Summary of Improv Goals 003

As often as I do improv each week, like your girlfriend, one would assume that I would update the summary of my goals for my improv more often than once a month; and one month has indeed passed since the last update. I was not displeased with my progress in improv on Sunday:

A few seconds ago

Christopher Hurt had a fun and productive class at The Roving Imp Theater and a fun and productive workshop with JCCC Project Improv!

Those were my feelings yesterday and my feelings most of the time. Viewpoints taught by David Razowsky last month and have been adopted and adapted by the instructors at the Roving Imp Training Center and the directors of Project Improv. I will say more about that in a moment:

Friday at 11:58 a.m.

Christopher Hurt will be calling the edits under the direction of Don Denton Turley during the International House of Mancakes Debut Show at The Roving Imp Theater in just seven hours!

Both Friday and Saturday nights at the Roving Imp Theater were successfully artistic.

Saturday at 6:58 p.m. via Text Message

Christopher Hurt saw four great sets last night at the Roving Imp Theater, including the I.H.O.M. premiere. The sets tonight should also be excellent, including Deep Space Emily.

I also responded to John’s status:

Yesterday at 1:45 a.m. Christopher Hurt

And because Dimensional Rift, TrivProv & the world premiere of Deep Space Emily all perform at the Roving Imp Theater, were all available in awesome?

They were!

[You might have to imagine that dialogue performed by Joe Pesci and Marisa Tomei in My Cousin Vinny]

I do not say enough positive things about the classes at the Roving Imp Theater:

John is an excellent instructor, and I owe him much for everything I have learned in the last year of taking classes, although my progress is slow and is not always evident to me personally.

I actually participated a few times in a round of “Song Spot”. Likewise I also appreciate being in the beginner class on Sunday taught by Nifer. Congratulations again, Nifer, on being accepted as a student at the Conservatory at The Second City!

The Razowsky methods, being work-shopped with Project Improv, lead me on to the important points that are also emphasized the Roving Imp:

respond emotionally to what was just said.

This is perhaps the most important goal for me to have for myself in improv. I am finding myself to be very compatible with these methods, including using “You” and “I want” statements to “cast” the other player. Capitalizing on my success in “Song Spot” earlier on Saturday, I used the following line to initiate a scene:

“I want you to love me. I need you to love me.”

The scene was about a promotion and unwillingness of my character to work two more hours a week to make quota. The only physical movement in the scene was when my scene partner (Steven, the boss) stood up from his chair to hand a tissue to my character (Bob). Somewhere my character mentioned he was going on vacation:

“I’m leaving on a jet plane. I don’t know when I’ll be back again.”

“Then I can’t give you the promotion,” says Steven.

“Would’ve have been a nice surprise when I got back.”

That was the end of the scene.

Coming full circle, like your girlfriend, I once again worked with Denton in an improv show for the first time since Betty Ford’s First Project. Denton told me, “We were going to have you be the tech guy, until we found out you were funny.” Regardless, I am very happy to be working along side Denton again.