fandomtownies | Improv Class, The Boards, Thursday Evening

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Improv Class, The Boards, Thursday Evening

In the basement of the boards was a small rehearsal area: a tiny stage, a number of seats. It had the right informal air for a workshop: not the intimidating air of the proper stage, but with a distinct theater vibe.

Lizzie was less nervous than she'd been last time, but that had been a one-off workshop, and not an actual class. And hey, she was a worrier, she could admit that.

She clasped her hands in front of herself and began talking.

"Hi, everyone," she said. "My name is Lizzie Bennet, and this is Jonothon Starsmore." Had everyone met Jono? If not, he was the big blue guy standing next to her. "We're teaching an improv class this semester, so if you're here for something else, then you're in the wrong place. In which case, stay anyway, because this should be fun. I hope."

"She hopes," Jono echoed, smirking faintly. "If you're standing on a stage and you're not having fun, odds are you're doing something dreadfully wrong, or you're on the losing side in a political debate. I'm going to go on the assumption that all of you are familiar in some manner with the performing arts. You might've seen a film at the cinema, or the ballet, or watched your favourite band play in concert. It all really boils down to the same thing; self expression."

For a large blue angry-looking man who was leaning heavily on a pair of crutches and was too damn stubborn to hunt down one of the ten million healers on the island in order to remedy that, he really did seem big on that self expression thing.

"Obviously something like dance or music can be improvised," he continued, "but in this class we're going to focus on the more theatrical aspect of it... Of getting onto the stage without a script, and acting out a role using your wits alone."

"So we're going to forego introductions in favor of just jumping right in to our first activity," Lizzie said excitedly. "A lot of improv is just developing a character. Your character doesn't need to be fully rounded; just a suggestion or a caricature is enough. Have a few traits in mind, and an idea how the person will react to a setting. You can convey a character in really small strokes: just the way you stand, or your tone of voice, or what words you use. And, of course, there are always props."

She held out a medium-sized box, filled to the brim with ~~moddable~~ accessories: bow ties, hair clips, hats, sunglasses, scarves, ties, gloves, headbands, and plenty of cheap-looking jewelry. "Here's your assignment," she announced. "Grab something out of the box -- anything you like. Build a quick sketch of a character, and then pair off for a scene. It could be anything: one of you buying morning coffee from the other's shop, or the last two survivors in the middle of an alien invasion -- just have fun with it."

"Let whatever prop you grab be a key part of whatever your character becomes," Jono added. "If you pull out a cane, perhaps you're a crotchety old man, or just some high-class wanker looking to impress by carrying one around that he doesn't actually need. I think there are a few fake moustaches in there. Will the one you pull out suggest that you belong standing over a railroad track, laughing and steepling your fingers as your tied-up victim cries for help? Whatever association you make is up to you. Like Lizzie said, just have fun with it."

He waved his hand toward the box.

"Pair off, and then we'll take turns on the stage with whatever props we happen to grab on the way up to it."

[Open to anyone who wants to drop in!]

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There were a few pastries sitting out fro J,GoB, and some coffee, tea, and water for people who arrived early. Feel free to help yourselves, and to get to know one another before the class starts!

Karina was totally early!

... Partly because she wanted to check if students were, like, actually allowed to be here or if it was going to be her and a bunch of older, non-studenty folk.

But she could also do the nibbling on a pastry thing too, while she scoped out the rest of the class. Multi-tasking at its finest!

Karla was leaning her chair back, eyeing Jono's crutches, and rolling her eyes so hard it almost hurt.

And, okay, also eating pastries. Because they were J,GoB and they were good!

Max was half here for the pastries and half here for the comedy. There was a part of him that was mildly interested in learning to do better improv, but mostly he was here to be entertained by the other people doing it at no cost. Like a free comedy club with comedians-in-training instead of professionals.

Is it really a lecture when it's a drop-in community class?

Well, in any case, take a seat in the theatre seating and listen to your instructors ramble on about improv, all the same. Or just talk to one another. It might get props thrown at you, though, and Jono does still have one good arm to throw with.

Pair off, grab a prop, and then head up to the stage to act out a scenario based around those props of yours! Feel free to go crazy with it- improv tends to lean more toward humorous than dramatic- but whatever you come up with will be just fine.

Karina grabbed... well, she grabbed an apple corer. Staring at her prop doubtfully, she wondered if someone would notice if she picked again.

Yes, yes they probably would.

Stepping away from the props, she looked around for a partner, all the while trying to decide what the heck she was supposed to be while holding an apple corer.

She just had to think outside the box, right?

And Karla had grabbed...an eyepatch. At first she'd been thinking about trying some kind of pirate improv, but then she saw the girl with the apple corer and...well...

Look. Bad ideas are born, not made.

Slipping the eyepatch on, she rushed over to Karina and wailed, "How could you?!"

That was a ~~amazing~~ horrible idea!

Karina could totally roll with it though.

Rather than recoil from the other blonde, Karina planted her free hand on one hip, tossed her hair dramatically, raised her chin and snapped, "How could I?" She waved the apple corer forbiddingly at Karla. "It’s nothing more than you deserve! Shame on you, always coming in to sleep in my apples!"

So the eye thing had been an accident. Sort of. Ish.

Karina was entirely possibly making the bad idea worse. ... Go her?

Karla was always full of ~~amazing horrible~~ amazing ideas.

Karla flinched back, raising her hands to shield her face from the menacing apple corer. "They were once our apples!" she shrilled. "I have just as much right to sleep on them as you do! Or have you forgotten what things used to be like?!"

Had you, Karina? Had you?!

...Because Karla had no idea what she was talking about.

Neither did Karina!

"We were nothing but children then!" Karina cried, advancing a step forward, entirely faked tears of frustration shining in her eyes. "Children! You have to learn to let go! I’ve grown up! I now sleep on… pears!"

The grown-up fruit. Or something!

"As you should well know!" Weren’t you glad to get the ball lobbed back into your court, Karla?

Arrive/Mingle

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Lecture

The Stage!

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Talk to the Instructors

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OOC

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