June Improv Blog-off.

Welcome to the June improv blog topic for the Kansas City improv community. I will take this time to blog about ALL the topics that got at least one vote in this months poll, starting with the one that got the most votes, then the second most, and so on and so forth. These are just my opinions and should be taken as such.

What's the importance of a troupe's Name?  

Here in Kansas City, I believe that the choice of name for your troupe, team, group or company is not relevant to the actual performance aspect of the group.  Growing up in improv, all I ever heard was that a name had to either be funny, sound funny, or have a term that means funny in the title.  I don't believe this.  Name yourself whatever you want to and throw "Improv Comedy" on the end of it.  It's simple.  It won't take you four months to decide.  And It will keep you less distracted from the more important things about your troupe.  Mainly the performance aspects of it.

Sure there should be some thought into it.  When the Trip Fives were coming up with a name, we thought of dozens.  All were awful.  But then one night while I was driving home from a poker game with Tim & Ed, I thought of giving ourselves a poker term as a title.  "Trip Fives" is another way of saying "Three of a kind" or "a set of fives". An improv performance or format is often called a set.  There were five of us going to perform a set.  So, a set of fives became the Trip Fives.  Our mindset was only on that first show, so we did not think about the name in the long run.  But does it matter.  Nope.  No one bit. It's just a name.  

What advice would you give new improvisers?

If you want to treat improv as more than a hobby, then move to another city.  If you wanna enjoy improv and performing the art, then find other things to occupy your time.  Then when a show is in your future, treat it as a gift to yourself.  Focus on it only at times that allow it.  Don't let all the inner-improv community politics, or the "Improv Man", bring you down.  Perform at your own pace and guidance.  Learn when you wanna learn.  Perform when you wanna perform.  Take a break when you wanna take a break.  There are more important things in life than improv.

How do you find your improv style and voice?

Challenge your comfort level on stage.  Keep doing it until something clicks.

How much rehearsal time is really needed to prepare for a show?

It all depends on the show itself.  New games?  New format?  New players?  If a troupe needs time to get comfortable with any of these, then the amount of rehearsals should be up to the troupe themselves.  

I do believe that there is such a thing as over-rehearsing.  I believe this because I have done it.  When you rehearse a structure or a format some many times that after a while it becomes a mockery of itself while rehearsing it.  I've mentioned this before about warm-ups.  Save some nervous energy for the show.  If you've got an idea of how the show will/should go, trust your instincts and the instincts of your fellow performers that come show time the right choices will be made.  

So, in my opinion, 3+ rehearsals are needed to prepare for a show.

Festival question: Is it important for the out-of-towners to see what the locals are doing?

Would it be nice if they did?  I guess it would.  Would it matter? Nope.  Is it important?  Hells No.  Do I personally think the out-of-towners care what goes on here in KC?  Not in the least.  Why should they?  They don't live here or don't live here anymore.  And if they did live here before, they moved for a reason. They have moved on to bigger and better things.  If they come back, it's only for once a year and it's only so they can be pampered by the local improv community. 

Even if people never lived here but only come around for special workshops or festivals, do you actually think the sit around the breakfast table and wonder what other cities are doing?  You're crazy. They've got families, jobs, other troupes to care more about.  People think that someone is going to attend a festival here and then all the sudden "KANSAS CITY WILL BE ON THE IMPROV MAP!!!"  Sheesh.  

If people want to be noticed in Kansas City, then they've got to force Kansas City to notice them first.