FUNNY BUSINESS
July 20, 2009 Yesterday we had our rehearsal for next week’s show. Rehearsing improv is an oxymoron, I know, but we decided what type of bits we’re going to do and the audience (AUDIENCE?? YIKES!!) will supply the raw material. So if you’re reading this and in the Eau Claire area, I assume you are a friend of mine and if you want to come to the performance, email me mary@laughlady.com for details. Only kind, forgiving people are invited–the kind of friends who will laugh hysterically no matter how lame we are on stage. And after 13 years of performing as a speaker, I can say that the idea of getting up on stage and winging it in front of an audience HAS ME SCARED WITLESS! What FUN!!! 
July 5, 2009 We didn’t have improv today because of the July 4th holiday weekend. I missed it. A lot. Caught myself making up characters and rhyming stuff randomly. Not as much fun with only the dog to play with.
June 29, 2009 Okay, so evidently I can do a pretty good German accent (though I always sound like Colonel Klink) and can manage to rhyme words with names, as in “Drusilla–she got sick and had to take a pill-a”… Guess you had to be there. And “being there” is what improv is about. I’m still working on the paying attention to what the other people are saying and doing (see previous note) but I’m getting there. But the thing is, in improv, just when you get there, there moves…
June 15, 2009 WOW! I found out the first week in improv that the shrink was right years ago when he told me, “You’re not much of a team player.” I had to FORCE myself to “play well with others.” But it’s worth the effort. What a great group we are and I’m delighted to be part of it!
May 7, 2009 I just signed up to take an improvisational comedy class at the local theater starting at the end of the month. I’ve never had any formal training in “funny,” unless you count the Erma Bombeck Conference in Dayton last year. (I applied for and was rejected for the stand-up comedy showcase. Not surprising since I don’t do stand-up. )
The ad for the improv class promised to improve my ability to think on my feet. Great for the boardroom, it said. So I’m hoping there will be at least one other person there over 40, but I’d settle for anyone over 30. But I just know if a skit calls for “old woman,” yours truly will be asked to take that role. Ditto for grandmotherly-type, school-marm, cranky old lady and dottering fool. Hey, I just realized I’ve got a lot of experience to draw on. Maybe it will be okay to be the old bag. (Ooh, ooh, “bag lady”–another one I can do!)
A friend warned me that being rejected as a writer is nothing compared to the ego-bashing I can expect in improv. (Gosh. She made it sound so great, I can’t wait.)
I’ll keep you posted on my progress. I might be crazy for signing up, but that might also be a pre-requisite. Here’s hoping.
