Sight Unseen 10th Anniverary

Jimmy and I started Sight Unseen ten years back, he had been teaching at the Annoyance for awhile and wanted to do improv more regularly and to have a place students could see him as we had both had various bad experiences with teachers over the years who didn't actually perform just taught. He also thought students get better faster playing with more experienced players so that's where the Fishbowl portion of the show came from. We pitched a couple people each and put the team together and we've had a weekly show ever since. We never performed together before the first show, never rehearsed, hence the name.

This week we celebrated 10 years and did some shows with Jimmy, Mark, MB, and Meaghan coming in from out of town. Really nice to be together and perform and see the similarities and differences in the cast and how the style has both morphed and maintained with members leaving and new folks coming aboard.

I've been a part of a lot of different improv teams and various shows but this is one of the only things I helped originate and over the years have helped perpetuate. Its been so much fun and so inspiring and I'm really proud of it.

Thanks to those that came out and that have supported us over the years.

The Numbers For 2018

Year #6 without a drink. I didn't do it alone, I couldn't. I've stayed sober because of the help of others and the grace of my Higher Power.

I read 62 books my top 5 were The Sudden Appearance of Hope, The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet, The Minotaur Takes A Cigarette Break, The Anubis Gates, and Paradox Bound.

I saw 82 movies in the theater.

I fired a gun for the first time.

We(Nicole and I) went to 2 author events(Christina Henry and Esther Perel).

We went to 2 Michelin starred restaurants(Topolobampo and Parachute).

We went to 4 weddings.

We went ice skating once.

I went on 3 vacations (Richmond, motorcycle trip around Lake Michigan, New Mexico).

I saw 1 adolescent hero- Broon.

I did 48 shows with Deep Schwa.

I did 47 shows with Sight Unseen.

I did 9 shows with Plane Station.

I did 4 shows with Terrific Six(various mixes of members from my first improv team The Album).

I directed 1 solo show.

I understudied and performed in the play Deerfield Inn once.

I wrote 68 poems, 3 essays, and did 9 readings.

I rode my motorcycle for 6 months.

I went to 1 magic show.

I went to 0 funerals.

I went to 0 plays.

I went to 0 concerts.

I helped celebrate my niece's 2nd birthday.

Nicole and I celebrated our 5th Anniversary.

A full year, a satisfying year, a fast year. I'm grateful for each and every day.

Commitment

Had a fun show tonight with Sight Unseen, we played some absurd, reprehensible characters and thinking about it afterward I'd say there wasn't a lot of funny lines per say, we just doubled down on these awful characters we were playing and the humor came from the situations and behaviors. Not a terribly astute observation but an interesting distinction none the less.

Set-up punch-line joke type jokes are more associated with stand up and although certainly there is that type of comedy in improv and sketch, character based content is what those mediums really exist for. And what makes for a funny show or performance is the same thing that makes for a compelling dramatic portrayal- commitment. Call it authenticity, call it honesty, believability, what have you. A characters sincerity, their realness, and the performers commitment to their POV is where laughs come from not the clever things they say.

Character is probably the main focus of Sight Unseen, we inherently go at improv in that way but just this week I noticed a couple other examples that stuck out to me. A friend just premiered a web series and its well put together, funny, but the most interesting sequence is one that doesn't have rapid fire jokes or meta elements but where there's just a fully formed, albeit extremely odd, character.  I also started watching Future Man this week and it's surprisingly fun. It's a sci-fi comedy emphasis on the latter and it is full of references and jokes but it works because of the sincerity of its titular hero played by Josh Hutcherson and the commitment of the two co-stars Eliza Coupe and Derek Wilson.

This is all to say that joke-based comedy works wonderfully in the right format but can be pretty thin when involving anything resembling a narrative- either individual scenes or fully flushed out stories. Because in drama and comedy it's ultimately the characters with which we identify. Which anchor a story and which all the pathos and humor are derived from. And the further committed the actor is to character, the more immersed, the more convincing, the more lived in, the greater potential for catharsis(laughter or tears) for we the audience.

The Numbers For 2017

Year #5 without a drink. Thanks to all the friends, family, and strangers who helped along the way.

I went on 4 vacations(Harrisburg, NYC, Denver, New Orleans).

I did 48 shows with Deep Schwa.

I did 45 shows with Sight Unseen.

The Night Shift did 1 show.

I co-wrote and performed 1 sketch show 5 times.

I conceived and shot 20 interviews for a documentary tentatively titled Chiaroscuro.

I wrote 62 poems, 1 essay, and did 6 readings.

I watched 78 movies in the theater.

I read 68 books my favorite of which was The Antagonist by Lynn Coady.

I went to 1 concert(Willie Nelson).

I saw 1 of my heroes in the flesh(Chris Rock).

I went to 2 plays(Linda Vista, Doll's House Part 2).

I went to 2 weddings.

I went to 0 funerals.

I went to 2 Michelin starred restaurants.

I moved once.

I babysat my niece for the first time.

I learned and cooked 6 crock pot recipes.

I rode my motorcycle for 7 months. I changed the battery once.

Nicole and I celebrated our 4th Anniversary.

I'm grateful for it all.

Artistic Respect

Earlier today we got asked if an original Annoyance member, who was looking to get back into performing, could come play in the Fishbowl. The answer was of course yes. We, my team that hosts the show Sight Unseen, try to be open and inviting to anyone who wants to come participate and play with the students. Before the show we looked up the guy's website which on the start page has a big picture of him and Jay Leno and lists him as a professional MC. I'm a bit skeptical but I'm trying to keep an open mind.

Jimmy is out of town this week and some of the other folks were running late for various reasons so I was the only one there before the show, not typical, so I was scrambling a bit to get things set up. This guy comes into the theater, old and overweight, and starts immediately name dropping the famous people he knew back in the 80's. He's loudly and passive aggressively making comments implying he expected to be greeted and given the red carpet. Mike, a friend and frequent Fishbowl player, introduces himself talks to him a bit and brings him over to me. I attempt to explain the format but the third time he interrupts me I just give up. He then makes a sarcastic comment thinly disguised as a joke about how "organized" we were. I responded firmly but with what I felt to be significant restraint telling him we'd been doing the show successfully for two years thank you. He didn't watch the opening group and tried to rope other performs into listening to him name drop, he was cringe worthy in the Fishbowl, and left after we started our set. This is all to say the guy was a real tool.

Point being respect should be the watchword. I'm sure I come across from time to time as superior or judgmental and the reality is that I'm just reserved, quiet until comfortable. But that's something I'm aware of and I work on. Make an effort to be welcoming and make conversation with people when they're doing my shows and I try to be open and agreeable when I'm doing theirs. Perhaps all his bluster and "I knew Pasquesi and Messing when" crap was just nerves but I don't think so and even if it was his behavior was inexcusable. Rudeness and entitlement have no place in the world at large or a theater where people are putting themselves out there in vulnerable ways donating their time and talent in most cases with no recompense save for the pleasure and satisfaction derived from the work itself. It is important to be aware of how we behave regardless of what reverence or difference we believe we deserve, because most of the time we don't deserve any. What we do deserve is common decency and respect. What that looks like is simple humility(regardless of stature) and basic politeness. Ultimately we're all the same- thinking feeling humans trying to make our way through life. That is the truth regardless of age, wealth, or "success".

Let's cut the bullshit and respect each other. You want to come do our show? Feel free. But I'm not going to give you preferential treatment. I'll treat you as an equal. Which you are.

Balance

We had a full roster for Schwa tonight and Joe in from LA, which put us at 10. Typical rosters at iO are 9 or 10 not because everyone is in attendance but because one or two usually aren't. Ten can be an unwieldy number of folks trying to do a 30 minute improv set. Bigger numbered ensembles are more compatible with longer sets, even two act shows, where the pacing is naturally more sedate.

I've been on a number of teams that had high numbers relatively frequently and there were all kinds of methods to try to find balance when there were so many people vying for time. One oft repeated "rule" is after you've been in a scene wait till everyone else has been in a scene before you make a move to reappear. Which is, I guess, in essence sound however with ten people that could eat up a good half of the show depending on how long the initial five scenes turn out to be. Which brings us to the next "rule" which is something along the lines of "be patient" "let it breathe" or "give people their time". Meaning leave those first scenes, when we're cycling through the entire roster, alone. Again, in theory sounds good, sounds egalitarian. However improv is a performative art form not a socialist enclave even though the way its discussed people believe it is or should be. Art & Entertainment shouldn't be bound by "waiting your turn".

The reality is that when your roster is light, then you have a chance to be patient and let stuff breathe. But when your roster is full that is when things need to move, pace picked up, so that the entire cast can cycle in and out of scenes quickly. This not only allows for everyone's ideas to be incorporated it allows each member the maximum amount of involvement. Speed not restraint is what's needed to make a possibly ungainly amount of collaborators effective in an improv piece.

Schwa rarely has a full roster so tonight was atypical for us but instead of agreeing to patience we settled on speed and because of that everyone was involved almost equally zipping in and out of the piece with relative fluidity. We were able to maintain a pretty high tempo because everyone was participating and making moves. And, I think, ultimately it was a success. Each of us knew going in we would play fast and that we individually would need to make the effort to engage. There is this idea prevalent in improv that the group comes first that can frequently discount the individual which can make for tentative or overly polite improv. A group of individuals with distinct points of view and their own energies and inspirations melding together actually takes care of the group more than this ineffective and untenable idea of "fairness".

And some shows don't necessarily require every individual performer be seen or highlighted at all. The Sight Unseen show last week turned into a narrative about this family musical group in Branson, MO played by Mark, Jimmy, and Rosie and I mostly participated as ancillary characters guiding the narrative, only coming on for a couple lines of dialogue or to move the show to the next scene. What I was doing was crucial to the success of the show but I wasn't really an "equal" participant per say.

Point being its the individual who determines their level of involvement, its no one's responsibility but their own to participate. And with that in mind, with that level of individual expectation shows are better and groups function more smoothly. Paradoxically by not "focusing on the group" by not trying to be "fair" by giving that authority back to the individual some kind of balance and artistic integrity can be achieved.

Fishbowl Two Year Anniversary

The team I perform with at the Annoyance, Sight Unseen, has been hosting the student jam show The Fishbowl for two years this week. The team formed about six months before we started The Fishbowl and its been a great experience. At first we didn't have a form persay, and like any new team the first couple shows were relatively scattershot, but over time we developed a style which uses loose narratives to showcase strong emotion and flawed(sometimes pathetic, sometimes apoplectic) characters.

In some ways two years does and doesn't feel like a long time. The show serves, not only as straight up fun, but as a marker of time. An engaging constant. All of us were talented and experienced before we started the team but it has allowed us to grow in a more experimental and perhaps sophisticated ways. One of the reasons is that we have had total control over the show. Jimmy or Mary Beth typically hosts, I do the lights, we book the vets that play with the students, its our space for that chunk of time. And with that ownership comes substantial comfort and freedom. The audiences aren't always full but we've only cancelled two shows over the course of two years which isn't too bad. It's our thing and although not a smash hit it is a success.

With how fast the world can move and with how busy people can be its nice to have the show to help stay connected. I know, for the most part, I'm going to see the team at least once a week. And that constant, that routine allows for a friendship and ease that make the time we have together valuable and the improv we do engaging.

The Numbers For 2016

This was the 4th year in a row I didn't take a drink.

I went on two vacations. One to Richmond(to visit Matt), the other to Portland(with Nicole).

I did 50 shows with Deep Schwa and the team celebrated its 20th anniversary.

I did 42 shows with Sight Unseen.

I conceived and directed 1 play, Blockbuster, which had 8 shows.

I released 8 episodes of my podcast Hindsight Hour which constituted the second season.

I wrote 59 poems, 7 essays, and did 10 readings.

I self published 1 collection of essays.

I saw 73 movies in the the theater.

I read 56 books my favorite of which was Goblin Emperor by Katherine Addison.

I went to 0 concerts.

I went to 1 dance performance.

I went to 1 musical(Hamilton).

I went to 1 play(The Flick).

I went to 3 weddings.

I went to 1 memorial.

I rode my motorcycle for 7 glorious months.

I met my new born niece Maris for the first time.

I celebrated 3 years with an incredible partner.

Repetition 2

Sight Unseen, the improv team I perform with at the Annoyance, doesn't have a form per say. The structure we implement is based on scenic mirroring and thematic patterns, fluid and adaptable to whatever opportunities present themselves with the suggestion and first scene.

Typically form is there to give an improv piece some cohesion and underlying support. Focus what can frequently be a series of unrelated content into something with a point of view. Conversely narrative improv is also shied away from, there is a fear that once a piece becomes "too ploty" it loses potency, the performers focus more on the circumstances getting from A to B to C rather than character and relationship. These two guide posts- utilizing an established form and avoiding narrative- are useful when first starting to learn and perform but like many(if not all) improv "rules" they lose usefulness, and in fact become constricting, as you progress.

The way Sight Unseen plays developed organically. We talk briefly after every show and have some very basic goals going into a show. The only formulaic tools we utilize are mirroring and repetition. Last Thursday's show was a good example of when it works well. We developed a theme of familial generations and old age. By simply repeating the set up of an older person being cared for by a younger person we dug into that motif and cut up and down various generational lines showing repeated and divergent modes of behavior. Although the piece didn't have a "plot" it did follow a loose narrative and was more satisfying because of it.

I would alledge simple repetition is more functional than form for discovering and implementing a theme, in bringing about the interconnectivity that so many improv shows strive for. By repeating elements from the first scene or two you're inherently making connections and providing a specific scenic language which is unique to that piece. This also allows the freedom to have the actual improv dictate what the show will be as a whole as opposed to shoehorning in a form that may or may not be appropriate or serviceable for a particular shows inspirations. The other thing to consider regarding form is that a new one hasn't caught on in a long time, people are always coming up with new forms but the ones that are taught and performed are fifteen plus years old. There certainly must be a reason why a new form hasn't caught fire in the past decade, perhaps because form is no longer as relevant within the evolution of the artform.

Regarding reticence of "narrative improv" it is counterintuitive. What are individual improv scenes on the micro level but stories, however truncated or incomplete, and improv shows on the macro level but interactive storytelling, however disjointed. Elements of narrative are intrinsic to the discipline so it makes no sense to limit their application.

There is certainly value to what has gone before but improv, even more so than other artforms, is constantly evolving and our perception and approach should evolve with it.

The Numbers For 2015

For the third year in a row I went 365 days without a drink.

I went on 3 vacations. To LA(to visit Alex), Denver(to visit Beanpole), and The Badlands(with Nicole on the motorcycle).

I was laid off for the 1st time and spent 2 months unemployed.

I started 1 new job.

I did 54 shows with Deep Schwa.

I did 47 shows with Sight Unseen.

The Night Shift had 2 shows and retired.

I conceived and co-wrote 2 plays. Contention and My Two Sons which had 12 and 11 performances respectively.

I released 6 episodes of my podcast Hindsight Hour which constituted the first season.

I wrote 62 poems, 10 essays, and did 15 readings.

I applied to 4 graduate schools for poetry.

I saw 76 movies in the theater.

I read 33 books, my favorite of which was The Fifth Head of Cerberus by Gene Wolfe

I went to 2 author readings.

I went to 0 concerts.

I went to 1 opera.

I went to 0 funerals.

I went to 1 wedding.

Nicole and I celebrated our 2nd anniversary. Some days were tough, some were easy, we loved each other every day.

Plateaus and Progress

The Sight Unseen show last night was the first time I felt really good about a show in a while. Not to say they have been bad, after you've been doing improv for a while you don't go below a certain degree of proficiency, and I'm lucky to be on teams with incredible talent, but I haven't felt particularly energized or inspired recently.

There was nothing terribly different about tonight's show save maybe that all of us were a bit more patient than usual. The piece had some interesting characters that we let develop, wove them together, and concluded in a satisfying way. For my part I felt a sense of immediacy that had been lacking the past couple weeks. More in the moment. I could see the moves before I made them, anticipate the trajectory of the scenes. Intuitively knew how to play the various emotional beats and execute the internal games. It felt great.

With improv and with creative pursuits in general you are on an increasing trajectory, that is- as long as you continue to work hard. They'll be times of stagnation, times of inspirational sterility. But during those times your ability doesn't dip below a certain level of skill, if you have been diligent your craft will always be there regardless of the level of your artistic energy. I've found that these times of torpidity come less and less frequently and that you cannot forces yourself out of them. Times of creative neutrality are natural and you come out of them simply over the course of time. The trick is to be OK with those times of lethargy, keep going through the motions, one step at a time, until inspiration reveals itself.

Improv Violence

One of the fundamental rules in improv is avoid violence. Its stressed in classes in order to keep people safe and in control, its associated with "bad improv".  Pulling a gun in an improv scene is such a cliche bad move it was immortalized in The Office. The purpose of this rule is to one- make sure improvisers don't hurt each other by throwing actual punches which were intended to be pretend and two- there are many who believe violence in improv scenes halt the action, take the scene to a dead end.

Safety is of course important. But with some experience and very basic stage combat knowledge you can execute a serviceable punch or kick with well placed slaps, knaps, and stomps. Improvisers who know what they're doing shouldn't avoid violence after a certain point, it's a valuable tool that raises the stakes of a scene and can be visually appealing to an audience. In the matter of weapons the rule of Chekhov's gun applies i.e. if you pull a gun it should be used and when its used there should be consequences. The bad improv doesn't result from someone pulling a gun but from the gun not being used or people not reacting to it. If you pull a gun and do nothing with it the scene stagnates. If it is fired, if it is treated with some semblance of danger, the scene can soar.

Tonight during the Sight Unseen show I played a sex ed teacher with Rosie and Jimmy playing my teenage students. The scene built a bit then turned dark, me threatening Jimmy with a taser if he didn't promise to put the sensual needs of Rosie, his girlfriend, above his own, he hemmed and hawed so I tased his crotch. It got a huge reaction and an applause break.

We established an interesting scene, the message of it was basically- male-hetero-sexual-consideration- and used the threat of violence to increase tension, then the actual(pretend) violence to provide a crescendo and therefore a satisfying conclusion.

Certainly people just learning improv shouldn't start trying to kick, hit, or stab each other. At the beginning its difficult enough to navigate a simple premise. But that doesn't mean it should be outlawed. At a certain point the threat of violence and (pantomimed) violent acts can provide much needed energy and catharsis.

Nothing Left To Prove

Fishbowl the show Sight Unseen hosts at the Annoyance on Thursdays has been going really well the past couple weeks. Students are slowly starting to hear about it and come out. Our sets have been really fun and different, not different as in mind-blowing but different for us as players, we all agree there's something easy and unique about it. There's an assurance and freedom that I think most of us haven't felt before.

All of us have been on a number of different teams, both independent and constructed by established theaters. Everyone's training and interests are pretty eclectic. At this point everyone has a relatively high level of comfort and confidence on stage. The result of all that is none of us have anything to prove. Not to each other and not to anyone who might be watching. There is no extra layer of identity, competition, or status involved. No one ever tries to fix a scene or manage a piece, we just play.

For me I feel like it's probably some of the technically best improv I've ever done. Most of the time I'm truly present, reacting to what people are saying, finding inspiration within the moment as opposed to going in with preconceived ideas or initiations. I'm frequently surprised and delighted by my teammates and because I'm not worried about pushing the show a certain way I can really embrace them.

The Annoyance is great about fostering that sense of freedom and liberation. Mick and Jen gave us the slot along with permission to do what we wanted with it. They provide no oversight, they haven't come to see the show. There is an implicit trust there, a hands-off approach that I've really responded to. When you take away all the judgement and the fear you have a chance to truly play.

Surprises

Currently Sight Unseen is performing every Thursday at the Annoyance as part of the Fishbowl, a show Jimmy pitched which allows students to play with Annoyance teachers and performers. So far not a ton of students have come out but I anticipate that'll change over time.

We end the night with a set and the past two weeks it has been really fun. What I enjoy most about performing with the team(Jimmy, Mark, Meaghan, Rosie, Sarah, MB) is our disparate approaches and playing styles. Each of us has had a different path through improv and because we started playing together after we all had a significant amount of experience our POV's are relatively solidified. There's rarely ever moments of hesitation or indecision, it's almost always fluid even if the characters or choices aren't necessarily homogenized.

Because of our strong, independent, and different perspectives I'm frequently blind sided by other peoples choices. At this point with improv those moments of real surprise are what I look forward to and truly relish. Those moments where I am shaken out of my routines and really open my eyes to what my scene partner(s) are doing. That happens a lot with Sight Unseen. Someone makes an odd choice or a big emotional reaction that I wasn't expecting and the scene or piece blossoms because of it.

There can be a lot of importance put on knowing your teammates well and anticipating their moves in order to create solid group mind and a seamless piece. There's certainly something to that. But the more I improvise the more I look forward to performing with those people that bring the truly unexpected to the stage. Ultimately, I've found, it's the differences that are important, it's in the contrast where inspiration lies.

The Numbers For 2014

For the second year in a row I went 365 days without a drink.

I went on two vacations, one to Richmond, VA the other to New York City.

I saw 72 movies in the theater.

Deep Schwa had 51 shows.

Prime had 49 shows.

The Night Shift had 20 shows.

The Hague had 3 shows and was cut.

We formed Sight Unseen and had 12 shows.

I read 37 books, my favorite of which was My Real Children by Jo Walton.

I wrote 46 poems and did 5 readings.

Tisher, Tim, and I released 10 episodes of Bubble Boys compromising season 2 completing the series.

Tim and I recorded the first season of a new podcast The Hindsight Hour yet to be released.

I conceived of and co-wrote a play, Contention, which will open in the new year.

I made 1 collage.

I made 1 mix tape.

I wrote 1 song.

I moved twice.

I went to 1 audition.

I rode my motorcycle for 7 glorious months.

I went to 0 concerts.

I went to 11 plays.

I went to 2 weddings.

I went to 0 funerals.

I had the love of a beautiful and supportive woman for the entire year.

Sight Unseen

A couple months back Jimmy was talking about wanting to improvise more, he teaches improv at The Annoyance but hasn't improvised on a regular basis for a while. We threw out some names of people we thought were really talented and be fun to play with. We had two pick-up shows and tonight started a run at The Annoyance.

I haven't been a part of an independent project like this in a while. It's refreshing to get to know new people and figure out a new dynamic. Interesting to see how we play together, how I play differently, what adjustments need to be made as we progress.

The cast is Sarah Cowdery, Mark Logsdon, Rosie Moan, Jimmy Pennington, Mary Beth Smith, Meaghan Strickland, and myself. We'll close with an improv set with one or two openers and maybe some solo stuff to begin. The show is in The Annoyance small theater every Tuesday at 930pm for the next eight weeks.

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