Poppycock Productions

Sarah and Tyler improv

(passionate, visionary man ALEXANDER and cynical, practical woman JOAN collaborating on a book and having artistic differences)
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My name is Joan Underwood...I'm on my second marriage...my third child...I hate publishing...actually theres is not very much that i do like...well, except, sometimes i like it when i go to the grocery store and there are specials on tomatos...I don't why...it gets me very excited...

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j...all right, so, basically none of this is going to work for me...I mean I know you've been working all week long..

a...yeah!

j...I'm sorry, but if you you bring me crap like this I can't....

a...Crap?!...now, look...you can't...you can't look at a hundred and fifty pages and just say flat out that its all crap...

j...well just because there is a hundred and fifty pages doesn't mean there is anything in it...(pause)...its just not saying anything...

a...are you stupid?!...do you just not understand....do you know how much time i put into this...I mean that thing has been gestating in my brain since...since...as long as I can remember....

j...(pause) did you just insult me?...did you just call me stupid...

a...look, sorry...

j...no,no,no,no,no,no,no,no,....I think I have been doing this for a little bit longer than you have...and if you're going to give me this attitude....

a...whooa, whoaa....(placating) Im sorry I called you stupid...I didn't mean to do that, Joan....I really didn't...but please don't pull that heirarchical bullshit on me, ok?...because I may have only been in the publishing business for ten years but I think I know how to write a book...

j...this isn't heirarchical bullshit...(softly) sweetie....take this to anybody else and they'll tell you its crap...I'm sorry...ok...I know that we're off doing our own excercises...thats great...I definately think we nee to do some things on our own...but you know...I think we need to stick to the topic...

a...(excited) but the topic is right there!...look...when he disappears for the third time and goes back down into the depths of hell where he therefore meets satan...

j...uh huh...

a...and the whole relationship with his father thats been brewing since he was thirteen...

j...yeah...

a....and how he walks into his father with that other woman...

j...ok...but what is the giraffe about?!!....where did the giraffe come from?!....

a...haven't you ever read Freud!?...I mean, jesus!....

j...(patronizing) so the neck is the penis of the father that abandons him...

a...exactly!...

j....this isn't working for me!....I'm sorry...I don't like the whole Freud thing...I don't think thats a good
direction to go with this...I think if we want penis we should just say penis...no zoo metaphors....

a...you can't just say penis because...because...you have to make things layered...you have to invent things...thats how you attract readers...thats how you give a book meaning,...not that telgraphic style that just hits through..."its winter in New Jersey...stop...its raining...stop".... you see...I strive to give things a bit more complexity...and I think readers appreciate it too...

j...i understand this...but I don't think Freud is so subtle...I think that maybe its a little overdone...I think its a little cliched...I think maybe we can stretch beyond that...I think that, you know, we are more creative...than Freud...I think we can move past the frued...

a...all right...I don't usually compromise but I see that we are running up against a brick wall here...so you're suggesting go with more of a jungian thing...something a little less known....

j...no...I don't think thats a good idea, either...I'm just not into the archetypes...I just want to tell a story...I don't want to veil it in all these, like...penis things....you know...I think I just don't like the penis...I think thats my problem...

a...joan...

j...I have a serious problem with dicks....

a. JOAN!...

j...I think thats the problem we really need to address...

a...joan...lets turn aside from the dicks...we'll put the dicks over here, ok...

j...so can we just not write about men at all?...

a...joan...can I just approach you with an idea...

j...ok...

a...the story...all right...I think what our problem right here is ....I can't see your vision...can you just tell me your vision with this...explain it to me...

e...I am all ears, joan...

j...do you have a marker...I like drawing...

a...uhhh...yes...there some markers over here...

(they both walk to a drawing board)

j...ok...so here is the idea...we are starting here...(starts to draw clouds and rain) its raining there's lightning...I'm going with emotions right now...ok?....I want to end up..(draws a smily face)...here....

a...don't you see...we're in a post apocalyptic wasteland...nobody smiles like that....when I started this it was with the idea of starting here (smily face) with the arrow going that way...(towards rain)....we are totally coming from opposite ends of the spectrum...

j...(childlike, indicating direction of arrows on board)...but why do you wanna go from here to here... this is so much better ...

a...this (her arrows) is Disney!....(his arrows) this is art!....

(they move back to the table)

j...ok lets get down to it...in publishing there shouldn't be any grammatical errors...

a...I have to let it flow out of me!....I'm like Kerouac at the typewriter!...it just comes!!...sometimes I use elbows...no, I can't control that shit!...I'll go back and clean it up...we can hire some college student to proofread it , right?....its the ideas...not the commas....

j...ok, I have a luch meeting I have to run to but we'll talk more...let me just think about this ...let me think about your arrow...I need to channel your arrow...

Synopsis of meeting sat. jan 24 (pryor, huge, wright, rachel, tyler and ashby)

-warm ups- game of telephone, passing gesture and sound fast around circle mimicing and noticing gradual metamorpheses of original gesture- fast paced

game of "passion climax" where a passion (lust, envy) is improved by everyone, with each person starting at a certain level and taking it one step up in intensity before passing to next person, who recieves that level and takes it up more until the last person dies of a "passion climax"- frenzied- good game for recieving energy levels..

played game sarah suggested last week...fill in the blank game where phrases on pieces of paper are picked up by actors in mid scene and inserted in dialogue...wonderfully innane...a hilarious game...we did it with two actors, and then went to six, which in my opinion, kinda sucked because it was incoherent...everyone talking and no one recieving...

next we gave a hand at long form improv...the bar scene with the derelict alcoholic ex pe teacher and the quarrelling lovers...in addition an appearance by the rebellious broke teenager, his parents, a friend who deals valium....scenes connected together through references, locales, and cheese casserole...interesting naturalistic improv, drama...concluded that we are more interested in sporadic scenes....long form narrative style is a bit superficial...provocative ideas as opposed to storytelling...

smoked

did more two person five minute "reality" improvs, where social masks are abandoned and people converse candidly... two groups of two did the "family gift giving ritual" and one group of two did the "thwarting sexual advance/unrequited love/homophobic" dynamic...these types of scenes in my opinion are just about always very interesting and rather funny...these scenes, transcripted, are excellent skeletons for writing original work on top of...

acted out pre written original monolgues....did Huge's "loose glove" and Pryor's "supergenius", "bossman", "soccor mom", and "never good enough man"....very inspiring from my side-to hear the words you've written acted out well...excellent critical analysis and suggestions...

agreed to meet tommorrow for dinner, drinks, and discussion at rachels...

Suggestions and Ideas from Pryor....
-we should all go check out and see the new (southeast) sketch comedy troupe "the portland underground showbiz society ya'll" next week at The Backdoor Theatre (46th and Hawthorne) after rehearsal ....

-I think we should all contribute an original monologue next week...we could monologue at rachels...

-I think we should all take a transcription and adapt it and rewrite it...the same one so that we have seven different scenes based on an original improv skeleton...hmmmmm

-we should act these out and film them with a digital camera....we should go out and about town filming ourselves...as character types...reality television...

-each person should pick one thing that we have done that we could/should use in a show...we should discuss these decisions...

Hi everyone! Sorry I have been a bit out of the loop, as they say, as of recent...just dealing with the typical post break up doldrums...finding my emotional state fluctuating somewhere between despondency and elated optimism...nothing new...I do have a swank ass bachelor pad now that I need to break in with a hootnanny...

anyhow, as far as the numinosity front, I feel it is really important to start organizing the written word...using original creative material as the foundation for the improv and vice versa....I really dig huge's monologue and I have gone ahead and attatched some of the material that I have written in the past...it takes place at the store...I have been calling it supergenius, after the smug narrator/cashier...he knows everything...the other characters are satirical sketches...

supergenius (checkout clerk)


to a pretty girl

Hey hows it going....you're pretty damn attractive...I don't mean that in the typical I wanna pick you up vein and go sleep later...I truly mean that I am attracted to you...from the moment you walked in I sensed your presence and you mine at the exact same moment...It was beatiful...and frightening....we both jolted from the momentary lapse of .....I just couldn't bear it if we feigned indifference to each other...that is torturous...the worst thing...(looks at pomegranates) Oh, cool, we got pomegranates again....yeah, I mean the sexual drive is the most primal and galvanizing drive the we humans have, along with hunger...it governs us in a profound, yet subtle way...wouldn't it be nice just to say nothing at all and fuck right here on the counter...that is what our bodies want to do...our hormones are screaming right now, racing from our glands crying out my god gaze at this beuteous creature before you.... but no...thats not how it goes... fifty two o seven is the total...yeah, we're pretty damn sexually estranged from one another...and even thought Ican't have you right here right now, the least I can do is acknowledge the fact that I desire to...have a nice day...

supergenius to an oblivious asshole

Hey how are ya? not much? you're not much...No, I didn’ ask you “whats going on”? I asked you how you were...“Not much” is “what’s going on” not how your are. You can be "fine" or just "ok", but "not much"? I don’t know if you can be not much, but perhaps you are. I don’t know. That is kinda funny don't you think? That you told me that you are not much...that's like a Fruedian slip...

because, to be perfectly honest, you don't look like much...in fact, you almost give the impression of a walking corpse, a dehumanized bag of skin that buys things...you have mastered the art of dehumanized interraction ...the modern cultivated way speaking through people...contrived discourse...you know, you probably wouldn't even know how to behave if it weren't based entirely on convention...you are so neurotic...just look at you...do you even acknowledge this...go ahead...try to empathize with somebody....you are fundamentally incapable of extending beyond yourself, yet every contrived mannerism and nicety that spills from your lips would indicate that you are this pious altruist...you asked me how I was doing but you didn't even look at me, let alone listen...you inquired about my day, but your face read complete disinterest, even contempt for what I said...because you have already decided beforehand that what I have to say isn't important...it couldn't posssibly be important because it came from my lips...the checkout guy's lips...you think I am stupid, yet I know beforehand that you thinks I am stupid, so where does that leave me...I merely say a mulitsylablle word and look, you're baffled...here is your change and I would give you sticker if I thought you were worth it...have a tremendous day....



perky cashier

..."well hello there...did you find everything you needed today...cause if you didn't that means we're not doing our job well...can I do anything to make up for it...anyhoo, oohhh, I love this stufff, curry suace....yummy...oohhh is that your child...what a sport she is being today...I could never have children myself but I love just playing the auntie role, you know...(to child) Ooohhh scrum diddly uhmchious little budle of luvmchious (to parent) ohhh she is just perfect...oh my!! where was I ...here I am going all goo goo over your little one and I have stopped ringing you up...I am so sorry...I need to get on the ball...did you find everything you needed today...how was the store for you today...now if you have any problems or suggestions to make the strore here for you a more whole experience please visit our suggestion box on your way out...also, if you wanted to put in your two cents about the exquisite service you recieved here today...my name is linda, by the way... okay, that'll be five thousand three hundred and forty four pennies, or 53.44...shall I bag these up in plastic or paper job...would you like a double bag or single bag...what is your maximum weight limit for each individual bag...would you like me to put these mints on the bag on top or would you perfer to purse them...would you like your milk in a bag...the reason I ask is becuase they tend to get a little heavy and it already looks like you have enough on your hands...can I get you a carryout today...did you want to try to answer one of our trivia questions and win a free baby pumpkin...okay then, you probably don't need any more pumpkins in your life (indicating baby)....okey dokey theres fifty six cents for you and have a truly remarkable spectacular day...


never good enough man

whats this...what the hell is this...I see that you have been a real good sport and put out some french roast coffee for all of us to sample but there is one thing missing...the CREAM...I'll have some fucking cream with that coffe sample. You know I don't even know why you should even bother putting out some coffee for us if you can't have the presence of mind to serve some cream with it...how the hell am I supposed to drink this, without cream...it just tastes like dirt without...and another thing...you guys used to have the this one product...I bought it all the time...me and my fucking wife just loved it...it was like a desert thing in like a red package about this big...I can't fucking find it anywhere...I would think it would be in the same place where we found it the last twenty times that we bought it...but no...nowhere in sight...can you tell my why...I don't see why I should even come back...well, no I don't what the fuck it was called...I bought it all the time though....it had chocolate in it thats all I fuckin know...yeah well, do you work here...okay, right....then why the fuck don't you know about the products? did you miss the training session or something... oh yeah, another thing...I almost broke my ass back there....there was a little puddle of water that had no huge slippery when wet cone in front of it so how the fuck was I supposed to know it was slippery...I nearly broke my ass...and then it would be your guys' ass...where is the fucking manager...we'll see if I ever trade here again you little dipshit....

soccor mom

Heeeyyyyyy Judy....Ohmygod...(snort and whinny)...it has been so long...what two years now...Ohmygod...its great to see you...how about that...at the grocery store...ive been well...yeah, just picking up some groceries before getting the kids at school...oh yeah, they doing great...ben is eight and lindsay is (thinks) fifteen now....oh yeah, time is a flying...how have you been...hows jack....

Oh gosh judy you should really try this stufff...its called the zen of floss...yeah...its great...kinda hokey you know...but Im telling you its great....its got green tea in it and I;ll tell you judy, I feel radiant...it says here it will restore your youthfulness and vitality as well as prevent cavities... isn't that great...I mean look at me Judy...can't you sort of sense a serenity...I'm telling you Judy, its the floss....Oh yeah, youv'e been doin some yoga, uh?...now, Jan, you remember Jan, Betsy mother?....right, well anyway, Jan started taking yoga over their at Crescent Point and it threw out her back...(gravely) yeah....terrible thing....I would never go...

My goodness...How have you been...yeah, yeah....thats great....so things have been well...you've been doing good...thats great...how were you this past summer...awhhhh, thats wonderful....really, you look great....doin good, huh...so how are ya...

Yeah...I know its a shame... you betcha... I saw it on the news too...the got all those ice caps melting...did you hear about how they say the entire eastern seaboard is eventually going to be threatened...a little drastic... but you know what...look at this...its earthies energy drink...a portion of the proceeds go to water fund, so I bought a whole case...i try to do my part, you know...

(to child) you remember judy don't you...yeahh...(to judy)...she is a little shy...(to child) you know we used to live next door to judy...you remember her don't you...yeah....you remember thier biiiiggg dog, rusty? ....oh now don't be a sourpuss...(to Judy) she has been so reticent recently to communicate...uh huh, yeah...we're gonna take her into the doctor next week...you know Jan from the PTA...well she just put little jansey on ritalin and her test scores have just gone straight up....yeah its great...Jan says she has lost a bit of her appetite but thats no biggie as long as they sit still...(laughs)


boss

I like my job. I like the authority. I am a manager. This entire store is mine. I run it. All of these people that work here are at my disposal. I take a certain amount of comfort in this. Pride. They are underlings and they understand it. I used to be one of them. I had to work my way to the top. But I don’t think about that. I don’t empathise. Every now and again I catch myself feeling compassion and pity but I quickly squash that fast. Then they won’t fear my anymore. The termination of their liveliehoods is at my discretion. I am the father of this family. I don’t have one of my own. But I don’t want to talk about that.
I am a supervisor. I am not a leader. I have never been a leader. My employees don’t look up to me. They never have, really. They fear me. I buy their approval with small tokens like bonuses and gift certificates. Trifles. Then they will respect me at very little expense to myself. Then they will work a little harder and won’t be as mischevious. I hate mischief. I make sure things are efficient and I make sure that we make money. I follow rules. I follow them really well. That is why I am where I am at. I am better than most people because I make more money than them. That is how you separate the cream from the crop. By comparing their paychecks. I am a winner. I have completed the race and all I have to do now is reap the benefits. I can’t climb any higher. I know the protocols and methods of this company like the back of my hand. I know the solution to every possible disruptive situation. It might take me a moment to come up with it. But it is there. I do not deviate from what I was taught by my company. I need not come up with anything on my own. Everything has been prescribed and authorized as the most efficient and effective solution. I don’t even have to think. I just run through the motions. And I am where I am at now because I have run the longest...I make six figures. I make thirty times as much as the people that work for me. But I don’t think about that. It's kinda funny, but making a lot of money really isn't that great...I tell that to underlings...I thought it would be great, but frankly, I am not quite sure what to do with this money...I am in it for the power, the gratification...knowing that I am feared...that my presence is a cause for alarm... this brings my great gratification...

Well, shucks. Looks as though we won't be getting together tonight. Unfortunately I don't know Huge's phone number and there hasn't been any word from Wright or Sarah...poop in the pants. No matter, I'm still looking forward to rocking it twice as hard on Saturday. See youze all then, and perhaps we can make up a phone list just for kicks and clits.

I am definitely into getting together this week before Saturday. However, Wednesday would be better than Thursday for me, and I think Rachel wrote something about not being available Thursday as well...no matter, I can make Thursday work, just thought I'd put out the Wednesday feelers and see what they brought back with them.

Re: Masks I am open to incorporating all types of theatrical elements into our projects and masks are certainly among the things that excite me. However, at this point I have a little hesitancy. I think we've been generating some really great ideas and materials in rehearsal, but I'm not sure that we've spent enough time working with what we've brought out thus far to introduce another major element like masks yet. What do y'all think of this?

I want to work more with the game that Sarah brought in involving the pieces of paper. I think this is a really good exercise. I also second Chris' and Rachel's thoughts of less talk and more action as well as exploring the possibilities of extended improvs comprised of a series of linked vignettes. We've done some talking about a highly self-reflexive form of program. By linking vignettes in theme and action, even repeating lines or carrying objects through, I think we could make a very entertaining show, and I think the exercise of creating such an improv would really help us as actors to create a world in which to live and in paying attention to each other and what we are doing.

Maybe we could play a game somewhat similar to that of the "clapping game." We could generate a list of places, situations, or actions that we'd like to take place. Then we could begin to improv. It would then be our job to accomplish some or all of the things on the list (probably on a white board) People within the scene could find reason to leave for a new scene or make things happen on the list. People sitting out could jump in at any point. We would try to accomplish this with fluidity, however, and no clapping.

Another idea for a game...excercise, I don't like the word game right now...We provide a starting point and an ending point for a scene, then improvise from point a to b. A really interesting follow up possibility would be to replay the scene multiple times with the same starting and ending points to see how many different paths we can find from a to b. I think this would lead us both to identify ( and therefore be able to avoid or flesh out) the most common routes while simultaneously helping us to find more obscure and interesting means of resolving conflicts and moving action forward.

So, what be the word on Wednesday or Thursday? What we gonna do when we do get together on one of these days? I'd be up for a rehearsal proper, but wine, conversation and masks would be alright as well.

Productivity, adventure, and the most pleasant dreams to the lot of you.

Sinclair

I've gotten behind in my blogging these past few days, but I shall attempt to avoid such lapses in the future. I'm excited about this week and up for anything. We've got a really great group going, and I'm elated by all the ideas everyone's bringing in and the supportive rehearsal environment we've created. That's all for now. G'night folks.

OK...no need to write who wrote...it writes who are we when we write it now....

I changed it to numinosity project, which rolls off the tongue rather nicely...

I agree 100 percent with Rachel...we didn't say much the other night...and I think the vitality in theatre thrives in its provocation...we should be provocative and we should immediately, in my opinion, begin brainstorming topics and themes to act around...I think by using our previous improvs (the transcriptions are at the end of this post) and being familiar with and even writing dialogue for each of the characters ourselves, they will naturally evolve and we can come back to them...

chris' brainstorm in two minutes:

pointless education, obsoleteness of college degree, overread people- thinkers vs. actors, appallingly violent and horrific nature of evening newscasts, utterly rampant greed in business, fear and loathing in society, the mindlessness of popular culture (boy bands, reality television), domestic jingoistic americanism, foreign anti-americanism, completely ignorant and duplicitous head of state, civic apathy,

just off the top of my head...much much more

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post coitus, man and woman that don't really know each other (tyler & rachel, 12-20)



m...could you maybe move your feet a little?

w...oh I'm sorry (long pause) so you like to, you know, sleep well over there?

m...yeah, well, you see the thing is I have to , you know, learn to sleep with another person...uhhh, like a lot of the time I am with someone for the first time, I'm just so uncomfortable all night, I don't really sleep. So I prefer something along the lines of this (indicates distance between the two of them)...you know, stretch out a little bit...its nothing personal against you...

w...so you'd just rather that I left...

m....(uncomfortable pause, then conciliatory) Noo.....I like knowing that you wanna be here...I mean it doesn't really matter to me that you are here...but if you actually, ya know, wanna be here....

w...so you'd rather have me reluctantly...

m...no,no...I want you to stay....Look, I just feel really conflicted inside because, uhh...but first to be completely honest with you...like, we had sex...and that was, ya know...fun....that was ok...but...now I'm really kinda tired...I don't really feel like cuddling...i just kinda wanna go to sleep...so, I guess I don't want you to leave...but, I don't really care on way or another...so its totally up to you...

w...now...ok...see, I don't know...I feel kinda cheated.... and the cuddling, ya know...that kinda half asleep close proximity thing... kinda weird...because, ya know...I didn't have an orgasm...ok...so that to me, is the issue...

m...well...ok...why didn't you just say something...I mean you were making all kind of animalistic noises and shit...I thought that you know.

w... well, pretty much I was just afraid that I wasn't going to be able to cum no matter what you did...and I didn't want to create this weird mission, like "oh, she's not coming..so I have to go ahead and do some weird, exotic getting her to come thing"...which probably wouldn't have worked anyway...

m...so, you're saying you didn't like what I was doing...you didn't like "the swirl" or the tempo changes....

w...no, I liked the tempo changes...

m...(getting angry) no!....aparrently you didn't...because you were just saying how I was doing all sorts of weird esoteric sex shit, and its not getting you off...

w...(defensive and angry) No!....I just said I didn't want you to do the weird esoteric sex shit...and the problem with fucking men, ther're like..."ohh, I gotta get her to come..."...and, listen...I'm not lying to you...I had a good time...that was ok...sure I didn't come...but thats fine...ya know whatever...I just want some fucking cuddling!...ok?

m...(long pause, then pouty)...ok...fine...if a begrudging cuddle will make you feel better...

w....no!...I don't want a fucking begrudging cuddle...ha...begrudging cuddle...

m...look, why are we even talking about this...(self assuring) I'm not gonna get mad...I'm not gonna get mad...I'm just tired...

w...no, your just so selfish...you're like (grandly) "Ohhh, I had my orgasm..I'm just gonna roll over...and, ohhh don't touch me!!"...

m...you know it wasn't that fucking good for me either!...it wasn't...and you know what?...you know what I had to think about...I had to fantasize about... in order to bust that nut and finally get off your not so slender ass?

w...are you shitting me?!!...

m...no, I'm telling the truth..

w...my not so slender ass?!!...

m...yeah...I mean, I don't wanna be mean...I know that there are a lot of issues here...but, I was thankful that I had a couple of drinks, frankly...

w...well, you know what, you're so fucking pathetic...you can't the girl that you wanna go home with really and so you settle with my not so slender ass...you don't deserve to have a good time in bed...you deserve, to like, have a shitty time every time...

m...then why are you here...

w...thats a good question...I'm glad you asked that...really why I'm here...

m...uh-huh...

w....is because I like to get laid...

m...uh-huh...

w...I have a bit of trouble coming...granted...

m...obviously...

w....that results if this kind of psycological "I just wanna keep having sex" thing....like more sex, more sex, more sex...you seemed like fairly attractive, fairly charming, you know, a couple hours ago...I sort of figured that if we got into this sort of weird proximity thing....this one on one...it might be a little awkward...it might be little fucked up or whatever...but I thought ok...if we can manage...to...have the ok sex...do the cuddle thing..and then go to sleep...and then in the morning I can get up and leave...it'll be fine...but then it gets weird because the sex thing is sometimes good if the people don't know each other...sometimes not...the cuddle thing sometimes fits...sometimes doesn't...clearly, though, your style is just not my style...(pause) I should probably just go...

m...ok...look,look...I feel like I may have tried to hard...

w...well you have a small penis...

m...it is really important to me that the girl comes...that she tells her friend's postitive things about me...

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college age acqauintences not having seen each other in two months (wright and tyler 12-20)


(stammering exchange)

1...what have you been up to man
2...you know same ol same ol...still, uhh, with that girl...(trailing)
1...brigit?
2...no, not...I never went out with a brigit....mandy....brigit is cute, but mandy...
1...ohhh...kinda short hair?...
2...yeah...kinda... short hair...anyway it doesn't matter...so we have been hanging out and Ive been working ya know at the video store...
1... ohh...so did you graduate...
2...(suspiciously) yeahh?...graduated last may
1...right on...and so you have been working at a video store, I'm sorry...
2...yeah...working up there at Clinton Street...yeah, umm, you should come in some time...I'll, uhh, cancel your late charges or something...(desperate joviality) I don't know why I said that but I thought I had to have something nice to offer....yeah

1...(to audience)...yeah so it was really cool...we were hanging out...and I hadn't hit it off with anyone in months...it was just kinda nice to just talk with someone....the way he was looking at me...it was kinda like he was scared or something....we became friends, ya know...it was really nice

2...(to audience)...I could tell instantly that we weren't gonna hit it off...and I was afraid he was going to follow me home from the party like a long lost puppy...and I didn't have the heart to tell it to his face...

1...so really you were gonna cancel my late charges at the video place...
2...yeah...as long as the boss isn't there
1...thats awesome because I actually have 250 dollars in late charges there...
2...whooaoa
1...yeah, well, I kinda live alone and smoke a lot of weed...ya know...you just kinda watch a lot of movies...
2...yeah...uhh...I have a friend who like to you, ya know, smoke a lot...
1...cool...its kinda fun...you like to get high...smoke weed?
2...uhh..not..not..nnot too much...i mean, Im not square or anything...every now and again...
1...you like movies...I mean you must if you work at a video store...
2...yeah...well, actually...its a funny thing, actually (pause...straightforward) I don't really like movies...I work there but I don't watch them...I..I..I actually don't have a tv or vcr...
1...ohh...you like what you do then...I mean, like, why do you work there...I mean, what is that??? whadyya do ...just sit?...
2...yeah...um, I spend a lot of time by myself...
1...cool..because you seem like a very comfortable guy...like you don't smoke pot and stuff...thats kinda cool...sit around..
2...yeah..well...uhh...I'm supposed to go meet some people...but, you know we should totally go hang out some time...
1....(enthusiasticly) yeahh...thats a great idea...can I get your phone number...
2...uhhm, yeah...do you have a pen?
1...ummm, I don't...(pause)...but I can get one...
2...ok...cool...then I can get yours too...
1...yeah, that way..if you ever want to get together and watch a movie...or maybe go see a movie in a movie theatre...or, you know...we could play video games...
2...(half spitefully) uh, yeah...but I just told you I didn't like movies...I don't have a tv...so why did you ask me if I wanted to see a movie...
1...uhh...I just wanna, you know, hang out...I don't know...smoke some weed...play monopoly...drink some beer...
2...yeah...that sounds fun we should do that sometime...uhh...give me your number and...
1....I'll get a pen...just hang
2...allright...Ill be right here..
1...ok

2...(to audience)...if I had my druthers, I would never talk to him again...I'm debating wether or not I should give him my actual phone number...but I think it may be cruel not to...well, maybe it wouldn't be so bad to hang out some time...

1...(to audience)..it was cool...ya know...i felt kinda weird...it was like talking to a girl I really liked...there was just something about him...it was cool...he was like a friend...and i have always had issues with friends like not having them...so it was just kinda cool...it was a great way to start the semester...

1...yeah...I'm back...I got pen...
2...great...I got some paper...
1...cool...here let me give you my number...and just call me anytime..I have a cell phone...anytime you just wanna come by...and chill out...maybe smoke some pot...order some food...whatever..
2...yeahh...totally...here is my number...if you don't here from me first, just give me a call...i gotta warn you I don't have an answering machine...I haven't gone throught the whole cell phone transition....its kinda hard to get in touch with me sometimes...ya know...so , just give it a try...
1...do you live in southeast...
2...(off guard) huh..what?
1...southeast...where do you live...
2...uhm...uh...over by uh..you know crystal springs...
1...oh, cool I used to live over there...
2...oh,cool..how, uh, how about you...
1...oh I live..kinda around here actually...not very far...
2...i gotta go...we'll hang out
1.. cool..yeah...see you soon...yeah well watch movies...

-------------------------------------------------


shopper and checkout clerk at grocery store (chris and wright 12-20)


1...(frightfully self conscious) please don't say anything too overwhelming...don't ask me how Im doing...could you , perhaps, just do your job and I'll just be over here

2....yeah...no worriesa...how ya doin

1...(paniced) why did you ask me that...why do you have to ask me how I'm doing...what does it matter to you...

2...I'm sorry...

1...its so cliche!...its so cliche!...everyone always asks that...

2...(defensive) look, man, I've been working real hard, ok...and I am just trying to help you out...

1...ok...(pause, uncomfortable silence) so how you doin?...(disgusted with himself) aghhww!..I said it myself...ohmygod...everyone always says that...thats so stupid...everyone probably asks you that all day long...

2...do you really wanna know...or is it just sort of a...

1...no, I really don't actually...

2...cause I can tell you, if you want...

1...(capitulating)...yeah, go ahead and tell me...yeah... lets give it a shot...you tell me and I'll just sort of look at you...not really looking at you, but sort of looking at your forehead...

2...thats cool, because you know I don't really care...I'm just gonna tell you how much you owe, ok...34.98 is the total there...do you wanna pay with cash...

1...yeah, absolutely...(pause, uncomfortable silence) ya know, I feel kinda strange now...(self analyzing, as if to a shrinka) I mean, me and you, checkout clerk and shopper, it's supposed to be this very simple exchange...this transaction that could have been very simple...but instead, i feel like I am in a bog....like...like I am mired in some insidious social quagmire...

2...well, you are kinda doing it....

1...(pause)...so its my fault?...

2...no, no...I'm just saying...I'm just trying to do my thing over here...and you're....(trying to placate him to get him to leave) doing your thing which is great...

1...(realizing) it is all me isn't?....its all in my head...you're just doing your job....(ourpouring of emotion) you are this beautiful, innocent, meager man!...

2....no...I am just...

1....(interrupting) your so humble!....you're so amazing!...you're so better than me!...(self deprecating hostility) you're so better than me!!....and I make so much more money than you!!!...I have this great job...I am the boss...I have power and money...and you are this menial servent type checkout person...and you probably make...how much?...what?....

2...(to shut him up) I make nine dollars an hour...

1...nine dollars!?...nothing!?...a pittance!?....you probably live hand to mouth sometimes, right?...yet, you have such moral fiber!!!...ya know!?....and its like...it makes me feel kinda sad....the humanity...(pause)..ya know what?...(handing him cash) here....take this...

2...what, cash?...

1...yeah, there's fifty...go ahead and keep the change...

2...no I can't do that, sir...

1...no, please...

2...no , I can't accept tips...you tip your waiters... your prostitutes...not your checkout clerks...I don't want your money, sir...

1...(presumptous) ...no, I want you to go out and buy yourself an extra forty ounce...you drink those right?...forty ounces?....or maybe get yourself an extra pack of generic cigarettes or something...ok?...could you do that for me?....

2....no, sir...again, I don't want your money...

1...listen... (reading name tag) leanord....leonard??...that's your name, right?...on the nametag....see I feel like I know you... but you don't know me...I don't get to wear a nametag...

2...I don't need to know you sir...let's just gather up your groceries and go and get into your nice car...

1...(like a child) OK....

2...does that sound good?...

1...yeah...

2...(cheery) and thank you for shopping at piggly wigglys....and we hope to see you again soon, ok?....

1...(pathetic) OK...

I just named us, for all intents and purposes, the Spontaneous Numinosity Project (numinous means spiritually elevated or sublime or supernatural which is how I feel about the experience of improv)...we of course can change this name whenever....lets see if it works at numinosity.blogspot.com

I set a new template...did it work?

chris pryor writes:

for some reason it is not listing the name of whoever writes at the bottom of the post on the actual web page, therefore I wrote "chris writes"...because that is what I am doing and now you know it...

things I liked about our meeting on jan 10:

-the fact that chris and sarah showed...major plus

-our exploration of characters (I liked the "receptionist" game....and another game that would be conducive to exploring characters is "hitchhiker", the game where someone starts as the driver, a neutral character, and picks up a hitchhiker who has a definative character trait like "overly sexual"...the driver then takes on that trait too...then another hitchhiker is picked up with another trait and everyone adopts their trait...and so on and so forth...

-I really dug the naturalist improvs that we did...the serious, less comical ones....chris and tyler with the unwanted phone call....wright, rachel, and huge with the gay couple therapy...these were both entertaining and well acted and the demonstrated the engaging chemistry that we have as actors (as friends)....

things I am interested in for future:

-developing themes...I think a suitable theme for a "show", which is nothing more than a series of vignettes, would be social dissonance...the inability to connect...whatever we do as show, should have a common thread...

-developing and excercising long form improv...you take a topic or a theme and you do scenes based on it...subsequent scenes take ideas, characters, situations, scenarios, environments, etc. from previous scenes...the snowball effect...pretty soon you have this elaborate and colorful world...that to me seems like the only effective way to do improvised theatre in a show...the long form method as opposed to the game method...it is a challenge and it requires a lot of sensitivity, creativity, and awareness....

-tyler and I discussed this: political subject material...by political I mean the politics of us and and the portland community...theatre throughout history has been socio political...theatre has always been a way for the people to make comment on and make fun of the the prevailing sentiments of a culture as expressed in the society with its political power structure...Portland is an extremely socio politically conscious place, and there is virtually no theatre out there that is dealing with these issues...this would make us highly unique and engaging and it would open ourselves up to an much bigger audience...if we simply dealt with the things that people in our community our affected by...what are these issues anyhow?...that is something we need to figure out...(I always wanted to write a satirical newscast...I think I will)

-a quote from vaclev havel, dissident playwright and former president of czcech republic...

"(the theatre) must be something more: a living spiritual and intellectual focus, a place for social self awareness, a vanishing point where all the lines of force of the age meet, a seismograph of the times, a space, an area of freedom, an instrument of human liberation. I realized that every performance can be a living and unrepeatable social event, transcending in far reaching ways what seems, at first sight, to be its significance."

How long does it take for this thing to work?

Met this evening for a thoroughly enjoyable rehearsal period. Began with stretching and a rousing game of "Yee-haw-down little doggie." Proceeded to discuss visions for the future. Was quite pleased and surprised that Chris had transcribed some of the material from last rehearsal. Played hotel check-in game in order to find characters and get the juices flowing. Followed this with "Ship of fools." Smoke break...went around in a circular fashion, each person discussing 1 personal strength and 1 thing to work on, then doing the same for the person to their right. I'd like to continue this periodically (perhaps regularly) as a means maintaining self awareness/improvement. Back inside, did serious improv with Chris P. and Tyler doing the phone call from a needy friend and Wright, Chris Huge, and Rachel doing couples counseling. Sarah T. arrived, her dog at home sick from eating chocolate chips...yay! (For Sarah's arrival, not the sick dog) Did improv in the elevator. Felt a good progression of character as there was slightly more of an improvisational structure present. That is, we had a fairly quotidian setting with a goal of either getting out of the elevator or at least keeping everyone calm and relatively happy despite burgeoning sexual desire, flatulence, misanthropy, know-it-all-ness, and intrusive meditation. Dispersed. Chris, Chris, and Tyler to Fever theatre...not a great show...definitely a work in progress, but very nice people and a very cool environment. I found it very inspiring that these people were making it happen. We can do it better. Parted ways with thoughts of getting together sometime mid next week.
I'd like to propose a couple of possibilities for next time and the non-specific future in general 1)less talk more action...I hope that we can use this blog to generate a flexible "agenda" before each rehearsal. This way we can spend more time getting down and dirty while we're together, though I do think discussion is extremely beneficial. 2)Huge mentioned "homework." I like it. Perhaps we can develop assignments to work on outside of rehearsal, whether they be to bring in some written material or a new game, or the framework for an improvisational scene. 3) I'd like to continue generating characters 'til each of us has several that we can inhabit comfortably and completely, giving us a chance to really flesh them out and bring them to three dimensional life. I'd also like to spend some more time working with "neutral" characters...characters that aren't really ourselves, but aren't easily identifiable as being acted or conforming to a specific stereotype either. 4) I think we should start thinking about means or transition from scene to scene as we start to think about a show. If we're going to have a somewhat fragmentary pastiche of scenes more or less closely related to one another, how are we going to get smoothly from one to the other? Or, are we going to jump without transition? 5)I'd like to try improvising within more and more defined structures and see what effect that has. For instance, in the couples therapy scenario we might add that the couple is in therapy because one member just caught the other having an affair. However, unbeknownst to the recently caught cuckolder, the cuckold has also had an affair in the recent past, yet he's still upset with his partner while trying not to reveal his own guilt. The therapist has also been having an affair, and therefore her sympathies are decidedly biased. Furthermore, she is supposed to be meeting her lover immediately after this session, and therefore she has a keen eye on the clock. (Okay, this might be a little bit much at first, but I think that if we can work within increasingly complex structures it can really help us tighten up both scene and character, its a good mental challenge, and it can enable us to explore more intricate issues.
Now, I must take a moment to express my elation at working on this thing with you all. I can't wait for our next meeting. Please to excuse my somewhat haphazard scratchings here. I hope it all comes across alright. You're wonderful...yes, I mean you specifically.