Jono Starsmore (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
furnaceface) wrote in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png)
fandomhigh2016-08-30 11:57 pm
furnaceface) wrote in fandomhigh2016-08-30 11:57 pm
Entry tags:
"Yes, And:" Improv Theatre and You, Wednesday, Period One
Thinking better of carting a classful of students over to the Boards to have their first class on a stage that was now scorched and covered in broken glass and such, Jono had claimed the Danger Shop instead.
And then he'd programmed it to look like the Boards' stage, pre-failed-wedding-three. It had been easier to do than the cleaning would have been, at any rate. He was sitting on the edge of the stage when the students filed in, and gestured for them to make themselves comfortable in the theatre seating as they arrived.
//Alright,// he said, once it looked like everybody was here who was going to be here. //Looks like I'm here teaching you lot after all. For the two names on my roster that I didn't actually recognize this semester, I'm Jonothon Starsmore, I go by Jono or Jon. Please, none of that 'professor' nonsense. I haven't taken nearly enough university for a title like that. Yes, I am talking into your brain, no, I'm not reading your mind, and the first one of you who asks if they can roast marshmallows over me without actually bringing enough for the class is going to get detention.//
Which seemed more or less like it had covered the important bits, anyway.
//And with that out of the way, welcome to improv class. If you aren't familiar with improv theatre - spelled with an 're' at the end because your teacher is British, so help me - it's sort of like make-believe children's games, but with the G-rating filed off and often presented as legitimate theatre. Yes, people will actually pay money to come watch people on stage doing some of the nonsense we're going to cover this semester. No, it isn't entirely an anything goes pastime. There are rules to follow if you want to have a successful run of it.//
Say it isn't so, Jono!
//Don't worry. There aren't many, and they aren't terribly complicated. The first rule of improvisation is to agree with what's being said by the people you're playing with. Unless the point of the game is to do otherwise, you'll be able to progress along with whatever story you're telling if you don't throw up a brick wall of 'no' at every idea that comes your way. The second is to not just say yes, but to say yes, and. Take what people are saying, and build on it. Give them something to work with in turn. Next, make statements, use conviction with the ideas that you're presenting. And finally, there are no mistakes in improv, there are only opportunities. If somebody makes a slip of the tongue, use it. If you trip over your own feet, don't be afraid to turn around and start cussing out your invisible friend. The aim is to learn how to improvise, after all. Roll with it.//
Jono was great at rolling with it. You had to be when you had half a face and a tendency to re-grow it and then blow up again once every few years whether you needed to or not.
//It's introductions week, so we're going to start with a brief round of that. Nothing too difficult. Just your name, any experience with improvisation if you have it, and, of course, what you're planning on doing with this object I have in my hand.// He held up a handful of empty air. //I brought it here just for you, I should hope you can make some use of it. Make me feel better about giving it to you by being really thorough about how useful it's going to be to you. Here, catch.//
And with that, he mimed a careful underhand toss of the object to the student nearest to him.
//When you're done with the item, pass it to the next student. There's only one, after all, no sense in hogging it all to yourself. Maybe they can think of something else to do with it when you're through. And as a side note, if any of you are interested in being my TA for the semester, I'd be most appreciative. There's only one of me, and there are so many props like this one that I'll need to carry back and forth for classes, I'd appreciate the assist.//
[OOC: Open!]
And then he'd programmed it to look like the Boards' stage, pre-failed-wedding-three. It had been easier to do than the cleaning would have been, at any rate. He was sitting on the edge of the stage when the students filed in, and gestured for them to make themselves comfortable in the theatre seating as they arrived.
//Alright,// he said, once it looked like everybody was here who was going to be here. //Looks like I'm here teaching you lot after all. For the two names on my roster that I didn't actually recognize this semester, I'm Jonothon Starsmore, I go by Jono or Jon. Please, none of that 'professor' nonsense. I haven't taken nearly enough university for a title like that. Yes, I am talking into your brain, no, I'm not reading your mind, and the first one of you who asks if they can roast marshmallows over me without actually bringing enough for the class is going to get detention.//
Which seemed more or less like it had covered the important bits, anyway.
//And with that out of the way, welcome to improv class. If you aren't familiar with improv theatre - spelled with an 're' at the end because your teacher is British, so help me - it's sort of like make-believe children's games, but with the G-rating filed off and often presented as legitimate theatre. Yes, people will actually pay money to come watch people on stage doing some of the nonsense we're going to cover this semester. No, it isn't entirely an anything goes pastime. There are rules to follow if you want to have a successful run of it.//
Say it isn't so, Jono!
//Don't worry. There aren't many, and they aren't terribly complicated. The first rule of improvisation is to agree with what's being said by the people you're playing with. Unless the point of the game is to do otherwise, you'll be able to progress along with whatever story you're telling if you don't throw up a brick wall of 'no' at every idea that comes your way. The second is to not just say yes, but to say yes, and. Take what people are saying, and build on it. Give them something to work with in turn. Next, make statements, use conviction with the ideas that you're presenting. And finally, there are no mistakes in improv, there are only opportunities. If somebody makes a slip of the tongue, use it. If you trip over your own feet, don't be afraid to turn around and start cussing out your invisible friend. The aim is to learn how to improvise, after all. Roll with it.//
Jono was great at rolling with it. You had to be when you had half a face and a tendency to re-grow it and then blow up again once every few years whether you needed to or not.
//It's introductions week, so we're going to start with a brief round of that. Nothing too difficult. Just your name, any experience with improvisation if you have it, and, of course, what you're planning on doing with this object I have in my hand.// He held up a handful of empty air. //I brought it here just for you, I should hope you can make some use of it. Make me feel better about giving it to you by being really thorough about how useful it's going to be to you. Here, catch.//
And with that, he mimed a careful underhand toss of the object to the student nearest to him.
//When you're done with the item, pass it to the next student. There's only one, after all, no sense in hogging it all to yourself. Maybe they can think of something else to do with it when you're through. And as a side note, if any of you are interested in being my TA for the semester, I'd be most appreciative. There's only one of me, and there are so many props like this one that I'll need to carry back and forth for classes, I'd appreciate the assist.//
[OOC: Open!]