(This is one of my 52 performances in 52 weeks.)
I mentioned that I volunteered at the 7-Day Improv Show.
The week ended up getting crazier than anticipated. I was counting on one all-nighter. But then the next night, I pulled an accidental one with a crazy night at work with things going wrong. And then I never got to recover and I was just eating sugar constantly to stay awake. The week was weird. And crazy. And I was exhausted.
I kept thinking that if I could just push through to Saturday, I had an audition to re-start the Groundlings program that morning, and then, alas, I could sleep from Saturday afternoon to Sunday afternoon.
…Buuuut I woke up to a super kind email from Keith and Rob saying they wanted to show their appreciation for the watchmen by giving us the penultimate slot. (They were going to perform midnight – 1. But they gifted us midnight – 12:30.)
Well, I’m certainly not going to pass up an opportunity to perform – especially one in the penultimate slot of the world-record breaking show!
Since it was the last weekend of the festival, some cool stuff was happening. I went to iO West early and saw a show with George Wendt, followed by one with Eric Stonestreet.
(Side story: In the bar, after Eric Stonestreet’s show, someone asked him how it went. He started to hem and haw thinking he could’ve done better. So I jumped in and said, “He was amazing. So funny! Lots of laughs.” And Eric turned to me and said, “Are you an improviser?” Then I started to hem and haw. “Well, I’m in a class and I do a little performing.” And he was all, “You’re an improviser! Yes and my question!”
As far as my show, I didn’t feel as great about the Friday show. I felt for some reason I had a harder time weaving things together and making callbacks. It didn’t seem like our group gelled quite as well for some reason… (And there was a run of making fun of other improv schools… And I like other improv schools and wasn’t totally sure about the reputation of each. So while the guys were really into it, I had trouble knowing how to act in that run… Aye aye aye, moving on.)
It was still a super fun night though!
After the show, I stuck around for the final half hour. There was big applause and celebration. Then the guys went to the bar where there was more applause and celebration. I met a group of people who were very complimentary of my performance. One thing we learned in, I think, week 1 of the intensive was that if people who don’t know you compliment you, you always just say thank you. You never say, “I’ve been better” or whatever because then they’re questioning their taste in what they think is funny, or they’re just not enjoying being around you ’cause you’re bringing down a compliment.
(If you’re talking to your friends, you can tear it apart all you want.)
Anyway, I tried to graciously accept the compliments and I had a grand time hanging out – for just a bit… Time to head home and sleep as there’s a performance the next day.