// A Chat with Peter Gwinn//

I’d like to share a conversation I recently had with Peter Gwinn (Founder of Baby Wants Candy, Emmy Winner from Colbert, no one special). He is now back in Chi and plays in only 1 improv show, with 3033 a team he used to coach before he left Chicago and I asked why?

His response (paraphrased): “I’ve learned that it takes about 4 years for an ensemble to become GREAT. I got to experience it with BWC in Chicago and then at the UCB and BWC in New York. Those guys got really good. I mean REAL GOOD. Sure I can come back and drop in and play but I just can’t put in that time to become great with another new ensemble. I’m married and I’ve got kids. This show [3033] is easy. I know these guys, worked with them and Sundays are just fun, relaxed, no pressure and actually, in tonight’s show we started clicking in that way again…”

This made me think. If someone like Peter Gwinn and the cats he’s working with take that long to achieve ONE great ensemble, where does that put me? It’s hard to watch amazingly talented people (and teams) and want to be there, NOW. But I realize there’s really no short cut to it. It’s work. The good news is, is that the work seems to pay off so for everyone out there who’s feeling frustrated or going through the  woeful “ improviser’s valley” - hang in there. It gets better. Then worse. Then better. Then worse. Then great.

// Classic Armando//

Some notes from learning the Armando via iO Chicago

The Classic Armando is an advanced long form where a Monologist acts as the Director who influences the theme, mood, cadence of the show. The Monologist and Ensemble work together giving and taking focus to create a show where the 4th wall is broken and reconstructed throughout.

• The Monologist

• The goal of the monologist is to deliver a true and vulnerable story.
• You are creating an honest moment with the crowd
• You are creating tension for the audience so that the cast can have fun breaking it
• The monologue should be specific and dig deeper into an emotional POV that can be explored. Detailed but unconnected, non-vulnerable stories will evoke similarly bland scenes. Raise the stakes.
• Traditionally, Monologist plays the GODFIGURE
• Usually 3 monologs, pull lights on the last
• Directs the show by injecting energy and inspiration when needed
• Plays the “Game Slot/Group Game” role

• The Ensemble

• The goal of the ensemble is to explore themes via scenes
• Character Pull
• Lead in Character: Wrap the theme up into a character’s behavioral trait rather than a premise or plot to fill in. Your scene will almost never play out the way you wanted it.
• Explore the genres or archetypes represented in the monolog
• Tangential Pulls
• Explore an interesting part of the story that wasn’t too detailed
• Exaggerate a specific from the story or a tic
• Disproving the Monologist’s Theory
• Flip the monologist’s P.O.V.  and explore the antithesis

// The Extended Sojourn//

Exactly 3 months ago, I landed in O’Hare and was met by a dull, gray and bitchy Chicago chill. Recalling summers in Chicago to be magically hot and humid, I packed 10 tshirts, 3 pairs of shorts and a pair of flip flops. “An ominous sky”, I thought. My improv brother and mysteriously diffident ladies man Chris Blair picked me up; we smoked and pontificated on how inspiring ‘Summer of 2012’ was going to be. I had no idea what was about to happen.

ACT 1: The Immersion

In attempts to horribly bore you with my improv indulgences, below is the training I maniacally crafted for my adult summer camp:

• Second City: Sketch Writing 1, 2
• iO: Musical Improvisation
• iO: Writing 1
• Kevin Mullaney: 8-Week Performance Workshop
• iO: Summer Intensive (1,2,3,4,4B),
• Annoyance (2,3,4,5)
• 1 Day Workshops: Miles Stroth, Dina Fackliss, Greg Hess, Jet Eveleth, Lyndsay Hailey

At one point I was improvising 11 Hours a day (including rehearsals for a one-act play in which I was lucky to be cast).

Serendipitously, I was assigned to a iO Summer Intensive section full of hardcore improvisers who were more geeked out about this than I was. Under the guidance of Lyndsay Hailey, we took leaps of faith with each other emotionally off and on the stage. We couldn’t wait to play together so we started booking and performing in barprov gigs, on two Second City stages and at the Del Close theater.  I was spending 6-9 hours a day with 13 other people who agreed to be shockingly vulnerable and unnervingly inspiring. Instantly, we became Visibly Tight.

ACT II: The Revelation

Something interesting happened as I clearly overdosed on my favorite drug this summer: Over the course of 24 hours a week for 5 weeks at iO, I received the same exact note over and over again: “Stop taking care of everyone else in the scene and have fun! Play the scene you WANT to be in”. I could not understand what these teachers were talking about. I WAS having fun. This was Summer Camp for adults! I HAD TO BE HAVING FUN!! Right?

I noticed that I was having fun when I initiated scenes, because I was so used to starting strong from training at the Annoyance before taking classes at iO. But when coming off a Harold opening or when my partner initiated, I was too busy looking for the “RIGHT” choice to make, instead of making the choice I found fun. We all say, “let’s have fun up there!” But what the hell does that mean? I realized that I haven’t been having fun with improv for a while now. I was faking it.

The impetus for creating EndGames in San Francisco was a desperate need to be a part of a thriving improv scene; one of which reflected the scene I fell in love with while studying at the UCB in New York. While I was building the platform for myself and other like-minded comedians to share our voices, the mountains of administrative work and the pressure of producing and promoting shows and classes became psychologically insurmountable. Being the first born son of poor immigrants and a classic Sagittarius (I think), I’m prone to lead, structure and make sure others are cared for. I lost my joy in doing the goddamn thing. It became work.

ACT III: The Return

EndGames approaches its 2 Year Anniversary in San Francisco (9/4)! And in that short amount of time, we’ve been so lucky to have graced the pages of SF Weekly, SF Gate, SF Bay Guardian, Bay Stages and have been named #1 Nightlife Choice on Yelp. Helping to build out the scene in SF has been an incredible journey and blessing that not many folks get to experience. I’m so excited for the launch of EndGames 2.0! What?

It’s been our tradition to make a mess and catch up to it, and every single time it’s motivated talented, hard working individuals to double down and commit to the scene and  I truly believe that’s made all the difference for us. That’s why we are moving into the StageWerx Theater in the Mission on October 11, 2012. 6 shows a week, Thursday and Friday nights. I have 100% confidence and faith that the producers and teams will shock the once sleepy improv town into a city buzzing of smart, subversive improv comedy.

And with that confidence, I’ve decided to move to Chicago and extend by trip for another year.

As the haze of the iO Summer intensive hangover slowly lifts, it’s clear that there’s no better time than this. I need to continue honing my unique comedic voice and follow the single advice every single iO teacher has told me: “Stop taking care of everyone else in the scene and have fun! Play the scene you WANT to be in”. Chicago is where I want to be right now. San Francisco is my end game. 

// Summer Improv Quotes: Part 1//

Here are some quotes that rang true for me over the summer by different teachers at different schools here in Chicago. Some of them may not be original quotes but nonetheless had deep impact as they cascaded out of their mouths.

• “Dig deeper in the same ditch” - Lyndsay Hailey on heightening one idea until in transforms in group work and character work.
• “Shoot the grandma! See what happens” - Lyndsay Hailey on following the fear. It’s more interesting to do the thing you’re afraid of doing on stage and dealing with the consequence.
• “The irony of commitment is that it’s deeply liberating”  Mark Sutton on making a clear choice and having fun playing all its permutations.
• “Emotion is King, Action is Queen and Words are the Jester” - Mark Sutton on building a grounded character.
• “You must be the driver of your Character Bus” - David Asher on creating fun characters you want to play.
• “Act out of inspiration, not obligation” - David Asher on making choices inspired by themes and scenes and not what you think your partner or the scene “needs”.
• “Be in the scene you WANT to be in” - Craig Uhiir on making choices that are genuinely fun for you to play instead creating a bummer/drag character that you obviously hate sustaining for 3 minutes.
• “Set the table for your partner’s character, but let her make the choice to eat” Kevin Mullaney on heightening your partner’s character deal to be more of herself without forcing the game move on them.
• “Give yourself the opportunity to fail in class” - Kevin Mullaney on letting go of expectations of the scene and making bold choices.
• “If you’re too hung up on improvising ‘correctly’, you will almost always fail.” Craig Cackowski on not trying to do improv right, but having fun and discovering.
• “Create a space TO connect, instead of using it to disconnect and think” Mark Sutton on letting the space and environment serve you, not the other way around. Make it mean something to your character.
• “An unfiltered choice is a wasted choice” Mark Sutton on listening actively and responding as more of your character in different ways.
• “Comedy is the Yin and Yang of meeting the audience’s expectations vs shattering them” Lilly Allison on why we laugh and creating patterns and games to fulfill expectations we set for them at the top of our scenes.

// Monolog Jokes 6/30-7/2//

So I figured that a social contract with the tumblr-verse would help me to stay on track and dissuade me from getting into the lazy zone. I hope 1 or 2 of these will make you giggle, as most of them will undoubtedly make you sound like my mom by saying “so this is what you’re doing in Chicago? Get back to work.”

• New TV ads for the Obama Campaign criticize Romney for outsourcing jobs as CEO of Bain & Co. The Romney campaign responds with TV ads for Bain & Co.
• Mitt Romney plans to travel to Israel this summer. The republican candiate is worried the current climate of the middle east will ruin his perfect hair.
• Beloved American actor, Andy Griffith passed away this week causing people around the world to vaguely recognize him on Wikipedia.
• Opting for a cheaper laser alternative, Aspen cut their usual fireworks for an intricate display of citizens waving around laser pointers.
• First term Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan surprisingly vetoes a Voter ID Bill stating, “Awesome, I popped my Veto cherry!”
• Five climbers fell to their deaths on the Italian Alps after reaching their summit. A French climber commented that like all things, even the Alps are better in France.
• The French Police searched the home of former President Nicolas Sarkozy for evidence of illegally financing his election. Both Mitt Romney and President Obama praised the difficulty of tainting American politics, due to no limits on Corporate Donations.
• Due to ecological red flags, China will prohibit serving Shark Fin Soup in all official state ballrooms. Next week, China hosts President and Michelle Obama at Chang’s Shark Emporium and Buffet.
• The Ukrainian Parliament passed a bill reaffirming ‘Ukrainian’ as the sole national language, making ‘Russian’ speakers the Mexicans of Ukraine.
• The official motto of the Olympic Games this year is “Swifter, Higher, Stronger”, making the entire world wonder if anyone still gives a shit about Archery.
• Facebook blames NASDAQ for it’s botched I.P.O.; CEO Mark Zuckerberg is upset that  he has to wait till Christmas to buy himself an island.
• Apple paid $60MM to buy the trademark for ‘iPad’ in China. The tech giant owned the name for 2 days before it fell apart and caused lead poisoning.
• An NYC judge ordered Twitter to release an Occupy protestor’s tweets to the court. Almost all 3,000 of them consisted of twitpics of gross hippie tits.
• Today The FDA approved an at home H.I.V. test while Trojan filed for bankruptcy.
• An increase in commercial ships have contributed to the stark drop in the Blue Whale population. “I am fricking pissed!” exclaimed Poseidon. 
• A study by the BMJ found that a low-carb, high protein diet may increase the risk of heart disease, but will definitely increase the attention you get in a bikini.
• A recent study suggests that mental illness can be caused by a premature birth. Doctors say that mothers can carry to full term by thinking about baseball.
• Fans of WeatherUnderground.com are upset at recent acquisition by The Weather Channel. Fans are urged to find anything else to be a fanatic about.
• The IMF lowered its expectations for US’s economic growth this year. China was quick to remind the US that an A- is not an A.
• Popular English Soccer club Manchester United files for IPO, hoping to raise capital for the entire franchise to get Invisalign.

// Monolog Jokes 6/27-6/29//

So I figured that a social contract with the tumblr-verse would help me to stay on track and dissuade me from getting into the lazy zone. I hope 1 or 2 of these will make you giggle, as most of them will undoubtedly make you sound like my mom by saying “so this is what you’re doing in Chicago? Get back to work”.

• In hopes to curtail the surge in summer violence, Chicago PD is working with ex-felons to bust up fire hydrants and start a game of stickball.
• A study by the Wall Street Journal finds that Mac users spend significantly more on hotels and travel than their PC counterparts; making the Apple Store the preferred destination for gold diggers.
• JoJo, one of the world’s last lowland silverback gorillas was moved to The Brookfield Zoo to mate with 2 females who have only done this once before, in college.
• President Obama was BOO’d by the audience at The Boston Symphony Hall when he angered a crowd of Red Sox fans by using tri-syllabic words.
• Dwayne Wade’s ex-wife loses custody of her children helping the NBA star maintain his 2012 wining streak.
• Hot off the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”, last week, the Pentagon celebrated LGBT Pride for the first time by playing a giant game of “Never Have I Ever”.
• California officials pass a law to make couches and sofas more flame retardant without applying toxic chemicals. An annoying hipster comments, “um you mean flame-challenged?”
• A new study reveals that post weight loss, carb calories pack on more pounds than protein or fat calories. Kirstie Alley, the former spokeswoman for Weight Watchers, disagrees.
• The City Council votes to decriminalize marijuana in Chicago. Medical officials ask, “Do we have any Cheetos?”
• Unlike the rest of the country, the trucking industry is finding it difficult to hire new employees due to weak benefits, harsh working conditions and kids constantly wanting you to pull the damn horn.
• The National Occupy Movement plans to meet at Philadelphia’s Independence Hall on July 4th, transforming the iconic landmark into a giant port-a-potty.
• In a historic election, Mohammed Morsi becomes the first civilian leader of Egypt. His first official act in office is to acquire a hand gun.
• Leaders of France, Spain and Italy join forces to bully the German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, to compromise on the use of the EU bailout funds. Don’t worry Angela, “it gets better”.
• This Summer’s Olympic Games will be hosted in London for the second time. Much like the Octo-Mom, Londoners are against their tubes getting tied up.
• Magic Johnson launches his new cable network “Aspire”. Oprah Winfrey praises him for following in her footsteps by making more money.
• WikiLeaks announced the release of a musical compilation CD called “WOW: 2012 Hits and Assassinations.
• A Baltimore man was arrested for shooting marbles at a traffic camera with a sling shot. Sources say that he was bailed out by Good Ol’ Mr. Wilson.
• A lady in New Mexico was arrested for refusing to return Twilight books and DVDs to the local public library. In related news, New Mexico changes their state slogan to “Hey, Nothing Happens Here!”.
• RIM, the mobile company that makes Blackberries, announced that they are cutting 5,000 jobs, in an email from the CEO sent by his iPhone.
• Google announced that “Project Glass” will be available in stores in 2014. Pre-sales have gone through the roof globally, by amateur pornographers.

// Weekend with Bill Arnett//

This weekend, The EndGames had the great honor of hosting and performing alongside Bill Arnett. I had the distinct pleasure of spending some quality time with the former training center director of iO Chicago as well as participate in his series of workshops over the past few days. It was a uniquely insightful experience to geek out with someone who’s seen the best of the best go through Chicago.

I found his style of coaching refreshing. It was a perfect storm of lovingly uplifting, shockingly efficient and at times, delightfully manic. Improvising for 15+ years in Chicago with his self proclaimed “left-brain” has earned this seasoned veteran an amazing gift of wrapping up complex ideas into bite sized drops of brilliance. Below is a breakdown of each workshop and  some great Bill Arnettisms and overarching insights gained from each. Enjoy, and improvise!

Scene Work Assault:

This workshop drilled two-person scenes and required players to use slice of life initiations and emotional reaction with sounds. This helped us to notice our gut reactions, ground them and play them. The workshop also drilled 3-4-5-6 person scenes by boiling them down to TWO perspectives amongst different grouping of players.

• Treat it Real: The audience is willing to suspend reality if you are
• “Engine of Improv is fueled by the logic of morons”
• Say what you see: Point out the strange and weird by reacting emotionally. Don’t ignore the inappropriate, that’s just another form of negation.
• “In a world of Nazi Vampires, a Nazi Vampire Shoe Salesman is just a Shoe Salesman”
• Commit: Be the person you promised to be at the top of your scene
• “Don’t be emotionally bulletproof”
• “Frustration is more interesting than Anger”
• “Just for funsies!”
• When at an impasse, LOSE. But lose as yourself.
• “A Strong choice is a Clear choice”
• It’s not the number of players that makes a group scene confusing, it’s the number of perspectives.
• “Characters arguing can be interesting. Actors arguing SUCKS”
• When reasoning as a Straight Man, don’t make the reasons external (situation, others, environment) internal reasons are better. Why does it affect YOU?

Characters Inside Out & Outside In:

This workshop explored the idea of left brain vs right brain improvisation. The former describes an improviser using information to build a logic of a character whereas the latter describes an improviser using the viscera to build a character. The best improviser can do both as The Complete Improviser

• Character = repeatable pattern of behavior
• Two easiest characters you can play are yourself and someone you know
• A little psychoanalysis goes a long way
• “You know you’ve got a character if you can divorce them from their situation”
• Make a behavioral choice rather than a situational choice
• “Don’t explain away the fun, play with it”
• Why/how do we bitch about people? “Too Chatty, Too Co-Dependent, Too Lazy” 
• “We bitch about people because we’re STUCK with them”
• Hammer (Obnoxious Character) Vs Anvil (Reason to stay)
• “Say Yes, Do No”
• Get a simple, clear label for your behavior: “Petty, Condescending, Creepy”
• Tap into a psychological gesture (Eeyore) “Home Base Stance” - helps you get back into the emotional response of this character and what that means about his point of view

00:30, 03:00, 30:00

This workshop used the last two days’ lessons of clear choices, emotional reactions and playing the reality and learned about the pace of a show. We purposefully slowed it down to listen for interesting “distractions” and chose to follow some and chose to let some go. An extended and slower version of finding the game that culminated in justifying riotous absurd lines.

• “Always treat scenes like they are actually happening”
• “Using a suggestion creatively is good for exactly ONE laugh”
• Breaking the rules: Stop getting caught up in improv-isms. Start scenes with the worst “improv initiations” and play that scene for real. PLAY INTO a choice instead of trying to EXPLAIN IT AWAY.
• “Listen and be in a specific mundane world”
•  Do your best to set a believable scene. Ignore the urge to inject conflict
• General Agreement Scenes: Play it same at the top, if reacting honestly the distractions will come naturally. Choose to explore it or choose to let it go. Make it your choice and stick to it.
• “In a still pool, the smallest ripple is apparent”
• Emotionally juxtaposed lines: Train explaining INTO the juxtaposition instead of explaining it away.

On a personal note: I got to play a really fun scene with Bill Arnett on Friday during our show “Your F!#&Ed Up Relationship” and it is true what they say about the good improvisors - they do make you look good  they are easy to play with because they make clear choices for you to respond to. In our scene, Bill pulled a premise from the opening where two “bros” were in Cancun and his “bro” was leaving 3 days into the 10 day trip. At the top we didn’t know why he wanted to leave but we treated it real, we set a believable scene and we followed the organic distraction which led to a great reveal that he was two-timing with his ex-GF Kelly the whole time. Hope these notes help your improv as much as it did mine. Thanks Bill!