Whose thread is it anyway?

[dixiehack]

Something that has bothered me for a while is that I have no real good answer when somebody asks what I do for fun. It's been pretty novel getting to a place where I have some disposable income and some free time in the evening, but all too often it just adds up to vegging out on the phone all night.

So about a month ago I took the leap of faith to do something about it.

There's a theatre on Birmingham's Southside that hosts improv shows and courses. And on Wednesday nights they have drop-in classes for $10 and a chance to perform in the student show afterwards (or just watch if you aren't feeling it.)

I know I can write funny (Thanks SJ!) and I can deliver snarky quips off the top of my head in real life. But improv is something I had no prior formal experience with and I thought it might be a good way to stretch myself.

Maybe the shine will wear off soon but right now I'm looking forward to Wednesday nights for the rest of the week now. The first couple of times I just did the class only and stayed back to watch afterwards. Last week was my first time to jump in the pool performing and I did so again tonight.

Anybody else ever tried their hand at this? I know I'm just a dabbler (although I might look at starting a more formal class next spring) and so I'm not really ready to discuss it mich yet with my IRL people. But out of all the smartasses here, I figure there's got to be someone else who has taken lessons to be a more effective smartass.

 

[I Should Coco]

Something that has bothered me for a while is that I have no real good answer when somebody asks what I do for fun. It's been pretty novel getting to a place where I have some disposable income and some free time in the evening, but all too often it just adds up to vegging out on the phone all night.

So about a month ago I took the leap of faith to do something about it.

There's a theatre on Birmingham's Southside that hosts improv shows and courses. And on Wednesday nights they have drop-in classes for $10 and a chance to perform in the student show afterwards (or just watch if you aren't feeling it.)

I know I can write funny (Thanks SJ!) and I can deliver snarky quips off the top of my head in real life. But improv is something I had no prior formal experience with and I thought it might be a good way to stretch myself.

Maybe the shine will wear off soon but right now I'm looking forward to Wednesday nights for the rest of the week now. The first couple of times I just did the class only and stayed back to watch afterwards. Last week was my first time to jump in the pool performing and I did so again tonight.

Anybody else ever tried their hand at this? I know I'm just a dabbler (although I might look at starting a more formal class next spring) and so I'm not really ready to discuss it mich yet with my IRL people. But out of all the smartasses here, Infigure there's got to be someone else who has taken lessons to be a more effective smartass.

Good for you, dixie. I'm not quick enough translating what I think into what I say to ever try improv or stand-up comedy. But I have done open mic nights in the past, even though I'm only a passable guitar player and singer at best. It's a fun outlet and gives you an appreciation for the true pros who can do it well.

 

[UNCGrad]

Awesome stuff, Dixie. If this leads to "Threat Level Midnight: Part Dawn" I think we'll all be thrilled.

Good luck with it, and continue to break a leg.

 

[DanOregon]

I think its amazing you are doing this Dix. I probably came to this realization too late for it to do me much good, but I think its important for people to get out of their comfort zone and really challenge themselves from time to time. Do something that "terrifies" you, just to avoid getting too comfortable. I hope you kill!

 

[TigerVols]

I don’t have a ready answer to the question, “what do you do for fun?” It sucks.

 

[dixiehack]

So far I’ve gotten to be a poker player fleecing a first-time player, a firefighter who was Mr. December and a principal busting fourth graders for bathroom smoking.

It’s different for sure.

 

[Here me roar]

Very cool. The improv gives classes here that you can do a course like this, but it's like $300. Good luck. I hope you enjoy it

 

[dixiehack]

Yeah if I wanted to commit to an actual class (I won’t consider it until after March Madness) then it would be like $230, plus the cost of a couple more shows to attend. But the way I look at it is I don’t golf or bowl. I am lucky to make it to more than a concert or two every year. I go to Tuscaloosa for several games but I scrounge for cheap/free tickets. So maybe this is the hobby I can drop a buck on.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

First thing I thought of was this all-time great Sunny scene:



May you fare better than this, Dixie! Seriously, this is really cool. I hope you keep enjoying it.

 

[dixiehack]

That is a very succinct summary of why I could never do stand up and am in awe of those who can. I think I had to pause four times to push past my vicarious embarrassment.

 

[Here me roar]

Yeah if I wanted to commit to an actual class (I won't consider it until after March Madness) then it would be like $230, plus the cost of a couple more shows to attend. But the way I look at it is I don't golf or bowl. I am lucky to make it to more than a concert or two every year. I go to Tuscaloosa for several games but I scrounge for cheap/free tickets. So maybe this is the hobby I can drop a buck on.

Well have fun. I hope it turns into something you enjoy.

 

[BYH 2: Electric Boogaloo]

That is a very succinct summary of why I could never do stand up and am in awe of those who can. I think I had to pause four times to push past my vicarious embarrassment.

Same. Being funny with friends is so much different than being funny on stage. (Though Dee actually had a pretty good joke in between the dry heaves JESUS CHRIST!)

 

[outofplace]

Something that has bothered me for a while is that I have no real good answer when somebody asks what I do for fun. It's been pretty novel getting to a place where I have some disposable income and some free time in the evening, but all too often it just adds up to vegging out on the phone all night.

So about a month ago I took the leap of faith to do something about it.

There's a theatre on Birmingham's Southside that hosts improv shows and courses. And on Wednesday nights they have drop-in classes for $10 and a chance to perform in the student show afterwards (or just watch if you aren't feeling it.)

I know I can write funny (Thanks SJ!) and I can deliver snarky quips off the top of my head in real life. But improv is something I had no prior formal experience with and I thought it might be a good way to stretch myself.

Maybe the shine will wear off soon but right now I'm looking forward to Wednesday nights for the rest of the week now. The first couple of times I just did the class only and stayed back to watch afterwards. Last week was my first time to jump in the pool performing and I did so again tonight.

Anybody else ever tried their hand at this? I know I'm just a dabbler (although I might look at starting a more formal class next spring) and so I'm not really ready to discuss it mich yet with my IRL people. But out of all the smartasses here, I figure there's got to be someone else who has taken lessons to be a more effective smartass.

During my undergrad years, the acting students hosted an improv night on campus every Friday night. It was in the basement of a campus building, but they had a theater in the round setup, which I really liked.

I took an introduction to performance class as a freshman as a way to get over my intense shyness. We were required to attend a certain number of performances on campus, and the improv nights counted. They mostly did Freeze, which was great for amateurs because one of the actual actors would rescue us if we were flailing. Due to aforementioned shyness, I was mostly an audience member, but I did tag in a few times. I even got a few decent laughs.

I'm a decent public speaker now, but I'm just fast enough to be particularly good at improv.

 

[terrier]

I've done musical comedy before a live audience of my state's political, media and social heavyweights, but even in a small inprov shop, I've gained a lot of respect for those folks. I've managed to hold my own, but it requires quick thinking and being even more observant than singing a song or performing a well- rehearsed sketch.

 

[dixiehack]

Tonight was a little more emotional than I expected. Last drop-in class and jam session of the year. I’ve been on this train for five months and now it goes back into a box until 2026.

More than once someone has mistaken me for a student in one of the full-scale classes, including some of the instructors occasionally. The students have a more advanced understanding of what they are doing so I take it as a compliment. Come spring I will very likely dive into that world.

I am far from polished but I’m getting better at not only fitting into scenes but driving a couple of my own. And I’m improving at not trying to stick to the original prompt the whole way through and just organically take things in new directions.

But more than any of the comedy aspects, the camaraderie has been what keeps me coming back. That gang of smartasses have been some of the most encouraging people I have ever come across.

 

[dixiehack]

But more than any of the comedy aspects, the camaraderie has been what keeps me coming back. That gang of smartasses have been some of the most encouraging people I have ever come across.

Went last night after a horrid week, capped off by last Friday’s breakup message. Didn’t dive into details but responded vaguely that it had been a hell week.

Well as the old Cheers line goes, troubles are all the same. Talked with a woman who is so stressed at work that she put in her notice without a landing spot solidified. Another started crying because she got put through the wringer by an abusive soul on Facebook she thought was her friend. Several of us instantly rallied to pick her up and support her.

This semester has been frustrating because they moved days and pushed back the time which has thinned out participation. But it feels more intimate now and in some ways that has been freeing. Maybe this is my substitute bar.

 

[OscarMadison]

Keep at it. The shifts and changes in creative collectives are hard-wired. If you can keep going back, do it. It's easier than trying to step back into the stream once you've walked away from it.

I've done improv on and off for decades. I bored myself during ther last session and asked the instructor to give my remaining tuition as a scholarship to someone who was struggling. It was more fun to watch and laugh at what other people came up with.

As I got older, I preferred playwriting and storytelling events. Some of it was hard going. Difficult People had a scene I could relate to regarding this. After finishing a funny story to silence, the main characters were followed by a woman in a wheelchair who opened with, "The third time I was raped..." to thunderous applause. The MCs always put me after stories of dead pets or domestic abuse and introduced me with "And now something funny from Oscar Madison!" I felt creepy following someone's painful story with making the house laugh at my father screaming at me for meeting him at the airport with blue hair.

 

[wicked]

Did a couple improv classes eight or nine years ago. I just don’t trust myself re: thinking on my feet. It’s probably why my journalism career was limited. I’ve considered going back but it’s also not super cheap.

 

[OscarMadison]

Some places aren't. They want commitment. Some clubs and churches offer walk-in or short-term engagements. Check Meetup or NextDoor for chances to find these groups.