For The Love of Improv
For The Love of Improv
Courtney Ropp | Finding What The Scene Needs
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Courtney offers some tools and tricks to use on stage when a scene falls flat, gets stuck in negotiation or is just plain boring. We also discuss how to know when to add something or when it’s a good idea to just leave a scene alone. When one of us royally messes up an improv game (what? there are no mistakes in improv, I say!), we talk about the very fundamental improv concept of “listen and respond” and turn the clock back to 1974 when John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd became a strong improv duo. We hope you can join us on our 6th episode of “For The Love Of Improv”!
Visit ForTheLoveOfImprov.com for more!
Let's rock and roll.
SPEAKER_06:Oh my goodness, this is improv. Hello and welcome to the sixth episode of For the Love of Improv, where we talk everything improv and why we love it and all the good stuff. We are your hosts. I am Jesse Wicks. I'm Katie Wells. And today we have the fabulous, the amazing, the one and only Courtney Rap on us on the podcast. Not on us, but on the podcast today. Oh. Ow now brown cow. Getting used to warming up. Warming up. Okay.
SPEAKER_01:Today our topic You had tea today, didn't you, instead of coffee? I did. Oh boy. There's that's why.
SPEAKER_06:It's a whole thing. We this is about improv, not about my coffee habits, but the coffee was a whole thing. Today our topic is um finding what the scene needs. So if you are in one of those scenes, like Courtney's gonna help us figure out what's in our tool bag to uh get that scene back on track today. This is gonna be a very, very useful episode. You're gonna get so much. I'm gonna put all the pressure on Courtney because this is gonna be the best episode ever, right, Courtney?
SPEAKER_03:I'm sweating. The responsibility is overwhelming right now.
SPEAKER_06:All right. Before we get started, why don't you um you tell them about how we're not experts? Oh right.
SPEAKER_01:We don't know anything, but we try to learn on this show. Uh no, you know, we we've been doing improv for a short time. Uh and so long compared to some people, it just depends. But you know, like a couple years. Um, somebody forgot to turn their side. Rude. Um so yeah, so uh yeah, so we don't claim to be experts, but we love improv and we love learning about improv. We love talking about improv and we love inviting people on our show to lend their knowledge and experience.
SPEAKER_06:And uh yeah, but so come along with us on our improv journey. That is improv. Anyway, so um Courtney has been doing improv for what about 11 years now?
SPEAKER_03:Um about 18.
SPEAKER_06:18 years. Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:On and off. Well, yeah, I think you are very I mean, I don't want to out your age. I'm 32. I I own your age, women. Own your age and your beauty. Yeah.
SPEAKER_05:I mean, you didn't seem like the type of person I'd cared, but yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Good on you.
SPEAKER_06:Don't even look at you for the gall clock. You're welcome. Um Courtney is a local creative, she is an amazing photographer, both video um and still photography. She just did a play called Let the Right One In, where she was the star roll vampire. It was amazing. Uh what else do you got in the works? What else is going on in your life, Courtney?
SPEAKER_03:Um, well, quite a few things. Just uh I'm getting ready in two weeks to go to Europe for a month and a half. So I'm very excited about that. Yeah, I take a month off a year to relax, chill, sort of regroup my creative spirits, you know, align all of the stars, but from the other side of the world. Um, and then I'm also writing a pilot episode with a previous guest on the show, Taylor Riedeman. And we're really excited about um getting the production up and going for that. Um, just a lot of random stuff. Yeah, she was amazing. Yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_06:She did the character building one. It was go back and listen to Taylor Riedeman episode two.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, she does some fun characters on there.
SPEAKER_06:Good stuff. So um I'm just gonna, you know, get the juices pullone here, ask a few silly questions. Um, Courtney, what is your spirit animal?
SPEAKER_03:An elephant. What? Yeah.
SPEAKER_06:It's really funny because you're like so small. Like if you guys will take a picture and put it online, like she's she's very petite.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, um, I'm I'm actually I've never really ne haven't really been a big fan of animals in general. Um, I find them tedious and a lot of responsibility that I don't have. Um, but I did spend two weeks in Thailand working with rescued elephants. Um, and uh we just really bonded because they only care about eating and chilling. They move slow, they're all about that relaxed lifestyle. Um, but they're also very protective of like their herd and their people. Um, and it's a very they're very uh clingy to their like groups. Um, and so just sort of experiencing and being around elephants for two weeks, I'm like, these are my these are my these are my animals. Yeah. Yeah.
SPEAKER_06:So yeah, you you are very clingy. Um okay, so um one question we ask all of our guests, very first. So this is 18 years ago, so this is you were pretty young, but oh I remember the very first time you walked into an improv class, what did you feel? Why did you come back?
SPEAKER_03:So I was in high school, and at the time I had just started uh volunteering, working at a community theater in Texas, and I was assisting, I was the assistant director for um like a kids' workshop, and we were going to play improv games, and I was like, what is this improv thing? And it we basically played freeze tag, um, but as the high schooler slash assistant director, I had to be in every single scene and start every single scene with the kids. Like they would yell freeze and then a new kid would come in, and then I would have to be in every single scene. And um, it was at that time in my life, my dad was deployed. Um, 9-11 had just happened, and um I was a very shy kid. I always stayed in my room. I I like puzzles, you know, whatever this kind of thing was like. I don't want to like working with people. Um, but improv was sort of that thing that got me out of my shell. And I recognized that I was really good at it. It was something that I was actually good at doing. Um, and so from that point on, I was like, this is my life. And I have basically integrated improv into every conversation, every thing that I do.
SPEAKER_06:So she has never had a conversation since that did not in some way involve improv.
SPEAKER_03:True story.
SPEAKER_01:I think that's so true because uh, you know, a lot of people will be like, Oh, oh, you do improv, oh I can never do something like that. And it's like, you know, it's it's sometimes those people who have the most social anxiety or are the shyest, where I want to be like, no, actually, you of all people should try it because it it it'll do amazing things for you.
SPEAKER_03:Absolutely. I mean, every time you have a conversation with someone, I mean, as much as this episode is planned, like it's improvised because we're having a conversation and I don't know what's gonna come out of your mouth. Um But it's just I think I think ultimately it's uh can you communicate in a braver stance than normal? Is pretty much I think what improv helps you accomplish. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, I definitely I definitely think improv helps you with the art of conversation because there is an art to it. Absolutely to speak to people to sort of draw things out from them, and also listening is a big part of improv, and that's also a big part of conversing with people and all of that stuff. So you try people out there, try improv.
SPEAKER_06:I actually had never had a a problem with talking. Yeah, I was always good at that, but um, I did have a problem with listening, so what okay, good people. Let's jump into our topic. Alright. Okay. Okay, um what are we talking about today? I'm gonna go ahead and set her up with um kind of a concept, and we'll talk about this concept, and then Courtney can kind of go in and talk about what the need is in a scene when it falls flat and why a lot of scenes fall flat. Um But the concept I want to talk about is point of view. Um I'm reading my notes here. P-O-V. P-O-V. Yeah. Right.
SPEAKER_01:Um Isn't that like an S T D or something like that?
SPEAKER_06:No, no.
unknown:Sorry.
SPEAKER_06:You never know what's gonna come out of my head.
SPEAKER_03:A little nervous now.
SPEAKER_06:Um the hardest thing is sticking to your point of view. This is something Courtney said to me. Um why do you feel sticking to your point of view is the hardest thing in an improv scene?
SPEAKER_03:Well, I think um a scene moves and changes throughout, and people's um things that people say change. And so I think a lot of times we when we're in a scene, we think we need to follow everything that's happening. And you do in a way, and that's part of listening is you know, following conceptually. Um, but I think a lot of people in general as human beings, we're we don't like conflict, and so we tend to agree a lot more than we should. Um, but if you're in a scene where you think that that painting is ugly, and someone comes in and starts describing why it's beautiful and all this other stuff, there's no reason for you to agree with them right away. The painting's ugly, and that can create something beautiful from a scene.
SPEAKER_06:Right. Um before so this uh I feel like we're kind of jumping, you know, main rule of improv is agree, agree, agree, right? But you can still agree that that painting exists and that you're looking at the same painting without agreeing uh that it's beautiful or not beautiful.
SPEAKER_03:Right. I mean you can still be when I think when when you say agree in a scene, it's more agreeing with the reality. Um just because you say that the painting is beautiful, um, I can agree with your reality of thinking that that painting is beautiful, but my point of view might be different within that reality. Um, so I can come in and be like, well, I don't know. I think whoever did this was, you know, on drugs and they don't actually know what they're doing, or find out it's actually painted by a three-year-old and they actually have no talent whatsoever. Um, but I'm not going to be, I'm not going to come up to you and be like, no, you don't think that painting is beautiful. I'm not changing your point of view. I'm just changing, I'm having a different point of view, but staying in agreement in the reality of the scene.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, and I think too you can also apply that to like say if somebody comes on stage and you haven't yet defined what sort of role you are, like whether you're a child or a parent or you know, an art critic critic or something like that, you know. So if somebody comes on and like if you're coming in there thinking, well, I'm an art critic, and then somebody comes on and says, Johnny, where have you been? I've been looking for you for so long, like you know, as if you're a child, well, that doesn't necessarily mean then you need to again change your point of view. You can still be a child, but say, Well, I think that painting is ugly, or you know, maybe there's some mannerisms that you brought on stage with you too, and you can still keep those, but sort of pivot into that new defined role.
SPEAKER_06:Right, right. I and I think um where a lot of scenes lose steam, and I know I've been there and I've actually done this before, um, is when you feel this need to change your point of view because you feel pulled in a certain direction by someone, and then it all you almost end up negating yourself. You know, you negate your own reality and things that you said before no longer make sense because you're trying to be this different character that somebody else set you up as. Um you know, so if somebody if you come in like slouching and somebody says, You look so happy today, you know, you could you know, you you have you still have the power to turn that into whatever, you know.
SPEAKER_05:Maybe that's you maybe that's your way of expressing happiness.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, maybe your way of yeah and that's a great piggyback on episode two with Taylor Riedeman.
SPEAKER_06:Taylor's getting the plug today. Ayo. Um so at what point do you change your point of view?
SPEAKER_03:Um I think you can when you're in a scene, I think you can sense when something is being overdone or getting stale, or um, you know, it's like when resolved. Yeah, like when something feels complete within that. Um, I think that those are great moments and it's just a sense. I don't think there's any kind of hard rule because it can happen 20 seconds into a scene, it can happen two minutes into a scene where you feel like, okay, this is not really going anywhere. I have nothing else to add to this thing. Um, or you can pick something that somebody said and you can that can change an emotion, it can change your point of view if you feel like it's strong enough. Um I I like changing in a scene um whenever I feel like it's sort of becoming a dud. Um just because it gives something fresh and new to whatever it is that you're discussing or talking about. And I prefer using um a gift from my partner, that something that they're saying almost to um trip up their character's point of view, not them as a person, but like if if uh like we were in a scene, Jesse and I were in a scene together, and I had made a she had made a comment about like um, well, you know, you could be the best tomato thrower in the world. Here I'm gonna give you a chance. And I was like, man, uh it's crazy because I would have thought that you'd read my diary to know that this was like my heart's cry. And she was like, I did read your diary. And it just and then I use that to be to now it's not about the tomato throwing, it's not about my passion. Now it's about the fact that my sister just read my diary. And so that's a lot there, so much there now. So it's all about listening. You really have to pay attention and listen, and it's not about you know your personal point of view, it's about your character's point of view, which are two completely different things.
SPEAKER_01:Well, and too, I I think too, like, um, that just reminded me, and I don't know how much it relates to what we're talking about in general, but um, you know, like when a character might say, like, don't touch me, I don't like to be touched, um, then the person the other person on stage, it's like they're gonna touch them now. Like that's that's what they're gonna do because that's gonna create that sort of conflict. And it's not denying them, it's it's it's you know, it's creating that conflict of like what's gonna happen now because now they're being touched, and how is that person gonna react? And you know um I don't know if that's a change necessarily, but it's um it's just leaning into that that conflict and and therefore enriching the scene.
SPEAKER_06:So I think it's it's when you hear something like that recognizing what your choices are in that moment. So so they've given you a bit of information, a gift, knowing, okay, this character doesn't like to be touched. You know, are you going to just kind of blow, okay, you don't like to be touched, I won't touch you. Or you can be like, oh, this is now a part of the scene, and now I can play into that. And it's recog recognizing gifts, I think, is an important thing. Um coats. Um yeah, um so beyond point of view. You're in a scene and you just feel like it's a dud, you get that moment when you're on scene and you just frozen, you're like, shit, this scene sucks. How do I get out of it? Um what is the first tool that comes to your mind when you're like, okay, I gotta just bring something to the scene. The scene needs something right now. What is your first instinct?
SPEAKER_03:Well, my first instinct is to ask myself, have we established a relationship yet? Um and I find that a lot of scenes become duds because you haven't established that relationship. Um because if there's a relationship that already exists, the scene most likely won't fall flat. Um, so that's my first thing is have I given this person a name? Have I established the who they are to me? Have they established who they are? Have they established it to me? And have I not recognized it? And do I need to address that? Um so that that's the first thing that that I do. Right.
SPEAKER_06:So is the relationship simply like who we are to each other, or is there something else involved in creating that relationship?
SPEAKER_03:Well, I the first step is who we are to each other. And then what I sort of do very quickly in a millisecond is establish, okay, what does that relationship mean to me? And that creates emotions, it creates perspective, it creates a point of view, it creates all of these other things, how I would react to this person. Okay, so if you're my sister, do we have a good relationship or a bad relationship? Are we jealous of one another or we do this or whatever? And so I kind of run through all of these scenarios. I pick one and then I go with that. And if I have a partner on stage with me who I can trust and is doing the same thing, they're going to create their point of view. And that's going to, no matter what we talk about, whether we talk about socks or whether we talk about going to college, there's gonna be something meaty there because of the relationship that we've developed.
SPEAKER_01:I think it's fun too, like I don't know what you think about this, Courtney, but um sometimes uh I find myself introducing an emotion before I define the relationship and then just kind of see where it goes, and then after a few lines back and forth with each other, from there decide that okay, we're this, you know, we're brother and sister, or we're mom and dad, or whatever like that. So I feel like there's different ways too. You can you can what do you think about that?
SPEAKER_03:I I tend to go into scenes like that anyway, um, because I feel like your emotion will drive the scene way more than your relationship will. Um, and a lot of times that emotion can help you figure out what your relationship is and become more creative in what that relationship is. Because people tend to fall into family relationships or cousins or boyfriend, girlfriend, which are cool, but like what if you're my boss and we work at a meat packing plant? Like how okay, but how are how we come into a scene emotionally might actually drive and define that? Um, I'm a very slow scene improviser. Much like how I said that sentence. Um what does that mean?
SPEAKER_01:Could you maybe flush that out a little bit? What what is the difference? Because I think that's um I think that that is something like that I know that I've discovered like I I've noticed like some people are f I notice that I go too fast, and so actually I'm I'm very interested in learning how to slow down. Um, but there's some people who like, like I know, I know Ben Ben likes to Ben Craig likes to, you know, he likes Yeah, he's a fast mover. He wants things to happen, happen. And I get yeah, I kind of get both sides, like I can see the value in both.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, I think I think going to our topic of what a scene needs, um, it's it's really creating the versatility in yourself as a player to recognize okay, this scene needs to be a little bit slower. And and trusting your instinct to actually move slower. Um or coming into a scene and being like, there's a lot of high energy here, so I need to move a little bit faster, my words need to come out a little bit more, I need to be a little bit more creative in the way that I communicate with her, and then my movements are gonna go right behind that, and then you know you don't even know. So um, so I think that what was your question?
SPEAKER_01:No, you're doing good. I was just asking to kind of flesh out what what the difference is between playing slow and playing fast. I mean, I also noticed that like part of when when I play fast, it's because I'm nervous. So to me, that's not like that conscious.
SPEAKER_03:I'm not being a conscientious enough player because I'm just uh, you know, like so I think I think a way to remedy that, um, and I know Jesse and I have talked about this, is we replace uh time on stage with just doing something. And so we think that by doing something that means speaking. Um so if you're not speaking, do something, pace, walk around, find something to do, wash the ditches, mow the lawn, I don't know, carve Whittle, do something. Um, because that is as much of a gift as saying something to your scene partner. Uh I am a big fan of coming on stage with someone and we don't speak for like sixty seconds. Um because me doing a motion an an action and them doing an an action are going to create a really beautiful scene versus coming out and being like, Sup, bro? Hey bro, what's up?
SPEAKER_01:Like that that can be funny and it can be great, but like um Yeah, but oftentimes people, like you said, like they they don't think about actions being starting the scene, but it's and people are nervous about the audience.
SPEAKER_03:Like you're not boring the audience. So get that out of your head. The audience is there and they're gonna be they're entertained. They're they are curious about what's happening on stage. And because there's not a lot of slow improv, I think people are gonna enjoy and be more intrigued by slow improv than quick improv because it's like, oh, here's something new, and it's like, oh, I don't really know what to think right now. Yeah.
unknown:What's gonna happen?
SPEAKER_03:What's gonna happen?
SPEAKER_06:Um, I'm going, I'm going to pause right there, and we're going to move into our first segment, which is our concept of the day. And today I picked like a really basic one because I feel like when scenes go bad, sometimes it's basically fundamentals. It's the last page. Um the fundamentals are what's struggling. Yeah. Um and so the concept today um I got from the Dallas Comedy House. You can go to Dallascomedyhouse.com, um, their blog on the five principles in um of improv that will improve your life. Um, and I took this one that's I I liked what they said about it. It's listen and respond. Um there's there's a game that we play where we basically go around in a circle and it's the expert game. And you're supposed to take, you're supposed to physically say a word from what the person said before and then expound on it. So you're giving expert advice about a specific topic, and you go around and someone says, um, you know, tables um were invented to actually be chairs. And the next person would be like, Yes, originally tables were chairs, and and until that defining moment when they realize they could set a cup on it, you know. And you keep going, yes, that first cup that was set on a table, you know, you know, and you go around saying you listen to the last words that were said, and then you respond to that. Like you don't have to have context from the whole scene, you just have to have context from the last thing the person said. So the Dallas Comedy House says, This is the most fundamental concept of conversation, yet it's often the most difficult. We get stuck in our heads thinking of what we'll say next, that and so we miss key information that can propel the conversation or the improv scene. So stop worrying so much about what you are going to say and do or how you are going to be received.
SPEAKER_01:Instead, start listening for the gifts being given to you and respond in like one of the it reminds me because one of the um one of the an exercise that uh I've done before, which it's a pretty boring improved exercise, but um it's basically all it is is that somebody is a customer in a restaurant and the other person is a waiter, and then so the person who's the customer you know gives their order and the waiter's job is to repeat back the order. And kind of as the customer, the idea is that you kind of make the most complicated order ever, so that the person is really forced to really intently listen to you. And it's a hyper focused exercise on what it means to listen because I think that you know we I think a lot of people do just start like, oh, what funny thing am I gonna say next? Like they're they're in our their head, and instead of you know, I think the focus most of the time should be on your scene partner or the other people in the scene, or whatever. If somebody walks on stage, you know, listening is also just pay, it just means paying attention. If somebody walks on on stage, you know, you have to pay attention to now there's another person on stage.
SPEAKER_03:So yeah, and I and I don't think that um I think that's really great too, um, because we're not gonna remember everything. And I so I think it's a really great exercise to utilize because what I do is um people give a lot of information. And what I'll do is I'll be like, ooh, that's really important. I'm gonna hold on to that. Oh, that's really important too. I'm gonna hold on to that. So then I have like two or three concepts or ideas that have been brought onto stage or spoken that I'm holding on to and putting into my little memory box. Um, because if you can't remember, it's fine, it's improv. Like that's part of the the humor and the fun, is like, hey George, and be like, my name's Jack, and be like, well, it's George now, you know, and so things like that, whatever. But um, but that's one thing that I do in the course of a whole game is I'll be listening intently for like those nuggets and I want to hold on to and sort of bring back later or want to respond to later.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah. And I think too, um, you know, it's always okay, because sometimes, you know, sometimes you don't hear what somebody said. Like you, you know, and you're trying to listen and you don't hear. Um, and I think it's also okay to be like, What'd you say? Or do an active listening thing and say, Did you just say blah blah blah blah? And then the person can be like, No, I said this, or yes, aren't you listening to or whatever?
SPEAKER_03:You know, it's or sometimes it's just bad timing. Like uh our show on Saturday, uh Jesse, different Jesse, was driving a hearse, and so for when they came back to the other scene, I came on stage to be in the hearse, and as soon as I came on stage and laid down, he says, I got a new tractor. And so now I'm like, now it's a tractor hearse, you know.
SPEAKER_02:So it's actors.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, so it's okay, it's okay, you guys. It doesn't have to be perfect.
SPEAKER_00:It can be a tractor hearse, it's funny.
SPEAKER_06:But I mean, that's funny. That's what makes it interesting, is that we are making we are human, we are making mistakes, and I think that's what the audience loves is that oh, it's a tractor hearse. Okay, this is interesting.
SPEAKER_01:And would not what what would be not as okay, I mean everything's okay, it's okay, everybody. Really, it is. But um, what's not as okay is if um, you know, s Jesse said, Oh, it's a tractor, and then Courtney ignores that and argues and denies and said, No, it's a it's a hearse. Right. No, it's it's you you have to not you have to agree because the audience will pick up on that and go, Well, wait a minute. Yeah. And then that's that's a chance for you to lose the audience because now they're sitting there thinking about like, well, wait a minute, is it tractor or a hearse? Or like, what's going on? And they get confused and then they don't they're not engaged in the scene anymore. Yeah, they're no longer invested.
SPEAKER_03:Right, yeah.
SPEAKER_06:So listening and responding, you guys do it. Yeah, do it. Don't it? Just do it. Um so this is something that I have trouble with because when I decide I want to help a scene, I just want to go in there and help a scene. Um, but how can you tell when a scene actually needs your help or it just needs to be allowed to be played out longer?
SPEAKER_05:That's hard.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, I think this is one of the hardest concepts for new improvisers is like, when do I edit? When do I bring a gift in? When do I do this sort of thing? Um I think a lot of it is comedic timing. Um, and that's something that just sort of gets developed. Like when you when you sense that beat in a scene, or you feel like it's coming up to a beat, and so you kind of prepare for that moment. Um, but I think when I am bored, honestly, like all those concepts that we've just talked about, like point of view, and when when you need when you're in a scene and when you need to shift it and when you need to do kind of all of that stuff, I think that as you're on the sidelines watching and learn and trying to figure out, okay, does this scene need me? And if I keep going like, nope, still good, still going, it's still got energy, it's still got perspective, it's still got all this stuff. Um, then I I like to leave the scene alone. Um, unless it's like, oh, you know what would heighten this, like this concept that they're bringing in. You know what would heighten it if I came in as like a producer and just like made a blip about how awesome this person is and how much this person sucks, and then just leave. And so now they have like it's adding to what they're doing. I'm not removing kind of. Um that's all I have to say about that.
SPEAKER_01:Uh yeah, or like doing cut tos or you know, painting scenes and stuff like that. Those are little gifts that you can sprinkle in that you're not necessarily coming in and like taking over the scene, you know. And I think um, I think it's interesting too, because we were talking about slow and fast improvisation too. Cause you you I mean, listen, we're not of all the same brain, we're not of all the same personality, we're not of all the same point of reference in terms of experience. And so and I think this comes up a lot, especially with um new players, because you're still trying to also figure out how to be a better improviser, but um so somebody who might think, oh, this scene needs to be faster, you know. Um and I've I've grappled with this sometimes, and I'm again like I'm saying, I'm like, okay, I gotta work on slowing down and also letting a scene breathe because it's not that's not always just because I think it needs to be faster isn't always what needs to happen, you know. So I think that as you're if you are a new improviser and just really paying attention to kind of what you're bringing to the table, because sometimes it's nerves that are getting in my way, and and the way I react is like, oh, I need to fix it. And and it's like, well, no, like you calm the fuck down. Um sorry, mom. Uh and uh, you know, so I think I think that there's uh things you have to sort of check yourself onto, and and yeah, that's all I have to say about that.
SPEAKER_06:Yeah, I mean uh going into that um kind of brings us into another question I had, which are um the common pitfalls of a scene. Like where where are you when you find that you need help in a scene? Um and I wrote down some that I was thinking of uh one being in a if you're in a negotiation. It's so hard for me to get out of a negotiation. Um I have to like I feel like I almost have to stop the scene if I'm in a negotiation and be like, we're not talking about this anymore.
SPEAKER_03:Um well and I actually do that, but creatively. So um negotiations are really easy to get into because they're simple and we know how they work, right? Um but what I always like to ask myself is why are we in this negotiation? And what reason can I give that's ridiculous? Um and sometimes I will literally stop in I will force myself to say something and stop in the middle of the sentence, pause and look at that person and be like, this isn't about this, is it? Like I know what's I know what's really going on. That's stop, stop and make it that climax moment of um there's something fishy going on here. Um because the audience is probably bored too. They're like, oh look, they're buying a sandwich. That's neat. Right.
SPEAKER_06:But that starts becoming about the thing.
SPEAKER_03:It becomes about the thing, but what if the thing is just a uh like a concept from something else that's happening, right? Like, you're buying me this sandwich because you know how I feel about mac and cheese. You're doing this on purpose, aren't you? And that can, you know, that can develop out of something because in real life people do that, right? You bought me flowers. All right, why? Why'd you buy me flowers?
SPEAKER_06:What did you do? What did you do?
SPEAKER_01:Well, it's it, you know, it kind of reminds me too because um for a while my team we were working with this uh format called we were calling it the spot, and basically the way it worked was like the suggestion from the audience would be like think of a place that has a lot of different places within that place. So like an office or like a mall or something like that. And um to me, I I started to sort of resent that format um because you know it kind of it kind of lended itself to constantly being in negotiation because you're at the mall. What do you do? You go to the mall and you order something for or you're at a shop and you're you don't know the relationships. I mean, you can still do it to where, but it just seemed like it was easier to just fall into those negotiations. So I kind of like the Rasowski strip down. I was I was actually Rasowski at least once on the podcast. Check it.
SPEAKER_06:I think he's in the show notes for every single show.
SPEAKER_01:Um, but the thing about him that I love is that it's like there is no place, there's just you and your mannerisms and whatever you're bringing on stage. All everything else, like he would be like, kind of like is bullshit and doesn't matter. So it's really stripping down to like your character and then the relationship that you have with the other person on stage. Right. I think there's more to it than that.
SPEAKER_06:Um, another scene I often find myself in that I hate being in is when one person is teaching another person something. And it's just like, here, you do this. I it almost it almost like strips away my my one of the characters' autonomy and to be able to make their own decisions because you're literally telling them what to do. Um I I don't know why teach like negotiations I get because it's just a back and forth and it's not about anything. Well, I guess maybe it's the same thing with teaching scenes in that it becomes about the thing you're teaching and not about the relationship.
SPEAKER_03:But well, I think you hit it on the head there. I think it's you're taking away the freedom from your scene partner to no longer be a part or contribute to this scene. So, you know, if I come in and I'm teaching you how to hit a golf ball, like you no longer have any kind of decision making in this scene. I'm telling you what to do, how to do it, how to stand, how to do everything.
SPEAKER_06:Um and I think you're putting them in an inferior position on top of it. You're like, I'm I'm the dominant person in the scene, you're my son or my student or whatever, do what I say. And they have to either make a choice to rise up and then it just becomes an argument or follow along, in which case it just gets boring.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, and I think I think that there's there's potential in those types of scenes. It's just that you have to be very cognizant of it as soon as possible. So as soon as you realize, oh, okay, you're my golf instructor, before you say two or three sentences, you already have to establish that it's more than than the golf instruction.
SPEAKER_06:See that that that rings a bell for me because I I took a golf class once and I was totally attracted to my golf instructor.
SPEAKER_03:It was Yeah, so there's still potential there. It just you I think you there's a much greater um haste in in recognizing that as soon as possible.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:And that's when you create that relationship quickly, and then you start doing something other than teaching.
SPEAKER_06:Oh good memories. Okay. Um sorry, that was all right. That was fun college stuff. Okay, so there was a yeah, golf class at college. It was amazing. Okay, so someone is not listening and won't let go of their idea. That is another scene that I hate being in where you're trying to move the scene along and they're like, no, this is what the scene's about.
SPEAKER_00:Yeah.
SPEAKER_06:Um, I just got a look on her face, like, oh my gosh, we're getting into it.
SPEAKER_03:I have a great friend, um, Lauren. Oh, I love her. She's amazing. And we did improv together in San Diego, and um she taught me one of the greatest on stage things that you can ever do. And that when you find yourself in a position like this and someone won't let go of their idea, just agree to the nth degree of whatever it is that they're doing and overdo it. Over-agree to whatever it is that they're doing. Um, because in a weird way, you end up taking back control of the scene and you both end up um working together. And so then it's it's less of the conflict, it is not kind of what we've learned conflict is in a scene, um, but more of this overly agreeable individual. And then that becomes your character's point of view. It's just like whatever this person says, I'm gonna agree with it, even if it seems weird. All right, well, now our real reality is the super weird. Um Right.
SPEAKER_06:And actually that's interesting because the way that I worded that was someone's not listening and they won't let go of their idea. But if you turn that back on yourself, well, am I not? Yeah, if if I'm upset that they're not agreeing to my idea means I'm doing the same thing. So it takes, yeah, you're right, it takes two to make that happen. I I wasn't thinking about it that way when I wrote the question. I was like, I was like, yeah, I've been in that scene where someone just like I'd say I keep saying stuff that's bulldozing you're bulldozing me. And I'm like, well, am I holding on to my idea too much?
SPEAKER_03:But also if you're the bulldozer, stop it.
SPEAKER_06:Right. Just stop. Um let's take a break here and do another segment. Let's do our game. You want to play a game? Um, Courtney suggested a game. It's a very simple one that we um that's great for beginners. It's called uh I you.
SPEAKER_03:It's like you me we. You me? You me.
SPEAKER_06:Sounds like French. You mean?
SPEAKER_03:Okay.
SPEAKER_06:So this is a two-player game. So how about we have it be you two since I'm the one narrating here? Um and basically one person starts your first time ever playing together.
SPEAKER_03:How do you feel?
SPEAKER_06:Uh one person starts, they make a you statement, and the other person makes a me statement, that's M-E, and then um the original player makes a we statement of some sort. And um, can you quickly explain the purpose of this game in in the context of the show?
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, I think it's a really good exercise um because we're talking about what a scene needs and listening. Um, so it's sort of combining those two concepts together. So I'm going to give a gift, they're going to reply by listening to my gift and gifting me as well. And then from those two statements, you can kind of develop, all right, where can the scene go from here? Um you're developing the relationship with the we statement, is that uh not necessarily, um, but you are sort of adding um either a heightened concept or I mean it's mostly about listening and then adding something to it. Um and that's all really about like when you respond, you should be adding something to a scene.
SPEAKER_01:Well, and I feel like those pronouns too lend themselves to a relationship because we're talking about you and me together.
SPEAKER_06:All right, um, how about Katie starts? Why don't you do a you initiation?
SPEAKER_01:Hey Joanne. You know, you seem a little off today.
SPEAKER_03:I do seem a little off only because I didn't have my morning coffee.
SPEAKER_01:We should get some coffee together and talk about what's bothering you. As I can tell.
SPEAKER_00:We should be me.
SPEAKER_06:Sorry, me.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, is it me? I'm doing the game wrong. I thought I was supposed to you said you, me, and then we.
SPEAKER_03:I think I think it's you, I, you, we.
SPEAKER_06:Are we doing the game wrong?
SPEAKER_03:I think we might be doing it wrong.
SPEAKER_06:I think the whole point is is you it whether it's I or me. You guys do it together. Oh my god.
unknown:I'm not calling it.
SPEAKER_03:I think it's you know what? You know what? This is a great, this is a great moment. It's a learning moment, I feel like, that in improv, accept failure, fail big. And we just failed huge. Um, and you know what, we're gonna pick ourselves up by our bootstraps if you're wearing boots. If not, bra straps. And uh we're gonna do this again. Because I think for those of you out there being like, oh my god, that's not what it's called, um, it's probably you I we. Or I, I think it's I you we. So like I that that yeah, I went to the DMV today and it was a blast.
SPEAKER_06:Right. Oh, I'm I'm going, I'm going.
SPEAKER_03:You hate going to the DMV. We need to talk more because I can't believe that you thought that that was my perspective of the DMV.
SPEAKER_06:I'm just looking out for your best interest.
SPEAKER_03:You're a little too conceited to think that you know, you know what I want. We need counseling, Sharon.
unknown:Yay!
SPEAKER_06:Yay!
SPEAKER_03:We did it right!
SPEAKER_06:What? That was awesome. I feel like we could go back and do IUE like over and over again for like a whole scene. That was fun. I kind of want to play that scene out. Like, let's go play now. Um Okay. Okay, you have to you have to do one and then we'll end this segment.
SPEAKER_05:Oh, okay. A do-over? Forget, yeah, but everyone gets a do-over. Yeah, so now you get to play a correct. It's like a whole different game. I know. I you. I you.
SPEAKER_04:Okay.
SPEAKER_01:All right. So, um I love light bulbs. They're just so inspiring.
SPEAKER_03:You have no idea how that makes me feel because I got you one for your birthday.
SPEAKER_01:We are like the most awesome friends ever.
SPEAKER_03:I think that we should go celebrate with a slurpee.
SPEAKER_01:You know everything about me and everything that I love.
SPEAKER_03:We're soulmates, and there's nothing greater than I can say than that we're soulmates.
unknown:Oh my god.
SPEAKER_06:Oh my gosh, I'm gonna cry.
unknown:All right.
SPEAKER_03:And then it was the best scene I've ever done in my whole life.
SPEAKER_06:So in my head, like right as she said that, like, Katie gets hit by a bug. And then the movie starts. Gee. I love you, Katie. I would never wish that upon you. But it would be really funny in that scene. All right. Let's um let's keep talking about our topic. Um, does it always have to make sense? Like, if you're trying to change the direction of the scene, um, does it have to make sense? Like if you if you if they've stumbled and the scene is just very confusing, like, and you're trying to get it, do you do you have to take everything that was there and wrap it all up so that everything makes sense? Or can you just pivot?
SPEAKER_03:Pivot. Yeah. Yeah, pivot. I think it doesn't need to make sense right away. And if you've been listening to the scene, you can bring stuff back that will then justify whatever change or pivot that you made.
SPEAKER_01:Well, what is it? I I would say but too, like, what does it mean to that a scene makes sense or doesn't make sense? Like, what are we actually talking about there?
SPEAKER_06:Like I mean, you've been in those scenes where like nobody's really listening, and there's just a bunch of information out there that's kind of been it's like disconnected rolled over, and stuff's just is disconnected, and people are trying to do their own thing, and then as a third party coming in trying to save that scene, like is it your job essentially to wrap all that up or or you know, sometimes scenes just need to end, you know, like they they're they're not working and they either need to end or go in a different direction.
SPEAKER_01:Well, and I also think you can apply maybe, and sometimes in those situations, you can apply the um if this true, what if this is true, what else is true? So maybe choose something that somebody has said and then go off of that. Right, yeah. I don't know.
SPEAKER_06:That actually kind of brings me into the next thing. I um so if you guys ever get a chance to come to Reno and take a class, um, Ben Craig is one of my favorite teachers. He is um one of the owners of Reno Improv and amazing. And I took some notes on some things that he said. Um and he's a great guy. I love him.
SPEAKER_01:We love him, and he comes from always a place of love, but that is what's great about you without any sugar at all, not even a grain. Right. He will be like what you need to improve. That's what I I I really appreciate that about him.
SPEAKER_06:Right. That's my favorite thing. Um, so I wrote some notes and we'll see what um what Katie and Courtney think about this. And some some are stuff that I talked with Courtney too. So this is stuff that you've learned from Ben. Stuff I've mostly learned from Ben, and then also a little some of the stuff I've learned from Courtney because she's like my teacher as well. Um I'm like I I fancy her my mentor. Like, I don't know, can I say that out loud to everyone? Will you be my mentor? Courtney's my spirit animal. Um so there's a couple things. Courtney already went over the first one. Does the scene have a strong relationship? Is there a clear setting? Um, I think we kind of touched on that a bit, but sometimes you have the relationship, but it's not in context of of where you are um and what you're doing. So sometimes just adding that little bit of information, like, oh, we're um in a love triangle, but this is um, you know, band camp or something, you know, like like that adds different elements that feed into whatever it could be. So so ask yourself, does this have a set scene have a setting yet? Because sometimes people go straight for emotion in relationship and they fail to set the scene.
SPEAKER_01:Or sometimes the scene too can help establish the relationship too, I think.
SPEAKER_06:Right.
SPEAKER_01:Like when I that last Saturday Diana and Ta Taylor were on stage, and Diana was kind of like trying to get Taylor to hear her, and Taylor couldn't hear her, and so then I came on stage and I said, Oh, look at the babies, you know. So Diana then became a baby behind you know the glass or whatever.
SPEAKER_03:And so that it was sheer genius.
SPEAKER_01:I didn't know about that, but it helped to define the relationship, I think. That's what I was trying to right.
SPEAKER_06:Um so like Katie said, if this is true, what else is true? So um, you know, taking that, you know, like okay, you're um obviously in a classroom. Well, okay, is it a college classroom? Is you know, is it a philosophy class? Is it what you know, like like there's little bits of information that you can add in kind of as you go that kind of make that scene bigger? Um if if this is true about a scene, what else is true about it? Um, and it could be it kind of ties into like what else could this conversation be about? Like maybe they're being a little vague about something, uh but like really it's just something ridiculous. Um, I can't give a good example, but someone who's really good about that is Tim Mahoney. Um go back and watch episode, was it three or four? I think it was three. Tim Mahoney. He was another guest. Tim's so great. Um I've seen him do it. Like, we thought that the conversation was about this, but it was kind of a vague conversation, and he was like, This is actually about clown school or something like that. It's not an actual.
SPEAKER_03:Well, I had a scene with with Bill on Saturday, and initially the scene was sort of running into like we were a married couple and we weren't getting along, and he just wanted to stick around and blah blah blah, and he made a poor decision. And then at the end of the scene, I was like, Well, that's boring. You know what? He's been interviewing to be my house robot. And that's so it ended up being, you know, um yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_06:It could be about something totally different, like if you start with a boring conversation, and you're like, This isn't a regular interview at all, you're not actually actually a human.
SPEAKER_03:Yeah, one of my one of my biggest tools that I have used for years and years and years is breaking the audience expectation.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah.
SPEAKER_03:Um, because the audience is running scenarios in their own mind, and they've been watching and they're paying attention and they're listening sometimes better than the players. And so, you know, the the Bell game where you say something and ding, and then you gotta replace it with ding. I love that game. Um, just go through all those dings in your head in a millisecond and come up with like, you didn't give me ketchup. No, you didn't give me this ball of yarn. How dare you hand me this bomb whenever we're here, you know, that kind of thing. Um, and so the whole audience thought that we were a married couple and we were on the verge of divorce because he purchased a talking toilet and it was weird. But like, you know, scene's overdone, it's sort of boring. Okay, what can you know, what can we do? Okay, change the whole concept altogether. Still keeping point of view, keeping with the reality of the scene.
SPEAKER_06:Yeah, absolutely. Um, just a couple more things, and then we'll move into the history segment because we're getting short on time. Um, my favorite, this like as a new improviser level two, when I was first learning long form, this like blew my mind. What and I I'm sure a lot of you know this, but it's called just called Here's the Thing. You know, scenes going weird. It's basically getting back to the relationship, but it's just like drop just regular life is happening. This is boring. We've established this scene as boring, so let's just throw something in the mix that's not just stop the scene in your tracks. You know, that second you have the this scene sucks feeling, and be like, so here's the thing I've been lying to you for 30 years. I'm actually an alien and I've been taking notes on you.
SPEAKER_01:So the only thing I don't, I'm gonna push back a little bit because Ben says that all the time, and I get it, and I I think it helps, but it means you have to come up with an idea and invent. And I personally am not great at that. I don't feel like I have great ideas. I'm I'm great with emotion and establishing relationships, but so I also like kind of that's good for people who are who can be snappy and come up with with great ideas. But what I like too is um, I think Courtney said earlier uh something like instead of saying here's a thing, you could also say, Well, you know how I feel about that.
SPEAKER_05:Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_01:To me, that's like an alternative way of saying it, and you don't have to invent, it's now becoming more about emotion and relationship. And for me personally, that that works.
SPEAKER_06:But is that I mean, is that kind of like a question though?
SPEAKER_03:Like, you know how I feel about that, and then it's my job to be like to come up with like not necessarily because you can agree with the emotion, you don't know why that emotion exists necessarily, but now you're sharing in that moment together, and maybe you never actually bring it up, but now there's a secret you have and a secret you have, and you're both playing on those perspectives and secrets, and now everyone's like, Oh no, what is it? What is it? And be like, you know what, we don't know either, but sometimes that creates suspense and um by the end you're slow down. That's my biggest note, slow down because those are the moments where you can use to come up with stuff and run scenarios in your head, but you're still being true to that emotion, and you're building that suspense too, exactly. So that's interesting.
SPEAKER_06:Um, last one is uh why is that important? We won't go into it that much because we got a good for history segment, but um just just the last thing that somebody said, why is that important? How can you make that bigger in your mind um and make a choice based on the last thing that was said, why is that important? Um and how does that affect everything that's come before?
SPEAKER_01:Um, it's kind of a little bit like if this is true, what else is true a little bit?
SPEAKER_06:Right, yeah. It's a lot a lot of the same thing. Um we're gonna jump into our history segment now. What do you got for us?
SPEAKER_01:Um okay, so uh this may not be totally on topic, but um I found I always get my uh history segments from Improv Nation, How We Made a Great American Art by Sam Watson. Um so this is talking about the relationship between uh John Belushi and Dan Ackroyd. Uh many of you may know that they were key players in the first group of Saturday Night Live, and uh they began through improv. And um before Saturday Night Live happened, kind of a precursor radio show to Saturday Night Live was called Um National Lampoon Radio Hour. So um basically this book describes and this happened in about in 1974, um, you know, when John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd met each other, um, it was like, and this is quoted I think from Belushi saying, um, we took one look at each other and it was love at first sight. So, and really what it talks about is their the chemistry that they had together on stage was just like out of this world. Um and uh so and I kind of I'm just gonna what I like to do is just read a quote um and then and then we can discuss it. Um so it it this book later, I mean, after talking about sort of their relationship and how um how much chemistry they had, they the the author Sam Watson um gets a quote from um uh Winston Marcellus, jazz great, Winston Marcellus talking about jazz, but applying this to improvise. Um this is what Winston Marcellus says about jazz, but also something that we can we can apply to improved. Yes, the real power and innovation of jazz is that a group of people can come together and create art, improvised art, and can negotiate their agendas with each other, and that negotiation is the art. So what I like about this quote is um uh you know, because and this has just been on my mind. Um, so you know, we can talk all day about good techniques and how to, you know, um make a better scene and and all that stuff, and and and that's all very, very important to the art of improv. But I think also um sometimes that doesn't something that doesn't get talked about explicitly is the chemistry and whether or not you click with the people that you are in in with a group. And so some of those techniques can fall flat because you're not clicking with each other. And so I don't know, I guess the question is um, you know, what do you guys think about um how is it is that is is do you just need that chemistry or is there something that you can do as a group to kind of foster that chemistry or make make it so that you guys are clicking more on stage? What do you guys think?
SPEAKER_03:I think another word for chemistry is just simply trusting each other. Yeah. Um you know, I can be on stage with people who I might their style is really strange to work with me. Um, because like you said, we all have different backgrounds, we all have different styles, techniques. Um, but ultimately it all comes down to do we trust each other? Do I trust that if there's a bit really big silence on stage that I know the way that you work and I understand your style and technique that I can trust, that I can be quiet and shut up and wait for you to say something or give me something. Um and I think it is the most important thing. Um, I know really, really strong improvisers that I think are really brilliant and amazing, but I don't trust them. I don't know them, I haven't worked with them. Um, and so the scene sort of goes nowhere because it's kind of like, well, I don't really know you or trust you or or whatever. Um and there's people that I've never worked with, but I'm really good friends with them. And I know that if we were ever on stage together, Katie, that we would work well together because I c I trust you as a person and as a friend, um, and not worry about our scene falling flat or going weird. And even if it doesn't, we're gonna have a good time doing it.
SPEAKER_06:Right. Yeah, I um I kind of feel like a huge skill in improv is just that skill of letting things slide off your back. Um, and in the real world too, it helps me out. Like, usually I'll take stuff and be like, oh, that was wrong, and I'll dwell on it. Um, so beyond just trusting the other player, um, being able to trust yourself to just be present and enjoy the scene and not get caught up on things is going to help you have chemistry with anybody that you're on stage with, and just just accepting that the person that you're with is the person that you're with, and that they um they're human too, they're gonna make mistakes just like you do. Um and kind of having that confidence in yourself makes you, you know, I'm kind of preaching but not necessarily practicing. But it's a work in progress.
SPEAKER_01:And I think I think that that, you know, to me that that also demonstrates um, you know, being being honest with yourself, you know, and and really understanding what you struggle with and sort of the things that you know, the ways that you mess up on stage, or maybe you know, you didn't support your partner, scene partner as much as you would have liked, and you know, really looking at that and really um not being overcritical of yourself because you know we all make mistakes and that's fine. Um but kind of being honest with yourself. I think that that and I think maybe I don't know what you guys is you know, maybe within your group too, if you can have that honesty um on your team to be like, hey, we're all just working on this, and not to take anything personally too. I mean, that's that's the constant reminder too, is that we're all we're all working on a craft. We're not you know, we're all actors.
SPEAKER_06:It's not about you know well, I bet there as as I say that too, I also do it with a disclaimer is there is some some people who you work with over and over and over again. You have those discussions, you have those notes and they just don't get it and they don't they don't change and you you might start from a place of trust and then they lose that trust because they're not growing with you or they're choosing just to stay in their comfort zone and not not improve and that makes I don't know what what happens when you're in that situation. I don't know.
SPEAKER_01:Um Yeah, well I mean I think everybody you know I mean gr I guess grows at their own pace and uh I don't know. I I think that that's I mean to me that's that's a thing too is that it comes down to group dynamics and um because I've seen people that or worked with people on stage like kind of what Corney was saying, where it's like, oh, I really like this person and I get along with them off stage, but when we're on stage, it's like there's just something missing, it just doesn't click. And um, you know, that might not be for any other reason except for you know, because I sometimes I see I I'll see those people with other people on stage and I'm like wow, they really came out and did things that I didn't think that they could do. So maybe it's not about you know them necessarily not growing enough or not, but maybe they're you know, maybe maybe there was something about me that made them feel either inhibited or you know, we're just not clicking or whatever. And so I think um, you know, I don't know.
SPEAKER_03:It's all about complimenting, you know, and and I think like we were talking about what does the scene need? Sometimes a certain player, you just don't compliment them well, yeah. And um, you know, I don't compliment everybody, right? And a lot of people don't compliment me. And knowing that, um, I can do one of two things. I can I can ignore it and I can be like, well, oh well, I'm just gonna still do me. Or I can look at that situation and look at somebody that I don't compliment and be like, what is um what is a technique that I need to grow and need to exercise that technique muscle and and practice and force myself on stage with that person and be like, okay, how do they play and how can I compliment them? And now now I'm growing as an improviser, yeah, that's and becoming more versatile.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, that's a good way of looking at it. I need to look at it as a challenge of like, okay, well, how and of course we're not talking about compliments like you look nice today. We're talking about making the other person look good and you know vice versa. And how can you how can you get come up with gifts that maybe you don't naturally do on stage, but then you're like, oh yeah, I totally like I tell my three-year-old son, you can't control what other people do, but you can control how you react to it.
SPEAKER_06:Absolutely, yeah, yeah. And that's how you become better. That's awesome. Um, awesome, great history segment. Um, we're gonna start wrapping up now. Um, but before we do, um I I'm going to ask Courtney Is there anything left over that I didn't quite ask you? Any last words about, you know, how do you make that scene better?
SPEAKER_03:I think um I think the biggest thing that you can take with you that's very simple and precise is when you come into a scene, um, ask yourself if you can do one of two things. Should I join? Should I join it or contrast it? And that's referring to whether that's the emotion, whether that's the um the uh agree being agreeable, et cetera, et cetera. Um if someone is on stage and they are just huffing and puffing and they're angry and that's where they're starting their emotion at, I can come on stage, either join them and also be huffing and puffing and be angry about it, or I can come in and contrast that with a completely different emotion. Um, and that for me is where I like to start is am I going to join this person or am I going to contrast this person?
SPEAKER_06:The quick little tool to put in your tool belt. I like that. Um awesome. Um so uh final question of the day. Um I didn't write one, so let's let's make one up off the spot. Um final question of the day.
SPEAKER_03:It doesn't exist.
SPEAKER_02:Oh. What?
SPEAKER_06:Looking back at your life as a whole, if your life were to if your life were to flash before your eyes right now, you were gonna die. No, that's your thing, Katie. That's my thing. Um what is one thing that you would change today and do differently?
SPEAKER_03:This has nothing to do with improv.
SPEAKER_06:It's not supposed to. Okay. You wanna you wanna look at it? Oh, it's not supposed to, it's not supposed to.
SPEAKER_03:Oh, okay.
SPEAKER_06:I could do a less serious and like really stupid one, but yeah, because that's a really long answer. It's like, wow, I need to.
SPEAKER_03:Let's go get coffee. Need to assess this. Okay. Oh yeah.
SPEAKER_06:What uh what color is your aura?
SPEAKER_03:I don't even know what that means.
SPEAKER_06:It's whatever you want. Okay, I can't you come up with one. Gosh.
SPEAKER_00:Um uh let's see. If you could be um a type of if you could we are amazing improvisers.
SPEAKER_06:If you could come up with a question for money on the spot, what would it be?
SPEAKER_03:This would be my question for myself. Te piggybacking off of what you were saying, if I was to look back on my life and my life flashed before my eyes, what would it look like if I didn't have improv in it? Um you're welcome. Um, that's a great question.
SPEAKER_02:That's a great question.
SPEAKER_03:And I'm gonna answer really hard on it. Yeah. Um, and I'm gonna answer it this way. I think I think it would be um, I think because of improv, I was in the military for six and a half years. I was a combat photographer, videographer, and um I worked at the Pentagon, I've been deployed, and uh I've moved a lot. I've also I've moved 43 times and I've lived in 15 different states. And I think that improv had a huge played a huge role in um my confidence in um jumping into uh situations that were either uncomfortable or unfamiliar for me. Um, because that's what improv really does is it throws you into a situation, you know nothing about it, you don't know who you're gonna be in the scene with, you don't know what they're gonna say, you don't know anything, and yet you're you have the confidence and you already know going in that I'm going to be a part of this thing. And I think in life in general, when you're thinking about um auditioning for that play for the first time, or you're wanting to um work on a project that you've been had a dream about, or you're going into uh an interview or talking to someone, or you feel compelled to talk to that person on the street because you just know it's gonna make their day or whatever. Improv uh gives you the confidence and the I think makes you brave to jump into those things. And um, I'm thankful for improv in that way because it has afforded me the opportunity to to jump into things that I wanted to do.
SPEAKER_01:That's awesome. That's a great note to end on. Thank you, Courtney.
SPEAKER_06:For the love of improvement. You're welcome. Yeah. All right. Um quick same shameless promotion. If people were to look up Courtney Rop, they're trying to figure out what you're doing. They want to be involved in um all things Courtney. Where do they go? What do they look for?
SPEAKER_03:Uh the best place is on Instagram at Court Court O A. Um and keep up there. Um, I also am the media director over at Good Luck Macbeth Theater, and I'm going to be in a couple sketch shows and a couple more plays. So definitely look that up. Also this Saturday, I will be on stage. And so you should I think we're all going to be on stage, actually. Um scramble at Reno Improv at Reno Improv, 8 o'clock.
SPEAKER_05:Five dollars. Check us out.
SPEAKER_03:Hire me. I take pictures.
SPEAKER_05:Yes.
SPEAKER_06:Um, awesome.
SPEAKER_01:Um shameless plug too. Please, please. We have no money for marketing. Um so I took a sketch class with um Jason S. S. Sarna. He's great. Jason Sarna, who I love. He's an amazing teacher. Um, and uh from Reno Improv. And uh it's a year-long class. We wrote many different sketches, we then narrowed it down to one. We auditioned actors, we directed them during our last two rehearsals, and now we're going to present our sketch class, which is called Heard, I mean Sketch Show, which is called Heard Immunity, which is happening starting at November 23rd, and then three more Saturdays after that. Same show. Um so hope you guys can make it out to Reno Improv.
SPEAKER_06:Oh my gosh, such great stuff. We will put it all in the show notes, all of the stuff. You'll be able to go to so many things. Um, thank you so much for joining us for another episode of For the Love of Improv. Um, please go to our website and make comments if you have any questions or ideas for future shows. Um, if you yourself would like to be on the show, send us a message. We are always looking for new guests and new ideas. And thank you. We'll see you next time.
SPEAKER_05:Bye-bye. Come on, ladies. See you next time.
