Filing and Improvising

Welcome back to Monday. I promise I have some good stories to fill the time.

Box Office:
We're currently awaiting our last tour date this Friday. As I'm sure you'd believe, there's still plenty to do. I spent the day getting our filing for re-subscriptions in order, man the phones, and make small talk with my fellow coworkers. I'm almost done with The Empty Space, which means they'll be more thoughts on that soon. Of course, the day was not very exciting, but it was a change in ruetine and there's nothing better for an artist than to mix up the pace every once in a while--it keeps your sense sharp to live in its every detail. You could make an average day very interesting (and assure yourself you'll still have a job by tomorrow), but just changing very little things and seeing what they do for your experience of the everyday. It's likely it won't be very boring if you stay alert to the very minute differences.

But I digress.

The Box Office, thankfully, ran smoothly, and then I immediately rushed for some pizza (like I need an excuse for that) and then got myself ready for the open Improv night at the Cabaret theatre. You see, we have an awfully lot of adult improv classes going on--and the people that join up are loads of fun. The second to last class to a free night where they put the students under the shining lights to show off their skills (option "z" spelling included). They've been encouraging us to participate and of course we obliged.

Improv Night:
When people are thinking on their feet under observation of an audience, there's always something interesting that's going to happen. Such as the two people guessing what each of their partners were doing. It was set under the context of a debate over a controversial issue. One person each was demonstrating one point of view which another pair had to guess what they're arguing while their making the argument. They thought it was about drinking tequila. However, it was really about the difference between pulp and non-pulp orange juice. The guessing was both amazing and painfully funny to watch.

But that was just the first group. Which none of myself or my colleagues were in. Now it was our turn.

We get up there and of course my first-show jitters are showing just a little bit. I take some breathes and let the bad tension seep its way out just in time to get under way. We were really in the grove tonight. We created, as a group, the every evolving story about the 'gator trapped in our mini-Toyota and we managed to plow into the swamp water while battling off the reinforcements swimming and chomping at the bit to snap us off the roof of our nearly submerged compact. From there we had everything from ex-lovers trying to put down each other by determining whether the bounty of age or the allure of youth could really satisfy their man. Or, perhaps the wife who had filled her bed with toenails in order to spice up their love life while the husband was trying to find a more hygienic solution...although there wasn't enough time to save him from his pediatrist who was returning some underwear that got lost in their last "session" (what is it with comedy and sexual tensions!).

Then there was the dating game. In a rough abbreviation, there's a person who has to choose from three contestants who their lucky suitor will be. Of course, this person has left the room so the audience can make suggestions about the wild characters we will be during this game. And, the real challenge for the interviewer to determine who their winner is and figure out each person's character. Oh yeah, and we can't directly reveal who we are when the interviewer returns.

The desperate dater returns. Us characters settle in.and away we go.

One was Abraham Lincoln (picked from suggestions for a historical figure).
One had the unfortunate problem of snoring very loudly (a bad habit).
And one was a kitten (picked for a ferocious creature...this was me).

The first two were spotted quickly. Then I remained. With cute kitten eyes i was going to be the lucky date of our contestant! I awaited the dater to discover who I really was. There was a pause. I was in full cute kitty mode. Big wet eyes, soft fur, the works (at least from what my imagination could conjure). I had given what I thought were some dead give-aways--favorite color? gray, because it's the color of the mice I chase. Pretty explanatory if you ask me. Our improv partner decided I was...

An elephant. Then a whale. Then a mouse.

Ah well, can't get em all. We were all a bit confused, but it was pretty amusing nonetheless. Fortunately, everyone else in the room had a pretty good idea who I was and the dater finally discovered my true identity. By the end we were all giving high-fives. I got people to laugh about quantum physics. Only in improv...

So we're now back at the house and making more small talk. I've taken my shower. All is well. A quiet day and a quirky night. And that's way I liked it.

-Ben