So Two Shawns walk into a Bar...

And they have a little blogscussion about impro(v).

A little background: In June, I said the following...

"On an improv-related note, I read recently on an expert's improv blog that "most companies would never start their show with a 10-minute rookie round".

Well, I guess we're not like most companies... I don't really like the fact that he referred to the round as being the home of the "weakest" players, because I think we prove consistently that it can be the home of the most no-holds-barred, high-energy, something-else-that-can-be-separated-by-hyphens improv this side of the nuthouse."

I hope Shawn doesn't mind if I reprint his response from my June 8th post called "Dare to be the Same". I'm only doing it because I don't think anybody would see it otherwise, due to how long ago the post was made. Despite the age of the post, the comment is actually only from yesterday...

I'll just cut and paste so I don't change any of his words:

"Hey Shawn,Thanks for reading my notes about impro. I was just working with a couple of the guys from Rapid Fire while we were in Washington. Just wanted to leave a little response to your comments if I may,

Where I said "most companies would never start their show with a 10-minute rookie round". and you said that you aren't like most companies, GOOD FOR YOU! That's great to hear. MOST companies around the world that I've been to (maybe 20 or 30 by now) have this preoccupation with what they see as "SUCCESS". They think they must always make the audience laugh, that they must always weight the show with their 'quickest' and 'strongest' players BUT I think they are missing the point.

When Keith Johnstone was here at the Loose Moose and we were focused on theatresports, he always said how important it was for the feel of the show and the growth of the company to have the opening "10 minute game" of our weaker/rooky players. So Good on ya for embracing a healthier attitude than most companies.

NOW - I just have to comment as well on the terminology of "weaker" players. The term is probably not the best (Rooky is probably a better term)and it was humorous that you called it the "most no-holds-barred, high-energy, something-else-that-can-be-separated-by-hyphens improv."

There are great strengths to "NEWER" improvisers... ("Newbies, Green, beginning level, uh... young in the process improvisers) There is often a great fearlessness that senior performers admire and great passion. But... they are often 'weaker' generally or they probably would be holding down a bigger part of the show. I've seen BRILLIANT scenes done by rooky improvisers BUT the consistency isn't there yet and more often it is a weaker quality (Why aren't rooky players doing the entire show?.

I have my Weak days, you have your weak days BUT having good, consistent technique, presence and content makes us over-all stronger improvisers.

Musn't let the ego get in the way of our work. If we are weaker, so be it. It gives us somewhere to go.

In the early days, Keith and then artistic associate Dennis Cahill would create different levels of performers A - B - C and sometimes lower level performers.
Often the people who were publicly grouped as C or D players would cave in and leave the theatre with crushed egos BUT more often they would rise up and WORK WORK WORK until they could kick the ass of any 'A' player. It was a bad system and didn't last long but showed how we are affected by our 'ego' and how we HATE being categorized as "weaker" even if we were.

Strong, Weak... doesn't really matter. Just do the work to the best of your ability and trust that the artistic directors of theatre companies are doing their job and putting you into a spot in the show that supports your growth and most of all, the show itself.

All the best,
Shawn(probably will change the blog to reflect a better terminology)"
12:28 AM, August 20, 2006

I hope I didn't offend... and I'm flattered to hear from him. For the record, Shawn Kinley is a respected member of the theatre with loads of experience in mime, mask, and physical theatre. I wish him decades more of success.

Link of the Day: www.shawnkinley.com