Posted by Ben Swoboda on Saturday, October 22, 2011 In : Performance tips
162 games in the regular season. The game ends either after nine innings, or after a tie ends, whichever comes first. And what do the innings consist of? 90% of the game is an interaction between a batter, a pitcher, and a catcher that goes like this: Pitch. Catch.
Occasionally, there is a swing. Only about 1 out of 4 at bats result in a batter getting on base. According to the ERA or the average starting pitcher, each team will probably score 4 runs or fewer, per game.
As we been plugging away at SLIC Fest, we have been impressed by the people who have offered their unsolicited assistance. This is wonderful for these reasons:
A) One of the goals of SLIC Fest has been to contribute to and bolster the St. Louis improv community. So having people other than us so such interest was a big deal.
B) We learned a little more about what is going on around town.
C) It's always heartwarming to see people get excited about a ... Continue reading...
Posted by Ben Swoboda on Saturday, February 19, 2011 In : Ensemble
So, you want to know what a Shortform Show will look like to the audience? Here are some basic components. The order and timing of these should be jotted down and walked out, from point to point, well before the first performance by all the performers. You cannot possibly assume every contingency just by using paper. You need to feel out the issues in real space.
Preshow - Call Time? - Warmups? -Presets: What items need to be where? Pens? Paper? Whiteboards? Erasers? - Preshow: What will the audie... Continue reading...
The loop goes in that order, but always repeats for the person engaged in conflict. Here's the massive quote: "An entity (whether an individual or an organization) that can process this cycle
quickly, observing and reacting to unfolding events more rapidly than an
opponent, can thereby "get inside" the op... Continue reading...
Posted by Ben Swoboda on Wednesday, January 12, 2011 In : Performance tips
Missouri Thespian Conference was, as always, very rewarding. One of the perks of being an improv coach is getting to "Prov It Up" with hundreds of excited students. It's a privilege.
Steven Vance and I ran Improv Bootcamp, which uses pace as a tool for getting instincts and heart (or, as Steven likes to call it, Micro and Meta) to think in sync. So scenes were done a hyper-speed and in awkward, slow, pensive speed.
What did we learn?
1. Slow scenes are better when the relationships are about rel... Continue reading...
A group of MBA students at MIT’s Sloan School of Management
tossed aside their briefcases and book bags this month to flex their
creative muscles, doing everything from playing an imaginary game of
soccer to inventing office conflicts. The second-year MBA students were
participating in a leadership class called “Improvisational Leadership:
In the Moment Leadership Skills,” accordi...
Posted by Ben Swoboda on Saturday, January 1, 2011 In : Performance tips
Over time, the mind of an improviser goes through a change that in many ways it mirrors the development of a child moving into adulthood. It also mirrors spiritual development so closely, improv studies could be a powerful tool for churches and youth groups.
It's probably a lot more complex than this, but growth as an improviser seems dependent on how one handles a conversation between three points: 1) the outside world 2) instincts, and 3) the heart. Take the word "heart" how you will, but ... Continue reading...
Posted by Ben Swoboda on Friday, December 17, 2010 In : Performance tips
"Imagine you are a child standing on a sidewalk, watching your parents in a parade. They are walking along, handing out treats. You are very excited to see your heroes come closer and your heart pounds as you anticipate the chance to nab one of the candies that comes from them. But withing a few feet, you are shocked to see they only give candy to specific people. In fact, they are ignore many of the parade watchers, and they only give candy to specific adults - people who trade knowing winks... Continue reading...
