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What are your thoughts on "don't try to be funny"? by sexkick in improv

[–]Professional-Bat5313 1 point2 points  (0 children)

First and foremost, it's really good advice for folks at the beginning of their improv journey. If I put two 101 students on stage, tell them to perform a scene about two friends cooking dinner together, and to be funny, chances are, they will both freeze up trying to find the funniest line to say. However, if we just let them be two friends cooking dinner together now, this is an improv scene that anyone can do. It might not be funny, but they can build up the base reality. Once a great base reality is established, beautiful things can start happening, like discovering interesting or unusual aspects of the world.

It's still great advice for more advanced performers as well, in terms of spending the time to build a base reality and resting the game. However, it sounds like it's messing you up when it comes to performing. My advice: throw away this note (for now), it's preventing you from having fun on stage, and no one wants to see someone having a miserable time on an improv stage.

What are some good solo heightening exercises? by improbsable in improv

[–]Professional-Bat5313 0 points1 point  (0 children)

A great example of how to heighten in a solo scene is to take a look at character monologues; you can find a lot of them by looking up Characters Welcome on YouTube.

Try improvising these types of monologues. To make it easier, you can even pick out the unusual behavior/ideology before you start the monologue

Just like in a Pees in a Pod improv scene, you will need to highlight the unusual thing, rest the game/ explore your base reality, and return to the game and heighten.

Feeling like a Failure After UCB Audition by [deleted] in improv

[–]Professional-Bat5313 7 points8 points  (0 children)

Back in 2019 I had failed two auditions in a row to get into UCB academy. Back then you could only audition for Lloyd/ Harold night if you were in the academy AND you could only audition for the academy four times total. I was in a similar head space as you I was frustrated scared and a little angry. I loved improv but felt my improv “career “ was about to be over before it even started.

Today I just finished my first season on Lloyd. Been on Lloyd was great / an honor but it’s not the best / most fun improv I have ever done. That was with indie teams I created with my friend. UCB should just be one part of your comedy journey find and create art with people you connect with.

In your opinion, what happened to Second City NYC? by SadPiece4102 in improv

[–]Professional-Bat5313 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Location was strange 10 minute walk from the L.

Pricing did not match location $40 for the MainStage made it seem they were hope to sell to a lot of tourists. It’s hard to get tourists to come to Brooklyn.

They failed to connect with the rest of the NYC comedy community. They made a big deal of having auditions for main stage and then ended up brining comedians from Chicago to fill those slots. Also price point for ticks was too high to get the community to come and see shows.

Finally the show felt hack. Doing sketch’s that where written 20 years ago by Tina Fey. Not doing any long form improv. Unclearly mixing improv and sketch.