Picking up from yesterday –
Who were my 5 characters?
- 1. “Super nervous/insecure girl” [I gave them all real names but these are the shorthands to get across their main deals of who they are.]
Her point of view on life: “I need to be perfect all the time in order to please every person I ever come into contact with.”
So, basically, she was just trying so hard to get everything “right.”
(An example of this is when the clerk asked how I wanted to pay, I was like, “whatever you want – I have cash, credit, debit. I can get my phone out and pay with bitcoin if that’s what you want!” Etc etc. a super pleaser, but like reeeeally pretty nervous about it.)
Her physical things were a more nasally voice, a resting face of scrunched up nose, kind of showing her teeth in this weird grimace/smile, kind of scrunched up shoulders, and a fast rambly speech pattern where she’d either give a million options, or try to convince herself what she was doing was okay and right.
[This character is my breeeeeeead and butter. She’s pretty much a super heightened version of a totally kinda veeeeery way-too-real part of me. I opened with her, so I’d feel comfortable, and open strong. I didn’t get any notes on her, because, well. She’s my bread and butter!]
What she bought: new shoes, because she wanted to start marathon training with her boyfriend [wanting to please someone in her life], and of course she was very worried about getting the “right” pair.
Her theme song was “I Really Like You” (Carly Rae Jepsen). [That song doesn’t have an anxious feeling, but it just felt right to me, like a little cutesy vibe or just totally being enchanted with the people around her (which made me think in my mind that then she wanted to please everyone she was so enchanted by).]
- 2. “Female Frat Girl”
Her POV was basically “life’s a hella fun paaaaarty, bro,” in sort of a masculine way.
Physical/vocal changes: I tried to make my shoulders as broad as I could get them, talk from sort of a low place, but not too low. I had little buttons of sounds (sort of like a really-into-it fan might yell at a football game “woof woof woof!”). While leaving, I offered to chest bump the cashier, and pounded my chest a few times. I sprinkled words I thought were appropriate into her vocabulary like “hella, dope, gnarly.”
(When, I paid, I think I said something like, “I’ve got exact change, bro! What a dope ass coincidence! [bangs chest].”) And I tried to keep heightening. At one point, I think when I found out the camping equipment was on sale, I ripped my [fake spacework] shirt open with excitement*
Notes I got on this one are that he generally thought she was clear, but would like a little more specifics in the dialogues (e.g. instead of saying “I’m getting a tent, so my crew can go camping,” use that as a way to talk about my life, and who am I? Is my crew girls I maybe know from rugby, or lacrosse, or roller derby (or am I in a co-ed frat)? Etc.
What she bought: camping equipment.
Her theme song was “Here I Go Again” (Whitesnake)
- 3. “Sex vixen”
Her POV: “[Everything is sexual, and] all I am in this world is whether people think of me as sexy or not.”
Physical stuff: Aaaaaalways pushing out any curves. Butt out, boobs out, slinking around the stage. Pushing cleavage together and leaning forward, hips stay popped out when standing. And a little babydoll voice.
I was worried that this one was maybe gonna be too stereotypical, but I thought if I made it that her point of view was that her confidence was completely wrapped up in her sex appeal, then it would give me a range of emotions I could play, ’cause if my improv partner’s character isn’t taken in by my character, then I can get sad, or offended, or try harder – it’s not just like everything is sexual, it’s that my character’s whole being depends on everything being successfully sexual.
[Edited to add: I’ve done this character now in some exercises in post-intermediate classes, and it’s shockingly worked! So, yay!]
Notes I got for this one: None. He just said “nice/good.”
What she bought: bungee chords (obviously, right? haha).
Her theme song was “Big Spender” (from Sweet Charity)
And this is where I’ll pick up tomorrow!