Thursday, June 26, 2008 by John Robison.

The importance of a group’s name… it can be summed up in one really old quote:

“What’s in a name? That which we call a rose
By any other name would smell as sweet.”

To me, a troupe’s name is one of the least important things to worry about. With so many other considerations to think about during the formation period of a group, putting a great deal of energy into a troupe’s name isn’t that efficient. It is however, a little important, and worthy of at least a little thought. Gotta call it something, after all. I think that the groups I’m currently in would be just as successful with any number of different names, but a group name does help clue in your audience of what kind of experience they might expect.

Aside from my personal aversion to having a number as part of the group’s name*, any group name is on the table for me. When I look to name a new group, I try to get something either fun, badass, historical, descriptive, or some combination of said descriptors. Which of these I choose depends on the circumstances that surround the group.

Evidence the groups I have personally named, and reasons for such names:

Better Than Fair Players - my original theater group, so named as a group of us were sitting around at our original venue, the Wyandotte County Fair, wondering what name we should give ourselves. Fun, Historical, and Descriptive… just in case we had a less-than-stellar show (which only happened once in eight years, to my recollection).

Roving Imp - the current theater group and improv troupe, which came from a huge list of about 150 possible names. This was the only one my wife and I could agree on… and she wasn’t that big of a fan of it at first. We settled on this one for not only Unusual, Fun, and Subtly Descriptive reasons (since improvising is the main activity, which some people call “improving,” it’s a small leap to separate into two parts - imp roving - and then reverse - roving imp), but also because there were a lot of possibilities for marketing and logo creation (which has been described by journalistic professionals as “badass”).

Game Show - This one is completely Descriptive. Maybe I would have had better luck with a better name, but I doubt it. It seemed important to me to distinguish this from an actual improv show, which make up the majority of the rest of the RI schedule.

Movie Prov - Also completely Descriptive. Since it’s not an improv show per se, I owe it to my audiences to let them know.

Trivial Prov-suit - a little Fun, but mostly Descriptive. The play on words spoke to me.

Omega Directive - The newest group at RI, I chose this one mainly for Badass reasons. However, it’s also Subtly Descriptive. OD will use the one-sentence episode synopsis as the basis for its shows, and Omega Directive is the title of a particular episode of one of my favorite series.

Red Rubber Ball - Another RI group that will premier soon, RRB was basically chosen for its Fun connotations. The name implies energy and good times, which would be great for an audience to expect.

Others might have different ideas, but to me, it’s much more important to put on a good show, regardless of name. It doesn’t matter if you have the coolest name on the planet… if you suck, it won’t matter.

* - not to say I shudder when I see groups with numbers in their names… but if I had a group called, for example, Omega 6, I would tire of people asking things like, “If you’re Omega 6, why do you only have five people?” or “Are you part of the Omega 8s?” There’s a group from Washington called onesixtyone… I think. They might be oneeightyone or oneseventyone or something.

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Monday, June 23, 2008 by John Robison.

This started as a response to a blog Trish posted about opening a theater.  (see http://kcimprovgeek.blogspot.com/2008/06/what-it-takes.html )

My response got to be too lengthy… and that’s why I have a blog, right? Seriously, though, read hers before you read mine.

Just so you know, this post is somewhat less optimistic than my personality usually likes… but it’s real.

From someone else that’s been there… there’s nothing on Trish’s list I disagree with. My experiences (so far) are of course a little different, but it caused my eye to twitch a little when I saw my week laid out before me on this blog - because not only do you have to do each and every thing on the list… but you have to do them WELL.

I did purchase my building, but did it primarily as a real estate investment. If I didn’t have the rent coming in, and if I didn’t live in the basement, then there’s no way in hell this whole theater thing would pay for itself. The only way I could figure to make it work (at least in the short term) was to make sure I didn’t count on ANY income from the theater. Thank God I have a wife with a good corporate job that is completely understanding about following a dream and contributing to the art of the world.

And even though I have an MBA, which helped me figure out how to do all this non-creative crap, I still made a bunch of mistakes due to the fact that this was my first ever business venture. Those mistakes (and the cost of starting a business) led me to the edge of financial ruin, but through luck and personal grit, the edge is getting a little farther away all the time. As I’ve said on a number of occasions, it seems that there is a reason that most business owners are old white guys. They’re the only ones with the money to be able to start something. This is why my theater might lack the spit and polish of your average million-dollar performing arts venue. No cash for chrome, but plenty of heart and plenty of good entertainment.

Trish… you’re correct. People that want to do this are truly insane… I never claimed mental stability myself. This whole “starting a theater” thing has caused or exacerbated a number of the most fierce non-death issues you can face in society: problems in my marriage, bankruptcy, foreclosure of my previous home, the near evaporation of a social life, and owing money to my family which I swear I will pay back one day.

And I can predict the responses, because I know how I would have responded. I would have said, “Well, those things won’t happen to me. I’m smart enough to avoid those problems.” Maybe you are… but what about all those problems I managed to avoid? There were lots. Zoning… Water meters… the pouring of concrete… insurance… remodeling… the list could go on. These were all areas which could have easily derailed me, but I was smart and/or lucky enough to be able to sail through.

I don’t want to sound like a naysayer, but this gig isn’t for everyone. However, if you’ve read these horror stories and Trish’s, and still have starry eyes, then do it. If you’re got it in your head, then nothing will stop you. I was the same way, and kind of still am, even after everything. How can I resist helping a kindred soul? After all, I think I’d still do it again, because the final product fulfills me in ways that nothing else could do. (OK… one other thing, but you can’t do that all the time, in front of a crowd of paying guests.)

The thing I was the most unprepared for - You’re going to need at least $10,000 in the bank, depending on what you want to do. It took me about that much to get my space ready… from transportation of the seats I got for free to the purchase of the lights & sound to materials to build walls, the stage, the green room, the lobby, the restrooms, etc. I had to have more since I was purchasing a building, but you might not be doing that. You also have to have a strong, yet extremely flexible personality, to be able to make the tough choices, stick by them, and then completely change them when circumstances change, which they do nearly every other day, especially in the beginning.

Unless you’re a lot richer than I am, you’ll need to either possess or know someone that possesses good construction knowledge. Contractors are hugely expensive, and I saved a ton by having a wonderful family with great knowledge. If you look at my hands, you’ll see that they’re lined with scars, some of which came from the demolition/construction process. I had none of those skills, and am now trying to forget the ones I gained. There’s no stress like it. It changed me… I’m more cautious than I was. I don’t jump willy-nilly into projects like I used to. There have been many nights spent awake figuring out a problem, and other nights spent alone with tear-stained cheeks in a room, surrounded by past due notices.

Sound bleak? I think most of the population would be utterly mentally destroyed by this process. It was tough for me, but the whole time, my light at the end of the tunnel was in sight… the dream of a theater… the dream I’d had for over a decade. Each show, event, class, or workshop I host here in my little theater helps make the trouble worth it. Each dollar that comes in the door is one less dollar I have to scrounge for. Each laugh and each smile helps heal the mental strain I remember so well. The year I opened the theater - last year- was the worst year of my life. But I’m glad it happened, because though this year is only halfway through, it just might be the best year… thanks in part to the ol’ Imp upstairs.

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Thursday, June 19, 2008 by John Robison.

People may not believe this, but I’m actually not someone that seeks out the spotlight, especially in large groups of people. My ideal environment is a smallish gathering of about 5-15 people. The huge gatherings in Chicago were many times bigger, which put me in my usual “big party” role - that of observer and listener.

I met a lot of people. I hung out in clumps. I listened a lot. Every now and then I’d ask a question. Not everything we talked about was improv, but of course, that was a topic that was discussed a lot, as everyone in the room had the same passion… and there’s nothing like talking to people who are passionate about something, especially when it’s something you’re passionate about as well.

I talked to some folks from Washington, D.C. who perform at the Washington Improv Theater. I had seen them in shows earlier in the day, and was really impressed with both groups that came from WIT. So, I talked a little, and listened a lot, and one conversation has altered the way that I will run the Roving Imp from now on. The folks at WIT have several ensembles, each separate from one another, performing at separate times, yet all call the same place home. This is a really simple concept, and I had of course thought of doing this before… but Washington is much, much bigger than Bonner Springs, so my “let’s get a whole bunch of groups together” idea was on the back burner. There’s a shortage of players, coaches, and time with my family, after all.

I don’t remember exactly what it was in this conversation that sparked my new idea, but I remember exactly when it happened. It was one of those perfect moments of clarity, where you’re mystically at one with the universe, and you can see the whole of existence spread out before you, and the fibers that connect it all. Those moments last only a second at most… but in that second, it became clear. The time had come to branch out.

We’ve been slowly growing toward multiple Roving Imp groups. We’ve begun Trivial Prov-suit. We’ve had the High School Showdown. But now, I was ready to  formalize and expand. I came home from Chicago and started brainstorming. I then coalesced my ideas into concrete goals. I laid out a plan to expand into eight different Roving Imp productions by the time April 2009 rolls around. Huge step, eh? In April 2008, we had two groups - the Imps and the high schoolers. What makes me think I can get six more in one year? Maybe I’m just a megalomaniac. Maybe I’m crazy like a fox. Only time will tell.

The Imps will continue as we have been. They’ll perform twice a month, half short form and half rotating long forms. Trivial Prov-suit will continue. We started in May, and it’s one of our most promising shows. The high school program will continue, and hopefully expand (that’s another topic altogether). We’ve added Movie Prov, which we start this Saturday (perhaps another topic as well). I’m also in the process of casting a new elite longform group called Omega Directive, which will take television episode synopses as suggestions for the show. Ideally, the show will not resemble said television episode at all. I’ve just started talking with another improviser about reviving our two-person longform show, Dictionary Soup. So far, two weeks after Chicago, I have six of my eight groups in the works, and things are not progressing too quickly to handle. I have ideas for two more groups, but we’re going to just sit on those for awhile… we’ll let these other groups have a few shows first.

I’ve recently cast a whole bunch of new talented folks, and they’re all terribly excited about all the opportunities to do some shows. It’s my hope that they will get to perform a lot, and will also be driven to go see the shows of the other ensembles as well. I’ve arranged rehearsal schedules to overlap somewhat, so that when we go over longform technique and good improv tips, the groups are able to share their strengths and weaknesses, performing together. I also am looking forward to creating ensembles that develop critical eyes. As they work together and watch each other, they will eventually be able to give good feedback as they watch from the audience. Performing all this quality improv week after week will cause people to take notice. We’ll attract additional talented improvisers, more students, and more audience. Of course, that’s more long-range. I don’t expect miracles by April 2009… but maybe some of the groundwork will be laid.

There you go. Pie in the sky dreaming. Two months from now, everything might self destruct. But you never know if you don’t try. If we’re going to make Bonner Springs into an oasis of improvisational art, we’re going to have to try a lot of ideas.

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Friday, June 13, 2008 by John Robison.

One of the main, long-held tenets of improvisational comedy is the concept of “Yes, and.” This is the notion that whatever happens on stage, you accept, and then add to. So, you build onto the pyramid that your fellow actor began, rather than beginning your own skyscraper. Two competing jobs aren’t entertaining for audiences.

This is a basic rule because it tends to really help out scenes. If I say, “Your mother and I have been really worried about your drug problem,” and then you respond with, “You’re not my parents. I’m your father, and I’m worried about your drug problem,” you’ve failed to build on the scene I started. Instead, you’ve started something completely different. Yes, there are ways to make it work, and even to make it funny and emotionally connected, but I’m going to bet that you won’t be working with me for very long if you make this kind of thing a habit.

What if you “Yes, and” your “Yes, ands?” You’d get “Yes, Of Course!”

To me, this is an even better concept. Instead of simply agreeing, then adding and moving on, you are agreeing that whatever your scene partner(s) say(s) is THE MOST TRUE thing you have EVER HEARD.

Let’s take the same scene from above and apply “Yes, and:” Me: “Your mother and I have been really worried about your drug problem.” You: “It’s none of your business, Dad. Just let me live my own life.” Just two lines so far, but it has the makings of a really good, solid, grounded scene.

What if we “Yes, Of Course!” the same scene? Me: “Your mother and I have been really worried about your drug problem.” Actor from the back line: “The wall of this room is lined with bongs and needles from floor to ceiling.” You (as you tie off your arm and begin injecting yourself with heroin): “Fuck off, you ancient piece of shit.” Holy crap. All of a sudden, the stakes are WAY higher. A good, emotionally connected scene can still happen, and we’ve also got one heck of a picture of what’s going on in this room.

It’s picking up on one detail like this and running with it that will really help further your goal to transcend the average improv. You’ve also immediately found a game to play. Since the initiation of the scene was a good strong one, helping define characters, injecting emotion, and providing a good framework, you can now dive in and out of games, all while preserving the emotion and relationships of the scene.

It’s just a subtle mental change, just as the concept of “Predator Mind,” however the difference between “Yes, and” and “Yes, Of Course!” is another small step towards improv nirvana.

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Tuesday, June 10, 2008 by John Robison.

I’ve just returned from the Chicago Improv Festival, where I performed with Improv-Abilities. It was a great time, and I learned so much that it’ll take me a while to process it all. In my continuing effort to try to not be quite so long winded, I’ll split up my highlights. I love it… every time I go to Chicago, I come back with a series of new blog postings.

The first one is the one that has helped me personally, and one which I plan on immediately implementing in every troupe I coach. The concept is “Predator Mind,” a technique originally from Todd Stashwick, an actor who I enjoyed watching on “The Riches” before I even knew he was an improviser.

Predator mind is basically a state of hyperawareness, useful especially as you’re on the side of a scene. Like a dinosaur, hawk, or wolf, you immerse yourself in the scene, even though you’re not in it. You look for any opportunity to support the scene, heighten it, or clarify it. Many times, a scene does not need your support, and like a good predator, you know enough to stay out of the scene.

There is nothing about this technique that I don’t like. It solves the problem of improvisers sitting down when they’re on the sides. When implemented, every improviser listens as if they are actively participating in every scene. When you have the minds of your entire troupe engaged in every scene, you have increased the potential for something mind-blowing.

It seems like a very simple technique… and it is. That’s what makes it such a valuable tool. Every single member of your troupe can start doing this within 15 minutes. Perhaps it’s just a mental shift. It’s one thing to say, “Support your fellow troupe members.” But if you engage your Predator Mind, it provides a type of framework that makes giving that support much easier.

More cool techniques and observations to come…

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Monday, June 2, 2008 by John Robison.

I have two new groups of high schoolers that are excited about learning some improv over the summer. This is my second batch, and second batches are notoriously better than first batches, simply because the teacher has been seasoned properly. (I must be hungry for cookies.)

When I look back on my first year teaching high schoolers, I often feel sorry that they didn’t get the Mr. Robison that I became in the following years. I gained a great understanding of how to create a balance between being fun, presenting necessary information, discipline, and dealing with administrative pressures. I didn’t have that understanding my first year. I imagine I was exactly the kind of boring teacher that I never wanted to become. Thankfully, with experience, I was able to overcome that shortcoming, at least according to student reviews.

Though I’ve got even more experience now, there’s still plenty of room to learn.  This year, I wanted to really get off on a fun foot, and we played lots of games. Mission accomplished in one sense… they had a lot of fun, and so did the audiences. In another sense, they kind of got the short end of the stick. My first group of high schoolers this past year had a great time, but I feel like I didn’t quite give them a proper grounding in the improv that they did. I really didn’t help them develop their fundamentals as much as I should have. There are plenty of fun games that help develop those basics… so why didn’t I use them?

It’s all about experience. The students are definitely better than when they started with me, but if I had had a bit more focus, they could have been even better, and still had just as much fun. So starting with these summer classes, I’ve expanded the time by a half hour, to make sure we can have tons of fun as well as get those fundamentals down. This way, they not only have fun, but I also get my semi-selfish dream of creating a huge army of young improvisers to help transform the city into one that matches my image of an ideal artsy community. Long ways off, yes, but mighty oaks grow from small bits of squirrel food.

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