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June 06, 2006

If you fear failure

If you fear failure in improv, you will fail. Immature improvisers (If you are unclear what I mean here, ask me over a beer) need to embrace the idea that there is no failure. Only by defining all outcomes as success will you have a great show because, and I think this is where I lose some people, it will never go as you expect it to. It's improv, after all.

Even if you are attempting something new or unfamiliar, you have the implicit permission of the stage to act as if you own it, because you do own it. You NEED to own every scene, every moment and every idea that comes out of you and the ensemble to the point of fanatic resolve.

Be greedy with the stage and it's light, be generous with your attention and information and, as Joe so elegantly put it, seductively and playfully get what you want.

Posted by Chuck Charbeneau at June 6, 2006 05:07 PM

Comments

Dear Chuck,

I am new to the scene and I want to know what you mean by immature improvisers for I fear that I may be one. I can't meet you for a beer but I hope that you will post your answer or send me an email. Thank you and I look forward to hearing from you.

Alicia

Posted by: Alicia at November 30, 2006 11:37 PM

By immature, I mean, just as you say, "New to the Scene". Some mature faster than others (it might be the hormones they put in the stage water), but in the beginning, just about every new improviser makes the same choices (what others might call mistakes) out of fear of failure. It causes a certain desire to drive a scenes story rather than create a strong charater through emotive choices and allow the scene to develop, it also makes the witty and the drole stand with both feet of that crutch rather than allow themselves to be informed by their partner and to make choices based on the moment of scenic reality rather than a one line piece of humor the creates a laugh at the expense everything that has been created.

Don't worry about immature mistakes. In fact, don't worry. Just own your moment, be informed by your partner and the scene and allow yourself to be moved. Make character choices with the assumption that you are the hero of your scene, just as real people do about the moments of their lives (or at least they should, it makes life more fun).

Posted by: Chuck Charbeneau [TypeKey Profile Page] at December 2, 2006 04:35 PM