Second Beats

Rick had a show tonight that was real fun. What makes for a good harold are second beats that are not a repeat of the first beat, with the same characters coming back a second time a couple minutes after the first scene has taken place. The second beat should be for characters referred to in the first beat or a totally different idea or concept mentioned or inspired by the content of the first beat. This is more effective because were seeing more of a variety of people and characters. We are further exploring the ideas that we have brought up. Expanding them. Creating a wider base from which we can tie it all together.

In the show tonight Pants and John had a scene as neighbors in the first beat. John was complaining that Pants's son(played by me off stage) was pooping all over his lawn. The scene was really fun and high energy. In the second beat Katie played my mom and I was onstage this time as the son. The scene wasn't about me pooping everywhere it was about my mom being unsatisfied in the marriage and having a crush on John the neighbor guy. The scene was connected but wasn't about what the first scene was about. I was eating a bunch of high fiber food while we were talking but we didn't really discuss me pooping everywhere. Two parts of one whole that broaden the spectrum of this little world. It set up a lot of opportunities in the third beat for all four of us or any combo of the four to do scenes in the third beat.

The show was also great because I got to do a couple scenes with Katie. She's leaving next week for LA where I'm sure she'll be very successful. I never had as confident a feeling about a friend moving to LA as I do her. She will be missed dearly.

Come see Katie's last show Saturday 8/25 1030 at iO. It's sure to be something special.