26 June 2004
Donovan Scott's Improv Performance Workshop
Saw the amazingly brilliant Pamela Newlands with her class in Improv Anonymous at the American Renegade Theatre, 11136 Magnolia, No. Ho. There were two shows, and I could've stayed for the second and enjoyed it just as much, I'm sure, but Michael Mueller, Mitchell Fink, Eric Halasz and I headed from this show to the Fox & Hound, where we met up with Kevin E. West and listened to the musical stylings of Summer & Friends (The Jagermeisters). Much fun!
But that's not what this post is about. Let's dish about the Improv Show!
Pamela tells me this group worked together for three months (after having done another three months of the beginners workshop first), ending in this showcase of really funny improv comedy. This class comes from the Carolyne Barry group of classes. Got to meet her for the first time. She's quite charismatic.
Actors: Joel Berry is very experienced. Very good. Brian Girard is really funny. Man! So much fun to watch! Marissa Labog is cute and spunky. Both Meredith Kibbee and Will Morales are good. Alissa Moreno and Teresa Simmons look familiar to me (still haven't figured it out). Pamela Newlands, of course, was brilliantly confident (and she gave a shoutout to Dalt's Gang in her bio. Yes, you are Sassy McLassie, baby! It was great to see Wendy Taubin respond. We had met at a past Hollywood Happy Hour and to see her perform was a delight!
The group performed to a full house and they certainly know the fundamentals of TheatreSports butt need to sharpen their instincts so as not to rush to denial when in doubt of what "might work" in a scene. That's not the right mindset for good improv, but that's a muscle that will strengthen with time for these actors. I didn't love the instructor yelling "blackout" at the end of the scenes. If you want to decide when scenes go black, YOU run the lightboard. The yelling was distracting. Still, he's worked up some skills in this good group and I'm eager to see what else they can do. Really great evening!
But that's not what this post is about. Let's dish about the Improv Show!
Pamela tells me this group worked together for three months (after having done another three months of the beginners workshop first), ending in this showcase of really funny improv comedy. This class comes from the Carolyne Barry group of classes. Got to meet her for the first time. She's quite charismatic.
Actors: Joel Berry is very experienced. Very good. Brian Girard is really funny. Man! So much fun to watch! Marissa Labog is cute and spunky. Both Meredith Kibbee and Will Morales are good. Alissa Moreno and Teresa Simmons look familiar to me (still haven't figured it out). Pamela Newlands, of course, was brilliantly confident (and she gave a shoutout to Dalt's Gang in her bio. Yes, you are Sassy McLassie, baby! It was great to see Wendy Taubin respond. We had met at a past Hollywood Happy Hour and to see her perform was a delight!
The group performed to a full house and they certainly know the fundamentals of TheatreSports butt need to sharpen their instincts so as not to rush to denial when in doubt of what "might work" in a scene. That's not the right mindset for good improv, but that's a muscle that will strengthen with time for these actors. I didn't love the instructor yelling "blackout" at the end of the scenes. If you want to decide when scenes go black, YOU run the lightboard. The yelling was distracting. Still, he's worked up some skills in this good group and I'm eager to see what else they can do. Really great evening!
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