(This is one of the 52 performances in 52 weeks project.)
Picking up from last time –
The Deltones were a super helpful group, because I think the name of my song was actually “That’s Good Enough For Me,” but by the time I got to the end, I ended on what I’d grown to think the title was – which was “I’ll Take The Trim” (as that was one of the last lines I’d spoken before the song).
I was Ringo Starr in a skit about The Beatles and someone had said that the only girls I get are the leftovers from the other three guys. Someone said something about me getting “the trim.” That’s when I was all “I’ll take the trim.”
But I think when I then was told by the coach guy of the scene to sing a song, I think he labeled it as “That’s good enough for me.” Or maybe I even said that right after trim. The point is, the trim line was in my head. That was my big dramatic finish. But The Deltones on the side of the scene helped out but wrapping it up as a chorus saying, “That’s good enough for him.”
And that’s teamwork, ya’ll!
Let’s go back to me being Ringo though. As soon as we got a scene as musicians (I don’t think we were labeled The Beatles until later), I picked up a guitar. Space work, people! I didn’t forget that from The Groundlings. You always, always give yourself fake air props. You always do some kind of space work. Ba-bam.
But then as I was clearly playing a stringed instrument, someone labeled me Ringo. I knew he was the drummer! So, I should’ve made a joke there. Because the funniest part of improv is people justifying the silly mistakes that have come up in the scene. But alas, I just put down the guitar and moves one. (Gah! [*re-hangs head in shame*].)
Lastly, we played freeze tag, where you freeze a scene and hop in the same physical position but you have to justify that position in a whole new way.
(Example: if someone’s knitting and her left hand is open (with yarn draped over it in imagination land) and right hand looks to be holding something slim (such as a knitting needle), you can freeze her, but then you have to have something different in your hands. Maybe you have a toothbrush to brush oil off a baby duck sitting in the open hand.)
One of my biggest notes at the end of my last basic class was to jump in early and confidently. So I was like, “I’ll do that here!” I did not. I was the last person in on freeze tag. Now that I was in front of an audience, all my freeze tag ideas just seemed idiotic.
…I need to get back in class.
Anyway, I thought it was a fun night, and that I didn’t embarrass myself too terribly much on stage. Since I was a little rusty, I would love the chance to try to improv again. And I’m sure I will at some point in the next year!