Improv and Me

So this blog was originally supposed to be about my life as an improviser and producer of said improv, but it has become just a generic depository of thought, which is fine. But I still intend to pepper it with my sage improv wisdom!

So what do I have going on right now? Kind of a lot...which is good for me.

On the pH front I am still artistic directing away. I miss Micah, but Tristan is a fantastic AD so the transition has been seamless and great. Guy and I were joking the other night about how I should be the Marketing Director, and I jokingly said that's the way it was supposed to be. Way back in the beginning when Christian, Kristine, Micah, Jeff and I sat down to form pH we all were tossing around who would do what...Jeff assumed since he had a Business degree from Notre Dame he would be the Business Manager, I assumed since I was in advertising that I would be the Marketing guy, and since Christian and Kristine were teachers before and Christian had a degree in Theater from Northwestern that they would be the Co-AD's. Micah was always going to be the PR guy - the cool hand. Somehow though after much discussion it was decided that I would be the Co-AD with Kristine, and that Christian would be the Business Manager and Jeff would be Marketing. Magical. Going into our seventh season I am still mystified how I ended up here, but am glad I took the opportunity. I think some good came of it.

I am probably having the best time I've had in a long time in pH shows. pHrenzy is so much fun to me still, and I keep learning new things everytime I play in that show. I love the freedom and the confidence you need for that show. I have really stopped second guessing my choices and am just playing and its been super super fun. Even with a tore up leg! I continually get nervous about pHamily the Musical but I feel like its getting better too. The cast is more consistently the same people so there is some fun group mindy chemistry starting to happen. We had a fantastic 4 person show the other week with just Tristan, Rasheeda, Elise and myself and it was lovely. That show continues to be my favorite to do right now and is a constant challenge, I love it.

Also on the pH front, with the launch of the Sketch program, people are coming out of the woodwork slowly to write shows and such, which is very exciting. One such show is Rubbed, a show about a working class stiff who is down on his luck, and the genie that helps him see the light. You read that right. And I am pumped to be playing the genie!! I am also playing one other smaller part that is pretty fun for me to do, but you'll have to come see it to figure that out. Needless to say I am in ridiculous costumes the whole show. Oh and did I mention its a musical? Wonderful! I am also writing, well directing, a show based on old sitcoms, that will also be a musical, I have commissioned Jeff and Chris to help me with the writing end of it, and its been on the backburner for a while now, I just need to pull it back out and work with it. I also need to take a week off work and finish up the Breakfast Club Musical I am writing. That has been a labor of love forever. I just need to f-ing do it.

Over at iO, I am suddenly having a ton of fun and doing a lot more there. It was a weird transition, where I went from being someone who wasn't sure how they fared over there to suddenly being embraced as someone they like. I am great with it because its more opportunity for me. My Harold team, Mrs. Dad, is as fun as it gets. Great great people, great great coach, and we do wonderfully silly enjoyable shows, that people are really starting to jive on. We have a great schedule this time around so I am very excited for that. We are finally downstairs for all our shows, and they are all at 8 on great nights, and we aren't opening anymore (well maybe once). Its a great step for the team and its great that we are being acknowledged. I am also coaching a team, The Rabble, and they are a delightful bunch. I really like them. They are all great improvisers who needed a good shaking. I have been pretty open with them and am trying to get them to figure out team before structure and I think its paying off. They were on the rocks but have been turning in solid shows, and have a great schedule this time with weekend shows and great slots, its so rewarding to see them happy and excited about their team again.
I am also doing a show with some Mrs. Dad people called Radical Concept, which is a fun silly midnight upstairs show. I have had to miss a bunch of them because of having to manage the pH theater, but when I can do it its fun.

So that's it for now. I am having a good improv run right now, so hopefully that lasts. I can't wait to get the ole leg fixed so I can do more, but for now, its going as well as can be expected.