Improv Class, The Boards, Thursday Evening

[furnaceface]

Another week, another improv class! As always, there were moddable pastries on the side table, along with coffee and tea. Once everyone had filtered in, Lizzie clasped her hands together and started today's lecture.

"We've used props, and costumes, and prompts from a hat," she announced. "But this week, we're using nothing but the English language. You are going to pair off and get on stage and act out a scene, with one rule: each sentence must start with a specific letter of the alphabet. Specifically, whichever letter is next."

"If I were to start the scene with something like, 'Hey, what do you want to do for dinner tonight,'" Jono elaborated, leaning back against the front of the stage with an easy sort of smile, "my partner might reply with something like, 'I don't know, since the fridge is empty.' And then in turn, I'd probably rattle off, 'Just come up with something and we'll worry about groceries later.' And so on."

... Food was an easy example for Jono to embrace, for some reason.

"Keep in mind difficult letters like J, Q, X and Z," Lizzie warned. "It might help to introduce characters named Xavier in advance, or to ask about someone's zebra a few letters early. But you'll have to be thinking on your feet, while you and your partner are playing out the scene. Don't take long pauses and breaks to come up with the perfect response: try to keep the flow going."

A quick wrinkle of his nose said volumes about Jonothon's opinions on characters named Xavier, thanks.

"On a relatively unrelated note, I'll be holding auditions here on Sunday for this season's performance of The Consequence of Being Frank. If any of you thespian types are interested, this is your warning to find a monologue to read to me then. And that's all for announcements, so pair off," he said, giving a clap of his hands, "and let's see what you come up with, hm?"

[Open to all!]

Comments

Arrive/Mingle

[furnaceface]

Eat pastries, drink tea, introduce yourself to your fellow classmates, that sort of thing.

Re: Arrive/Mingle

[glacial_queen]

It was still stupidly cold out, so Karla had no problems helping herself to tea. Lots of tea. Maybe a gallon or so would warm up her fingers.

Re: Arrive/Mingle

[notacokeperson.livejournal.com]

Okay, by now Karina was mostly arriving early because what else did she have to do on Thursday evenings when she was free?

Nothing, that was what. She took tea this time and waited for the class to start.

[one-for-vanity.livejournal.com]

Porthos divested himself of his feathered hat, embroidered cloak, expensive scarf, two layers of finely crafted gloves, and his elegantly tailored greatcoat, and then straightened his tie and smoothed his hair.

"Old Man Winter has become cross with us this week, non? It is absolutely frightful outside!"

Lecture

[furnaceface]

This is possibly the only class where Jono won't launch immediately into a tl;dr spiel that goes on for hours.

Appreciate that.

Re: Lecture

[notacokeperson.livejournal.com]

The activity sounded fun!

But truthfully, most of Karina's attention was caught by the fact auditions were being held soon. She was going to so be there.

[one-for-vanity.livejournal.com]

Auditions, hmm?

Perhaps a theatrical performance would be fun! It would certainly be a break from all the singing and dancing at the restaurant.

The Stage!

[furnaceface]

Get up there, pair off with someone, grab a letter to start with, and go! The sky is the limit for this one. Or, at least, your ability to work in casual conversation about xylophones is.

Re: The Stage!

[glacial_queen]

It wasn't cheating if she pulled out her phone to look up a bunch of X words before the exercise started, right?

Xerox, xebec, xanadu, X-ray, a bunch of Roman numerals...

Re: The Stage!

[notacokeperson.livejournal.com]

"Cheater," Karina accused cheerfully, even though she could only guess what Karla was looking up on her phone. "Don't you think you should try and be a little sneakier with that?"

Re: The Stage!

[glacial_queen]

"If you're not cheating, you're not trying," Karla said primly. "Besides, for all you know, I'm texting completely scandalous things to my boyfriend."

Well, okay, she hadn't been. But now that she had the idea...

Re: The Stage!

[notacokeperson.livejournal.com]

"Are you really?" Karina asked with a laugh, both amused and doubtful. "This doesn't seem like the right time or place for that. I stand by my accusation because some of us don't need to cheat."

Re: The Stage!

[glacial_queen]

"If you say so," Karla said, vanishing her phone. "Is that a request to take 'X' then, my dearest Headwiga?"

Beat.

"All you had to do was ask." And they were off!

[one-for-vanity.livejournal.com]

Porthos stood haughtily on the stage and gestured grandly. "Are there any among you who would ally yourselves with my army?" he thundered.

He was quite pleased with himself.

[glacial_queen]

"Beggin' your pardon, sir," Karla called, having finished her run through with Karina. "But what's in it for me?"

[one-for-vanity.livejournal.com]

"COIN!" Porthos answered. "There is also, of course, honor and glory and recognition from your king, and the satisfaction of victory in combat -- but I've often found that someone who asks for compensation that bluntly primarily cares for coin."

[glacial_queen]

"Don't go looking down your nose on me, mate," Karla said, cheerfully abusing Jono's accent. "Destitute, y'know? "

Talk to the Instructors

[furnaceface]

When they tag in!

Re: Talk to the Instructors

[furnaceface]

Jono really, really didn't want to go up there, just to get saddled with the X words.

Because, really, the only ones that popped to mind were the ones that had anything to do with Xavier. Bloody hell.

He frowned, trying to come up with something better than xenobiology as he watched the stage. There were worse fates, he supposed, than having to exercise his vocabulary.

Re: Talk to the Instructors

[glacial_queen]

After playing the alphabet game with Headwiga--and, no, that would never not be funny--Karla flung herself in the chair next to Jono and poked him. Hard. In his newly Healed arm.

"It couldn't have been that bad," she informed him.

Re: Talk to the Instructors

[furnaceface]

Jono's look got a little more sour at the poke, really, and he lifted a hand to rub at his arm. Thanks for that, Karla.

"The performance was excellent," he informed her. "You make quite the evil demon, it almost makes me wonder if it comes naturally."

This was how you knew he cared.

"There are just some letters of the alphabet that I have a somewhat... strained relationship with."

Re: Talk to the Instructors

[glacial_queen]

Karla rolled her eyes at him and poked him again. Give it a rest, Jon. She'd Healed you, she knew it didn't hurt. "Should I offer that as my audition for Frank?" she teased. "I give even better demon when I'm prepared for it."

That had been a brilliant move by Karina, though. She wasn't going to lie.

"But that wasn't what I was talking about. Or your love-hate relationship with the letter X."

Re: Talk to the Instructors

[ihaveavideoblog.livejournal.com]

Lizzie was here. Trying to think up useful words that started with X. X was going to be the problem spot, she could just tell.

OOC

[furnaceface]

Xylophones. Xanax. X-Rays. Xena, Warrior Princess... But you'd have to meta that one...

Re: OOC

[ihaveavideoblog.livejournal.com]

Zithers. Zebras. Zwieback. Zoos.