you share any of the interests above you may want to hop on over to http://www.drhorrible.com/
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Desk Candy
Reception desk mints don't have expiration dates... but, trust me... they do expire. #I have been burned too many times now... I will never love again I fear. If I were a gambling man, I might just be addicted to how unpredictable nature of the quality and freshness of Reception Desk Mints. [UPDATE: My wife Mary just got the ugly end of a bad mint stick from Sonic. We had a great real fruit strawberry slush and then immediately after, Mary popped the free mint and ACK!!!]
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Sacha Dzuba to do next MixTape for my show on August 23rd at 8pm @Relapse Theatre in Midtown Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Flat Tire...
My tire went flat on the way to a family gathering. The culprit? A long carpenter's nail. Now, why would someone want to build something with my car tire while it is still attached to my car? #Monday, July 28, 2008
Where have you gone Scrabulous?
My precious Scrabulous was removed from Facebook. I am no forced to play Word Twist. Argh...Update: Confirmed. 100% correct. I am the world's worst "Word Twist" player on Facebook. #
Next Mix Tape will be August 23rd by Sacha Dzuba!
The next mixtape performance will be by The Julia Dream and Free Kitten's Sacha Dzuba on August 23rd 2008! Come out and see the show!!
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Six Ten Spare a Success!!
SixTenSpare raving success. Definitely bringing that back soon with even more special guests! New JaCKPie ideas flooding into my mind following this outstanding performance!
Saturday, July 26, 2008
John Dixon is in Town!!!
8pm. Sat. Relapse Theatre. Huge Cast. You Must Come Out. FREE. BYOB. John Dixon is in town. Do it. Do it. You know you want to. #
Tick Tock... Mixtape by Houston Longino 7/19/08
Houston created a great mix tape for me this last time on short notice... We discovered that even though Sacha Dzuba had finished his tape, a gig with his band The Julia Dream was taking him away from the theatre the night of my performance and we both wanted him to be there to see his magic at work. Though I don't yet have the a description of his method-to-madness I do have the track list...
Synopsis:
Jeremy, a confused young man suffering from what many people call "being male" has made some stupid choices in his life and unfortunately stands at the brink of losing his beloved wife forever. When she packs her bags and walks out the door, Jeremy goes on the road hitchhiking to re-discover a bit of what life is all about.
Amongst the people he crosses paths with are a superhero (who is nice enough to make him a "sidekick" and teach him the power of the double layered mask) and a truck driver who is "a little bit racist" due to his girlfriend and business being stolen by a "china-man." He later reveals that he isn't racist, he just has it in for that particular unnamed person of Chinese heritage. We can tell from the character of the truck driver that he was probably the cause of the breakup and business loss himself and is just blaming it on his girlfriend's new Asian Beau.
When Jeremy goes traveling long distance with the truck driver, he forgets to tell him that he is diabetic and when he pays no attention to his blood sugar and slumps on the dashboard the trucker breaks from his duty of delivery and heads to the emergency room. This causes the truck driver to miss his scheduled delivery of his shipment and so he stays in the waiting room and with Jeremy because he has no place else to go.
Jeremy's wife Gwen shows up at the hospital because she thinks he is going to die. Jeremy botches any type of apology or patch up job on his marriage at the hospital but you can tell things are finally getting through to him. In the following scene we see him over apologizing to the truck driver and asking him to room with him since he feels responsible for the driver's lost job and truck. Gwen comes home and the two of them close themselves in the closet for a private conversation and finally Jeremy is able to commit to his wife and tell her his revelations of how he should act as a husband. The show ends on a happy note with the feeling that things might work out between them.
- What You Waiting For - Gwen Stefani
- Fate's Wide Wheel - Scott Bakula
- Yesterday - The Beatles
- Timebomb - Old 97's
- One Week - Barnaked Ladies
- Four of Two - They Might Be Giants
- Synchronicity I - The Police
- I know its Mine - Oysterland
- A Question of Time - Depeche Mode
- Make tomorrow - Peter Gabriel
Synopsis:
Jeremy, a confused young man suffering from what many people call "being male" has made some stupid choices in his life and unfortunately stands at the brink of losing his beloved wife forever. When she packs her bags and walks out the door, Jeremy goes on the road hitchhiking to re-discover a bit of what life is all about.
Amongst the people he crosses paths with are a superhero (who is nice enough to make him a "sidekick" and teach him the power of the double layered mask) and a truck driver who is "a little bit racist" due to his girlfriend and business being stolen by a "china-man." He later reveals that he isn't racist, he just has it in for that particular unnamed person of Chinese heritage. We can tell from the character of the truck driver that he was probably the cause of the breakup and business loss himself and is just blaming it on his girlfriend's new Asian Beau.
When Jeremy goes traveling long distance with the truck driver, he forgets to tell him that he is diabetic and when he pays no attention to his blood sugar and slumps on the dashboard the trucker breaks from his duty of delivery and heads to the emergency room. This causes the truck driver to miss his scheduled delivery of his shipment and so he stays in the waiting room and with Jeremy because he has no place else to go.
Jeremy's wife Gwen shows up at the hospital because she thinks he is going to die. Jeremy botches any type of apology or patch up job on his marriage at the hospital but you can tell things are finally getting through to him. In the following scene we see him over apologizing to the truck driver and asking him to room with him since he feels responsible for the driver's lost job and truck. Gwen comes home and the two of them close themselves in the closet for a private conversation and finally Jeremy is able to commit to his wife and tell her his revelations of how he should act as a husband. The show ends on a happy note with the feeling that things might work out between them.
Friday, July 25, 2008
Superhero Battle!
If ever there was a day to have the side of my building smashed in by a superhero battle and everyone evacuate and go home... this is it. #
Thursday, July 24, 2008
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
St. George Island Vacation
Just returned from my yearly vacation on St. George Island. The picture is of the Lighthouse that they recently moved over from Little St. George to Big St. George. I walked around the thing twice trying to get a picture that didn't include all the mud, caution tape, bulldozers, saw horses etc... Finally found this shot with some nice bushes that were kind enough to lean in and cover all the garbage!
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Monday, June 16, 2008
Mix Tape: S.O.L. by Pat Young
Pat has been performing improv for a while, because that's all he's wanted to do. He got his BA in Theatre at Florida State University, while also performing on the school's improv troupe Oncoming Traffic. He has also performed at the Miami Improv Festival, the Dirty South Improv Festival, and the Black Box Improv Festival. He moved to Atlanta in July of 2006, where he began peforming at The Basement Theatre under the artistic direction of J*. He was appointed Improv Director of The Basement in January of 2007. One of his most memorable moments at the Basement was when Mo Collins of MadTV fame performed a scene with him where she became the physical manifestation of his pirate "man jewels." Currently, Pat performs in Free Kittens! with the JaCKPie Theatre Workshop at Relapse Theatre.
Pat wastes his free time by working for a brokerage and playing Guitar Hero.
Here are Pat's notes on creating this month's Mixtape:
Most people had anticipated me creating a mix with nothing but metal and fast paced songs with indiscernible lyrics. Oh ho, not so fast! I’ve designed shows before, and it wasn’t gonna be that way! I also purposefully only put ten songs on the tape to allow Jim some room to do longer scenes.
Obviously, SOL stands for Stages of Life, but I tried to be subtle and make it seem like it meant Shit Outta Luck.
I really wanted it to be a mixtape…not just a “tape” with songs that I like but a real MIX of songs that carry an overall theme. So I started looking for songs that had spoke or had mention of various stages of life. Tool had “infancy” Toys R Us is a kids song, BNL had 9th grade, ST was a very young-adult angst song. Aladdin was tough because I wanted it to symbolize graduation, and entering the real world.
After that it’s the stages of adulthood: first love, marriage, kids. Then I followed it with old age. I wanted to use Windows and Walls by Dan Fogelberg but couldn’t find it, so Beatles was my 2nd choice.Relient K definitely had the right tone I wanted to close the show with. Most songs were about killing someone, or themselves…seldomly did I come across a song about themselves dying of old age. But Relient K worked great, and I had confidence in Jim to make it work.
Jim did a great job of following interpreting not only the lyrics themselve, but the style of the singer/song itself.
I also got a kick out of some of the audience reactions, especially Whole New World. The clapping in When I’m 64 kind of caught me off guard.
I look forward to making another one!
Mix Tape by Pat Young
Title: S.O.L.
6/14/08
Pat did an amazing job on this mix tape. There were some fantastic surprises! His theme (I found out after the show) was life from beginning to end. Here is the songlist:
1. Tool - Lateralus
2. Toys R. Us song from commercial
3. Bare Naked Ladies - Grade 9
4. Suicidal Tendencies - Institutionalized
5. Aladdin - A Whole New World
6. Mary j. Blige - Love At First Sight
7. Frank Sinatra - Love and Marriage
8. Ugly Kid Joe - Cats In The Cradle And The Silver Spoon
9. Beatles - When I'm 64
10. Reliant K. - Deathbed
The show was about the journey of an intelligent young boy named Hugo, his dealings with being a commercial actor, being a young genius moving too quickly through school, his mother trying to find a husband and him a father and young "love" with a girl named Penny.
Here is my breakdown of the show, song by song:
Mixtape set list from Pat Young
This is a shot of the set list from Pat Young. I got this right after the show was done.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Daddy Chris and Little Clara
Man that is one cute kid. Can't wait to see her grow up!!! Thank you Flickr!
Pat Young to create Mix Tape for June 14th Show!
More information about Pat Young COMING SOON!
Send me your mix tapes!
In an effort to better the production value of my one man show I'm going to be doing more work with actual mixtapes... to rehearse this and re-work the form I need some old mixtapes that won't be missed. Have one? Let me know and I'll get it from you at the theatre or find a spot to meet.
Permission to do a similar shot for Mixtape promo...
I thought this was an awesome shot and I contacted the owner to get permission to do a near copy of it for an upcoming mix tape promo... Might adjust the depth of the tape from the camera so that it looks a little bit more like eyes... The written part at the bottom would include information about the venue, website, cost etc... Might add a little space between the photo and the track list for "mixtape" to be written slightly larger. Anyone that wants to help me work on this please let me know!
Sunday, June 1, 2008
#1 "Twelve: Our Songs" a mixtape by Houston Longino
"12: Our Songs" - Mix Tape created by Houston Longino.
Houston Longino is not just sound and light designer for Mix Tape... he was also the first Mix Tape creator for the "world premiere" on May 31st at 8pm. Here was a note he made about his mix tape creation.
Houston handed me the Mix Tape (he already had it imported into the computer to run the show) and I saw the title was "Our Songs." I knew it would be somewhat romantic in nature and about relationships so I knew immediately I wouldn't just do a classic love story. I decided to start the first monologue right AFTER the two main characters had broken up. I turned my back, the lights went dark and Houston hit the first track...
(Each track below signifies a new song and also a new scene. Music and light cues were the edits and also the sources.)
1. Heaven by Talking Heads
Because the first thing that I hear in the show is influential both on the direction of the entire piece and also the first main character, it was awesome that Houston picked something with a nice even tempo and a really powerful specific. Obviously line one gave me a location... a bar. Line two was that the bar is called Heaven and so this character loves this bar, thinks it is perfect and bars play a very large part in his life. At this point I had enough info and "checked out" for a second or two of processing time. I didn't really listen to lines 3 and 4... just hid behind the music's "curtain." When the song ended I hit the stage and did a monologue of the main male character (We'll call him "Bruce") He was at "Heaven" and was speaking to a bartender about the breakup and how she was going to get his bar in the breakup as well as some of his close friends. He noted (somewhat intoxicated) that he would dress in a disguise so that he could come back to "Heaven." We got a strong feeling that he is an alcoholic...
2. (Happy to Be) Stuck with You by Huey Lewis and The News
I immediately grabbed "stuck with you" and I decided the the female character would be stuck with someone (besides the obvious romantic choice) and decided it was a therapist. She had been court ordered into therapy... For the second song, I was creating the "pair" character for my first main character. In this case it turned out to be someone who had just started dating him. In his monologue he was at the end of this relationship. In her monologue she was at the beginning of it. She had been ordered by the therapist not to date again because of her past... she should get a dog first and then work her way up to a human relationship again. She balks at the therapist and tells her that she is going to date him anyway. (We will call our 2nd main character "Sarah.")
3. Freefallin by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
This one was super easy... as soon as I heard "Free Fallin" I knew that they were skydiving. I decided it was their 3rd date and they were jumping out of a plane together. He had lied for the two of them and forged their documents to show that they were experienced skydivers. She told him she loved him, he panicked and then pulled himself together and decided not to just run away from her. Scene ended with them jumping out of the plane together.
4. Amazing Grace by The Blind Boys of Alabama
We jump back to the future again where he is struggling with the tail end of the relationship. He is drinking heavily and is speaking about his relationship to people on his same pew in the church at a friend's funeral. He asked the people around him if they would mind if he spoke about his girlfriend and what bothered him about her instead of speaking of the deceased. I justified this statement with "I haven't been to AA in a while and I have to get this out." Now we know he is DEFINITELY an alcoholic.
5. When you Were Young by The Killers
I grabbed the concept that Sarah was in a scene with someone very young that still saw hope in life. It turned out to be her 6 year old niece Penny. Penny is living in Sarah's old room in the house she grew up in. The discover that they even have the same kind of teddy bear (which Sarah momentarily accuses Penny of stealing from her things from the attic.) Sarah tells her that life is hard, there is no Santa Claus and that for her birthday speech she should tell everyone that they can't control her or her life and she will make the choices that she wants in life.
6. Nosering Girl by Nerf Herder
We discover in this lyric that Sarah is beautiful, strange and he is going to give up eating meat for her. We start the scene with the two and he is eating a salad topped with Parsley. Nuff said :)
7. Whole Thing by Peter Gabriel & Big Blue Ball
Bruce and Penny in a car heading to Penny's 6th birthday party. We discover that she loves the country and in this scene we feel that this must have been the high point in their relationship before everything went wrong.
8. Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors
Bruce is found kneeling by a chair where Penny sits crying. The entire family has gone off somewhere together on her birthday. She is left with only Bruce who has no idea how to talk to a child. He gives her more bad advice and completely fails to comfort the poor child.
9. Guilty Balloon by Young Agent Jones
Back to the past... Bruce is at the bar with all of his alcoholic friends. He tells them that he has given up eathing meat for her and that he is going to marry her... they tell him he has lost his gonads and they eat steak right in front of him to mock him.
10. Zombi by The Cranberries
Back to the future... Sarah is being surrounded by all of her friends (some of whom have flown in to help her.) She and Bruce have broken up and the girls have gotten together in an intervention to keep her from going back to him.
11. Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne
For some reason I can't think of what this scene was... I'll talk to Houston and see if he remembers.
12. Only the Good Die Young by Billy Joel
Dying made me think of Airplanes for some reason and Fate made me think that the two, after breaking up and getting over each other end up sitting together on a long flight and potentially get back together (if only to destroy themselves again.)
Houston Longino is not just sound and light designer for Mix Tape... he was also the first Mix Tape creator for the "world premiere" on May 31st at 8pm. Here was a note he made about his mix tape creation.
For the first mix-tape show, I wanted to avoid doing two things. One, I wanted to avoid too much music snobbery. And two, I didnt want to make a tape specifically to mess with the improviser. In thinking about the mix, I eventually fell back on making something with songs that had a very personal meaning to me. This way they could be varied but also share a common (but maybe not obvious) theme. These twelve songs were picked because I associate each of them with a girl that Ive dated, liked, or loved in the past. So heres my mix tape:
- Heaven by Talking Heads
- (Happy to Be) Stuck with You by Huey Lewis and The News
- Freefallin by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
- Amazing Grace by The Blind Boys of Alabama
- When you Were Young by The Killers
- Nosering Girl by Nerf Herder
- Whole Thing by Peter Gabriel & Big Blue Ball
- Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors
- Guilty Balloon by Young Agent Jones
- Zombie by The Cranberries
- Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne
- Only the Good Die Young by Billy Joel
Houston handed me the Mix Tape (he already had it imported into the computer to run the show) and I saw the title was "Our Songs." I knew it would be somewhat romantic in nature and about relationships so I knew immediately I wouldn't just do a classic love story. I decided to start the first monologue right AFTER the two main characters had broken up. I turned my back, the lights went dark and Houston hit the first track...
(Each track below signifies a new song and also a new scene. Music and light cues were the edits and also the sources.)
1. Heaven by Talking Heads
Everyone is trying to get to the bar.
The name of the bar, the bar is called Heaven.
The band in Heaven plays my favorite song.
They play it once again, they play it all night long.
Because the first thing that I hear in the show is influential both on the direction of the entire piece and also the first main character, it was awesome that Houston picked something with a nice even tempo and a really powerful specific. Obviously line one gave me a location... a bar. Line two was that the bar is called Heaven and so this character loves this bar, thinks it is perfect and bars play a very large part in his life. At this point I had enough info and "checked out" for a second or two of processing time. I didn't really listen to lines 3 and 4... just hid behind the music's "curtain." When the song ended I hit the stage and did a monologue of the main male character (We'll call him "Bruce") He was at "Heaven" and was speaking to a bartender about the breakup and how she was going to get his bar in the breakup as well as some of his close friends. He noted (somewhat intoxicated) that he would dress in a disguise so that he could come back to "Heaven." We got a strong feeling that he is an alcoholic...
2. (Happy to Be) Stuck with You by Huey Lewis and The News
Yes, its true, (yes its true) I am happy to be stuck with you
Yes, its true, (yes its true) Im so happy to be stuck with you
cause I can see, (I can see) that youre happy to be stuck with me
I immediately grabbed "stuck with you" and I decided the the female character would be stuck with someone (besides the obvious romantic choice) and decided it was a therapist. She had been court ordered into therapy... For the second song, I was creating the "pair" character for my first main character. In this case it turned out to be someone who had just started dating him. In his monologue he was at the end of this relationship. In her monologue she was at the beginning of it. She had been ordered by the therapist not to date again because of her past... she should get a dog first and then work her way up to a human relationship again. She balks at the therapist and tells her that she is going to date him anyway. (We will call our 2nd main character "Sarah.")
3. Freefallin by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers
It's a long day livin' in Reseda
There's a freeway runnin' through the yard
And I'm a bad boy, 'cause I don't even miss her
I'm a bad boy for breakin' her heart
[Chorus:]
And I'm free, I'm free fallin'
This one was super easy... as soon as I heard "Free Fallin" I knew that they were skydiving. I decided it was their 3rd date and they were jumping out of a plane together. He had lied for the two of them and forged their documents to show that they were experienced skydivers. She told him she loved him, he panicked and then pulled himself together and decided not to just run away from her. Scene ended with them jumping out of the plane together.
4. Amazing Grace by The Blind Boys of Alabama
Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me.
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.T'was Grace that taught,
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
We jump back to the future again where he is struggling with the tail end of the relationship. He is drinking heavily and is speaking about his relationship to people on his same pew in the church at a friend's funeral. He asked the people around him if they would mind if he spoke about his girlfriend and what bothered him about her instead of speaking of the deceased. I justified this statement with "I haven't been to AA in a while and I have to get this out." Now we know he is DEFINITELY an alcoholic.
5. When you Were Young by The Killers
You sit there in your heartache
Waiting on some beautiful boy to
To save you from your old ways
You play forgiveness
Watch him now, here he come
He doesn't look a thing like Jesus
But he talks like a gentleman
Like you imagined when you were young
I grabbed the concept that Sarah was in a scene with someone very young that still saw hope in life. It turned out to be her 6 year old niece Penny. Penny is living in Sarah's old room in the house she grew up in. The discover that they even have the same kind of teddy bear (which Sarah momentarily accuses Penny of stealing from her things from the attic.) Sarah tells her that life is hard, there is no Santa Claus and that for her birthday speech she should tell everyone that they can't control her or her life and she will make the choices that she wants in life.
6. Nosering Girl by Nerf Herder
Yeah she had pretty hair and beautiful eyes
And a Dalmatian jacket (Dalmatian jacket)
And she was the kind of girl who you
would give up eating meat for
We discover in this lyric that Sarah is beautiful, strange and he is going to give up eating meat for her. We start the scene with the two and he is eating a salad topped with Parsley. Nuff said :)
7. Whole Thing by Peter Gabriel & Big Blue Ball
the whole thing would still go on without you
and something would still be there to move me
my own thing is always to inspire you
the one that I love I dream beside
the one that I love I dream beside
the one that I love is close as I can get
the one that I love I dream beside
the one that I love I dream beside
sometimes I can't remember
sometimes I can't forget
Bruce and Penny in a car heading to Penny's 6th birthday party. We discover that she loves the country and in this scene we feel that this must have been the high point in their relationship before everything went wrong.
8. Suddenly Seymour from Little Shop of Horrors
Lift up your head
Wash off your mascara
Here, take my Kleenex
Wipe that lipstick away
Show me your face, clean as the mornin'
I know things were bad, but now they're okay
Bruce is found kneeling by a chair where Penny sits crying. The entire family has gone off somewhere together on her birthday. She is left with only Bruce who has no idea how to talk to a child. He gives her more bad advice and completely fails to comfort the poor child.
9. Guilty Balloon by Young Agent Jones
Even if you feel it hard enough
So that you just might blow
Unless you act on impulse
There are emotions you may never know
Over and over again
It swells so big inside of you
You're full of it, your skin is thin
And soon your skin is see-through
Get it out or get blown apart
No one is elastic enough
You'll stretch until your head's a wreck
The best of you is hidden yet
That feeling in your gut is gold
That feeling will make you explode
There are times when we get down
We sit and stare across the room
We need to scream and break some things
We need to cut our puppet strings
I wish that I could think this way
When I hold back on something I should say
Stick a pin into your soul
And watch the pressure drop
Tell a shrink about it
He'll write it down on paper
And put it in a folder
Back to the past... Bruce is at the bar with all of his alcoholic friends. He tells them that he has given up eathing meat for her and that he is going to marry her... they tell him he has lost his gonads and they eat steak right in front of him to mock him.
10. Zombi by The Cranberries
Another head hangs lowly, child is slowly taken
And the violence caused such silence we must be mistaken
But you see it's not me it's not my family
In your head, in your head they are fighting
Chorus (same chords)
With their tanks and their guns and their bombs and their guns
In your head, In your head they are crying
In your head, in your head, zombie, zombie, zombi-e-i-e-e-i
What's in your head, in your head, zombie, zombie, zombi-e-i-e-e-i
Another mother's breakin' heart is taking over
When the vioence causes silence, we must be mistaken
It's the same old theme, since 1916,
In your head in your head, they're still fighting
Back to the future... Sarah is being surrounded by all of her friends (some of whom have flown in to help her.) She and Bruce have broken up and the girls have gotten together in an intervention to keep her from going back to him.
11. Girlfriend by Avril Lavigne
Hey hey, you you
I could be your girlfriend
Hey hey, you you
I know that you like me
No way, no way
You know it's not a secret
Hey hey, you you
I want to be your girlfriend
You're so fine
I want you mine
You're so delicious
I think about you all the time
You're so addictive
Don't you know
What I can do
To make you feel alright
( alright alright alright)
For some reason I can't think of what this scene was... I'll talk to Houston and see if he remembers.
12. Only the Good Die Young by Billy Joel
Come out come out virgina dont let me wait,
The catholic girls start much too late
Sooner or later it comes down to fate
I might as well be the one,
U know that only the good die young
Dying made me think of Airplanes for some reason and Fate made me think that the two, after breaking up and getting over each other end up sitting together on a long flight and potentially get back together (if only to destroy themselves again.)
Saturday, May 31, 2008
Mixtape Debut
Tonight I will be performing the debut of MIx Tape at Relapse Theatre in Midtown. I am pretty excited about it. The idea originally was to create something that wasn't already being done at JaCKPie (i.e. an existing harold or splinter team) and perform it in the 8:00 timeslot oppostie Babies mit Bearden in an effort to raise additional money for Relapse Theatre. I only planned to do it once but now that I have the form created and have talked to a few people about it, I might just keep it as my solo performance show. Houston Longino will be creating a mix tape for me with a specific theme for my first show... 12 songs that I will use as source material for each scene or monologue in the show. Houston will be putting together a blog entry here after the show is done that will describe his intent behind the mix tape, the tracks with artist and song name and his experience watching the performance based on that tape. Should be a lot of fun!
Friday, March 28, 2008
Dora approved
Man this made me laugh. The caption more than anything. Bill Seybolt is the photographer on this one... his caption said "Dora is on the corn. So, eat your freakin' corn."
Mike Brune is my hero...
I love watching Mike Brune do object work. This could also have been a picture of Chris Nik cause he does mind blowing OW as well but I have to say, I love watching Brune get lost in his invisible world. Awesome. Go Brune!
Jackpie or Magdaw?
I googled Jackpie today in flickr and got this picture... very striking. The text said "Aberrant Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) near Brockenhurst, New Forest"
MCT spring break day camp
I was feeling nostalgic for my children's theatre days this morning and thought I would do a flickr search... fount one of my buddies from wayback doing one of the same shows that I directed... I can tell you I miss the kids like crazy. In the picture you can see that we got to work with little ones from kindergarten and then all the way through 12th grade. Each grade had their own charm and the tiny ones were the most fun... they got SOOOOO into their roles. Good times.
Thursday, March 27, 2008
Blogging problem solved!
So finally after almost two months I have a working solution to my blogging issue... I found that I can text from my new palm treo to my flickr account which will automatically post to my wordpress blog... Hooray! I am no longer bound to available wifi or the limitations of my old cell... Kewl.
Friday, February 8, 2008
Thursday, February 7, 2008
Derek Mize
Just a quick jot about Derek Mize and his work at the Relapse Theatre in Midtown. This guy is amazing.
Derek is the inspiration for the Derek Mize Scholarship at JaCKPie. Every year JaCKPie will give away one full tuition to a deserving member of the community who shows great promise as a performer, contributes selflessly to the Relapse Theatre in Midtown and is also cute as a button.
We love you Derek!
Beards
I can't grow a beard. The hair on my face comes in red even though in college my hair went dark brown. There are also lots of patches where no hair on my face grows at all... so when I try to grow it out I get a lot of people saying "Your face looks kind of dirty."
I played a cowboy in a touring show of a western Beauty and the Beast and the director asked me to grow out my moustache. I did this (the moustache grows in full) but as soon as the stage lights hit it, it almost literally dissapeared. I ended up having to darken it with an eyebrow pencil which for a guy is an absolute ego buster.
When I see pictures of my biological father, his facial hair was very dark and very thick... Sure seems like he could have given me that gene. Maybe he didn't want me to have it... like it was a big responsibility or something.
If you're wondering the guy in the picture is a JaCKPie member named Shannon Jenkins. He flaunts his beard around and makes sure he has lots of stubble on his face to taunt me. He will pay for this one day, but he doesn't know that yet... Of course he reads this blog so I guess he knows now.
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Superbowl
So… it is the 4th quarter of the superbowl and here we all are in Shelley’s computer room looking at pictures of their trip to Washington D.C. Of the entire game I remember looking at the screen about 4 times… So obviously I’m not a sports guy. I did see a couple of commercials that I liked.
Bud Light had a great commercial spoofing Rocky with the last picked Clydesdale and dalmatian training to pull the Bud Light wagon. Great moment at the end with a nice high five between the two.
Coca Cola had an awesome parade float fight between Stewie and Underdog with an unexpected win by THE Charlie Brown.
I don’t know what car commercial it was but the “what’s more than that” of not hitting a deer, not hitting Alice Cooper and almost hitting Richard Simmons in the road was pretty cute.
Mary and I rarely go out for Superbowl Sunday but an invite from Jim Dewberry cannot be turned down without much consideration. Turned out to be a nice relaxing evening of good company and about 3 bowls of carnivore chili, chocolate chip cake and all the soda you could guzzle. Talked about improv more than I wanted to (for my wife’s sake because she isn’t an improviser) but she was a great sport about it and we really enjoyed ourselves.
Now it is time to look forward to this week. Two classes, a workshop a show, two meetings and a lot of planning. Here we go… Happy Superbowl Sunday everybody!
Back when they were in Level 1...
This picture makes me smile. The composition happened when I asked them all to run from different places in the room at each other on the stage and then stick it right before the flash went off. The energy in the picture is so tangible... I love it.
Derek, Ed, Shannon, Will, Sally, N8, Amy, Chris and Benji
They are actually this fun every single class... They are a real blessing
Funny Receipt
This is the first time in my life that a RECEIPT has made me laugh...
In case you can't read it, it goes like this:
* Roll Wrap
* Curl Swirl
* Bday Card
* Walk N Ride
* Banana
Something about the way the words are put together, the sounds match up and the actual content of the list itself tickled me. Thought it was worth sharing.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Story by Robert McKee
Oh man am I jazzed about this book. This guy talks and thinks right in line with my brain in a way that makes his truths just slide like butter right into the theory I teach with...
Got an idea while reading it at dinner that I'm going to go back and start creating reading guides for the books that I keep suggesting to everyone. That way, people have some of my favorite equal signs to work with, even if I am not able to be with them in person when they are working through the more technical stuff...
I have to start a wiki tomorrow or Monday that will complete the triad of my improv communication with students. The bulletin board, this blog and the wiki will work together to give the community a constant source of educational direction to supplement the 5 levels and for those that have a large appetite for truths will not be at a lack for brain food.
Can't wait until JaCKPie is really my only job so that I can get the true amount of educational material out there that I currently have no time to generate. I want the full experience to be uninterrupted for those students who constantly want more...
Also, masters classes soon for Alumni... pretty jazzed about that too!
I love my job...
Today in Level One class I inadvertently made reference again to something I said 6 years ago when I was describing the 2 man improvised show I would be doing with Chris Pierce. People were fascinated by the concept and wanted to know things like "Do you have a premise?" and "Do you know what characters you'll be doing?" I replied to one of them "Nope. Just the two of us, no idea at all what the show will be about. No props or set. Just two guys, two chairs and a shower curtain."
Today in class it was the shower curtain part that came out and it ran across my brain in a lightning flash how far we've come since the first two man show. There are over 60 people involved in the project now counting actors, students and interns. From 2 to 60 in 6 years and we still have the same core mission and beliefs that were used to begin our first duo show.
I'm hanging in there and just trying to keep myself in a good head space about the whole thing... Keep my mind on the work and taking care of everyone and not let the risk and pressure of it all get to me.
In case you are wondering and/or care, the red curtains that we use today are the same ones that we started with 6 years ago. They were made by hand with grommets, scissors and a bolt of red cloth we found. Amazing.
Arrows on stairs
How wonderful that the owners of my office building felt it necessary to put arrows on the stairs to tell you where to go. I'm assuming this is in case of emergency. Like you're smelling smoke and passing through the emergency door and you're panicked and you're thinking "Which way is down?!! Which way is down!!??"
I wonder if these were placed because of a law suit. Like the warning label on disposable coffee cups that tell you that coffee is hot and you might get burned... because someone burned themselves on hot coffee... and they were surprised.
The basis for the suit must have been "When I was coming out of the emergency exit, I didn't know how to get out of the building so I went up... and up... and up... and I found myself on the roof... and there were flames!!! And it was horrible!!! And I died!!! Give me some money."
I really want to get in there early one morning before anyone else and reverse all these arrows... or at least make the ones on the right go up and the ones in the middle go sideways. Or maybe I'll replace them all with those little feet that show you how to dance. So in case of emergency you must salsa your way to safety... or rumba... or fox trot.
Nope... I'm wrong... the arrows need to be placed so they lead you straight into a wall... or sway back and forth... or lead to a big X on the floor with a pirate spelling of "treshur" beside it.
Nope... got it... on Monday I'm just going to make more of these things and continue them out of the stairwell all the way to where I park my car and then go back and have them start from my desk and lead to the stairwell door. Yep... that's it. Totally do-able.
Needs:
* Color Printer
* Scanner
* Scissors
* Paper
* Tape
* Tape Measure
* Drafting Paper
* Drafting Pencils
* Copy of "Your Guide to Arrows and Tape."
Awesome. Please comment to this post if you want to help me out... I've got a lot of cutting and laminating to do and could use the support.
If you are still actually reading this blog entry, you just made it into my top 10 friend list.
Good night all!
Spanglish
It is so funny to me that I will grill myself for hours about what free movie I want to commit to from the on demand from Comcast or if I'm going to pick something from Netflix, but I will sit and watch 30 minutes of Spanglish with commercials on TBS before I even realize what I'm doing. WITH COMMERCIALS! I hate commercials. I am the king of fast forwarding through them and stopping perfectly before the show starts, but turn the TV on, see a random movie like Spanglish and boom... there goes 30 minutes.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Ask Jim #3: Offer vs. Truth
No actual question today, but this is an explanation that I have given more than once after I have steered to avoid the term "offer" in a conversation. Enjoy!
As most of you already know, I am a firm believer in finding the right terms when we are describing our art and its building blocks. Yesterday it hit me why I don't really care for the term "offer" when it comes to something that an improviser is giving in a line or an action in a scene. The term offer is supposed to indicate that you have put something out on stage to be used, but for me it also indicates that the other person could NOT TAKE THAT OFFER. In our work at JaCKPie we teach that everything that is said or done is right and that once it is spoken or acted on stage it is true.
So when are we offering something up to our partner? Never really. We are creating a truth or we are not. If we "offer" it, we might also be indicating by accident that we want it to be approved by our partner. But if we say it, our partner won't be approving or declining because our approach has pre-acceptance built in, and they are going straight past deciding whether to use it or not and moving straight to making something out of it.
I know some of you out there might think this is just semantics but I can't tell you the number of times I have heard "They didn't take my offer" said about someone's scene partner. The problem really isn't that they didn't take it, it is that the environment is still allowing for things not to be taken. If a person walks right by a truth in one of my classes or workshops, I stop them and point out what is already true... I don't indicate that if it was a better line then it might have been worthy of being accepted by their partner.
So the real problem, if we are working from a utopia of perfect acceptance, is not that people are not accepting offers, it is more that they weren't aware of the true potential or the bigger truth behind what was said or done. When we think this way we do not even give the player the subconscious thought that an OFFER might not be accepted and we indicate that you should pay very close attention, lest you miss a TRUTH.
Additions to the Library
When I am searching for truths and equal signs for my work in improvisation and spontaneous theatre at JaCKPie, I rarely look for books ABOUT improvisation... My favorite resources are books about playwrighting, acting, directing, screenwriting and so on... Tonight, I purchased 4 books that I will soon deconstruct in search for said truths and equal signs...
And here they are... in order of what fell out of the Barnes and Noble bag... (PLEASE REMEMBER THESE ARE NOT RECOMMENDATIONS... I JUST BOUGHT THEM AND HAVEN'T READ THEM YET!)
Story by Robert McKee - Substance, Structure, Style and the Principles of Screenwriting. Randomly flipping pages, I see awesome sections on Character, Tension and a great page on what makes an argument and why they don't work on screen/stage. Can't wait for this one. The really big selling point is that I agree with the first thing he says. "Story is about principles, not rules. A rule says "You must do it this way." A principle says, "This works... and has through all remembered time. The difference is crucial."
The Playwright's Guidebook by Stuart Spencer - An insightful primer on the art of dramatic writing. Skimming through, I see sections on Action, Motivation, Subtext and Character... all big favorites. Especially excited to see a formula that states "General Qualities + Emotions + Action + Speech/Behavior = Character.
The Unconscious Actor - by Darryl Hickman - Out of control, In full command... The art of performance in acting and in life. Right off the bat, I spot at least 3 references to Zen so far... mmmmmmmawesome. Chapter one is title "Movie Star or Monk?" and Chapter four is titled "Beyond Box Office: Performance as Art." The man had me at Hello.
Oops! Well look at that... I was wrong, I didn't buy 4 new books. This last one is an old favorite... I buy a copy of Free Play, Improvisation in Life and Art by Stephen Nachmanovitch every time I go to that particular Barnes and Noble for a friend. This copy is for Jillian Fratkin, who is a teacher at JaCKPie and is also doing work forming our Director's Series shows... This book blows people's minds. Before you run out and buy it though, make sure that you read Chapter 2. Some people have trouble responding to his writing style and I don't want to be slapped around for suggesting you buy it Blindly. (If you want to slap me around, please find another excuse. There are plenty. If you need suggestions that are guaranteed to work, just ask Chris Pierce. Or my old teacher Dr. Dan. Or my Cat. Any of those should work.)
So there we are... Four books... 3 new that I can't wait to hit and 1 old that I can't wait to give. It is a good night all around!
Too much time in prep and not enough in WRITING.
So it is 8:48pm and I have zero words toward my daily goal of 1000. What's up with that Jim? Where's them words?
I spent my free time today working on the actual idea of the book that I am writing and how I might make it work instead of actually writing the book itself. I am attempting to create cross references in a way that will lead from one logical improv connection to the next. I've installed the plugin that it took me so much time to find and now I will test it out here. Let's pretend that I want to reference the [cref 23] from the blog article that I read... see? I did it! All I had to do was to type [cref (for cross reference) and ID Number] I am also supposed to be able to Reference and change the description by adding the description after the ID Number. Let's Give it a try. Here is [cref 23 an article.] Did it work? I have to save this entry to find out! Alright. Enough talking about what caused this... I have writing to do!
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Summer Vacation approaches...
I am really looking forward to my summer vacation. There was a time, just a few years back, that I could have taken a vacation or left it with no real thought. I spent most of my time focused on my work and my art and didn't even know how much healthier and happier I could be if I gave myself a real break, and I wouldn't have known how to relax enough to truly enjoy a break if I had it. Then came Mary and her calming affect on my life. She shows me daily how to think about life outside my organized life as a teacher and performer... She shows me how to love a fire in the hearth or a cup of hot soup. She will ask me to drive 15 minutes out of my way so she can show me this one really special tree that is in the prime of fall's color change. And so this year I know that it is coming. July will bring me 10 days on the beach building sandcastles, eating amazing meals and, most importantly, escaping the whole rest of the world. No laptop... no journal... no phone calls... no theatre planning or form creating or classes to be taught. Just me, Mary, my family of in-laws and a beautiful beach that needs nothing from me and offers the one thing I can't find anywhere else: Nothing.
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