January 27th, 1996
Super Bowl
Yesterday was Super Bowl Sunday.
Yesterday I learned who was playing in the
Super Bowl.
Yesterday I didn't watch the Super Bowl.
I don't give a fuck about
the Super Bowl.
But as a result of it being that special Holiday, the audience at Second City last
evening was scant. There were about 40 people. I'm glad. It was an opportunity.
I invited the cast to completely fuck around with the show. Whatever they wanted
to do. It was fun. The cast added/changed lines, entered into scenes they weren't in,
etc. I did this for a couple of reasons. First, it's just fun to do......second, you never
know what will come up in this kind of spirit of play. And things did. A little funnier
line here, and embellishment there. All I did last night was write down new stuff
they came up with. The audience had a good time, and the set was fun as well.
I think I'll do that one more time before opening.
Editing
For 3 1/2 years now, The Annoyance has been working on a film called Fatty Drives
the Bus. Throughout this entire process I've been editing this film in my spare time
(which barely exists). It's amazing how editing a film is helping me think about the
show. It's affected the way I look at pace, cutting out of scenes, lighting, etc.
I feel like I want to use the lights the way a film cuts from scene to scene. I'm hoping with the new sets and lights I can do that. Right now the running order has about
16 items in it's list (items = scenes/blackouts/monologues,etc). The show is too long
now with these 16 things. By the time we open, the running order may contain as
many as 35 items, and the show will be much shorter. Quite a feat.
Here is the current running order...which won't mean a damn thing to you unless you've
seen the show in previews.......
Flag
Yessand
Diplomat
Coke
Ice Cream
Country
Telescope
Dratch
NPR
Teacher
Driver 1
Blood
Driver2
Wicked
Driver 3
Grandma
I'll try to post the running order we come up with a couple of days before opening.
If I'm not too crazy at that time.
Lock
Toward the end of the upcoming week, I will begin locking the show. That means
that although I'm open to new material being placed in the show right up to opening,
I have to made hard desicions about content that will certainly stay so as to construct
the show. This will involve cuts within scenes and cutting entire scenes. It's always
hard but 'ya gotta do it. Today I will spend time with the show. I will sit down and
think of structural element, common themes, transitions, etc. It's a left brain thing.
I need to do it in order to prepare myself for the week. I still want to allow the
cast to have input in regard to the structure, but I can't waste time thinking of a
backup plan during a rehearsal. That's a little different than what I usually do.
I'm gonna tip my hand about something. It's mostly about teaching but it also
applies to directing. This may sound stupid, but it's very important to me to
travel light. I don't like to carry a lot of stuff around with me. I'm not the kind
of person who has a back pack or a brief case or a bag over my shoulder. There's
a couple of reasons for this. The first reason is that I just don't like carrying a lot
of shit around personally because I know I'd always be checking it or carrying stuff
I don't need or looking at schedule books and so forth and I just don't like taking
the time or using energy in that way. The second reason involves teaching. I never
plan my classes. I may take a moment to have something in mind, but that is just
a back up. I may be teaching two classes in the exact same level (i.e. Level 2),
and be doing entirely different things. I try to teach according to where I feel the
class is that day and what is needed in regard to strengths and weaknesses. I like
to call that on the spot. I also like to walk in to a class with nothing. Just walk in.
It's an improv class. Fun, free-spirited. I remember having classes with teachers
who pull out note books and lists and take attendance and look through notes and it
made me feel like I was back in school.......very academic. Improvisation is a world
of play and it's damn hard for adults to play and the last thing I want my students
to percieve the authority in the room as (the teacher, me) is a diligent left-brain,
academic who will lecture and inform the student in the complex, intricate
matters involved in the calculating and measuring of the art of fucking around (improvisation). So I like to walk in with nothing, experience the
class, and leave. In directing it's the same thing......but I have to take notes. I use
a little notepad (9" X 6") and leave it in a box at Second City before I leave for the
night. I've gone through 8 of these for this show so far. I don't even know where
most of them are now.....they're somewhere at Second City.
Today, though, I've decided to work on the show.....so I had to drag my little note book
with me. I'm damn lucky I didn't lose it because I'm not used to carrying it.
So that's what I'm going to do right now.....edit the film and work on the show.
You have a fine day.
email mick
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