Sketch Comedy at Blacktop

It's been a long time coming! Behind the scenes, among the players, we've talked about beginning a sketch team that performs regularly. Would it be live sketch comedy? Video sketches? A blend? We talked, daydreamed, and wondered. Turns out, that doesn't produce much. Well, it makes you salivate, which I guess is something, but nothing someone wants to watch (and if you do want to watch us salivate, well...um....I don't want to judge that...but....).

With the help of Nick Armstrong we put pen to paper, and started writing down ideas. Wrestling an idea into a script can take a lot of work.

"OK. I see how that idea is funny. Now, how do we take it and build a 3 minute sketch?"

Thankfully, with experience both, coaching and performing at Groundings, and iO Nick provided invaluable feedback. We learned to build characters, and not just a premise. Premises can burn out so fast, but a character can sustain. It was the "a-ha" moment we all needed.

We spent a weekend locked in the theater, glued to the laptops, tinkering, adjusting, and crafting some really funny stuff. After detaching from the laptops we took to the stage and worked, and reworked, and reworked the sketches.

And, we emerged! Victorious! Written, staged, and ready. Sacramento sketch comedy won't be the same!

Hyperbole? Nope. Never in the history of time and space has something existed to perfectly (maybe a little hyperbolic).

We are thrilled to announce our first show is coming soon. In fact, we have a date. I should share that date, otherwise you won't have anything to circle on your calendar.

Saturday, April 23rd
8:00pm

Ninety minutes of scripted goodness. The team is packed with some of the funniest creative writers and comedians in Sacramento and Placer including Jordan Mata, Jay Miller, Kasey Castaneda, Tim Smith, Jessica Deprez, Garrett Bank, Mo Lim-Chua Sebastian Saba, Don Strong and Paul Burke. It's a company of supportive writers, and performers.

Expect intense board gaming, horrible teachers, Beatles lovers, questionable parenting, ADHD commercials, and more.

We premiered and tested the show with a small audience, and were really excited with the response. It taught us a lot and helped us produce this nifty little promo. If you'd like you share it we would be very grateful. Thanks!

Tickets are available online or at the box office.

Father of the Year Award

About a week ago, it was very windy. A Game of Thrones, “A cold wind was blowing from the north," sort of wind. It wasn't Twister-eqsue cow-flying-by-news-van windy (did anyone ever address in the audio commentary what happened to that cow? I like to the cow landed safely and continued to chew it's cudd. A man can dream.)

Most people were inside, but I decided to walk the dog. I hadn't walked him earlier in the day, and I felt guilt. I hate guilt, and rather then deal with it on an emotional level, I decided to deal with it on a tangible, I'll-just-go-walk-the-dog level and get rid of it all together.

I'm glad I did take the dog for a walk. Yes, because it made me feel better, but also because it made me fee great! I saw something very touching. I saw this father and son in the park, taking advantage of the wind, and trying to fly a kite. The kid was beaming. Thrilled to be out, living life. Freezing, no doubt, but loving life! The kite hadn't gotten off the ground yet, his dad was putting all the pieces in place, but he was bouncy-excited. Remember bouncy-excited? Remember that feeling? So exhilarated you couldn't sit or stand still?

I circled the park and kept my eye on the pair. How could I not? Both were so elated! The dad was clearly thrilled to be in the process of achieving his well deserved father of the year award, and the kid was hilarious. He was like a 3 foot tall surveyor. Waiting for the kite to be ready, walking around the patch of grass, staring into the sky, returning to the kite, and repeating the process.

Then, the moment arrived, the wind was swirling, the kite was assembled, and the kid was positioned at the end of the line, ready to run. He ran, and the kite crashed! The amazing thing, I didn't notice any sadness on the kids face. He just stood there, ready to try it again. The dad grabbed the kite, held it high in the air, and everyone was ready for round two.

The kid sprinted across the park, the kite caught in the air, and soared. Success! There was a lot of happiness.

And, there was a lot of passion. I know that's why I was mesmerized. I've seen kites fly before. It's not unusual I've even watched professional kite flyers in San Francisco. This excitement though, in a Roseville Park was more enchanting, because of the passion and joy.

It reminded me of how immensely watchable joy is. It's like this secret weapon. Watching someone truly enjoy themselves in a park or onstage in a show is memorable. Watching someone live in the moment, and be excited about the moment can be hypnotic. Sometimes I get focused on rules, patterns, heightening, and "the next thing." I better craft a good moment here to get to a good moment over there. Watching a couple kite flyers woke me up. Have fun first, love the moment, and living in that moment will be so much more fun for everyone. Everyone will fixate on that moment together.

Seattle Festival of Improv Theater

There have been a handful of lessons in improv that have profoundly impacted me. Six years ago...I think it was six years ago....time flies...I was fortunate to take an improv from Joe Bill at the Seattle Festival of Improv Theater (SFIT! Love it! Go to Seattle and enjoy the festival. It's this weekend! They're in their 14th year!). He admitted something, which I thought up until that point improv could fix. The wave of doubt. The second guessing. The self doubt!

"We can't get rid of self-doubt. You will feel the doubt. It's always there," he began.
Wait a second! We can't rid ourselves of this thing? No amount of "yes, anding," or supporting will smother that bastard? I'm forever going to have self-doubt.

[closeup to a wide shot] Nooooo!

But, he continued, (Thank goodness. I was about to pack it up. "Well, improv. It's been a hoot! I'm outta here."), "We always have doubt, but we need to tell it to shut the fuck up, and we'll deal with it after the show."

Oh Joe! I was both relieved and confused. Self doubt is with me, but I can tell it to leave me alone for awhile? I didn't quite understand, but I knew it was an important lesson. I felt like I was in a movie, receiving an important moment of foreshadowing. I didn't know how to process it, but I was confident it would take shape over time.

And, it has! Over the past six years, over the course of hundreds of scenes, his wisdom has only become more wisdom-y-er. It's clear there are only two options in a show. Option number one: Ignore the fear, suddenly notice the fear, and then judge yourself for having fear. Option number two: acknowledge the fear, notice the fear, and agree to deal with it later.

We can't judge ourselves for feeling something during a show. When we do that, prepare for an emotional spiral ("Why can't I stop?! Professionals probably can stop this feeling! I guess I'm not good. I'll never be good!" Walk offstage and eat a pint of ice cream). It's not realistic to shut off the feelings. The best we can do, as Joe Bill said, admit upfront we're going to feel it. This will help us keep from being rattled when it appears. The feeling exists, you can't overcome an instinctual feeling. You're normal for having self-doubt. It's always sitting on the sidelines after every choice, waiting to strike. Just try and tell your doubt to stay on the sidelines, until after the show.