Return of the Jedi

Like you didn't see that title coming from a mile away. We're about to wrap up Improv 101 at UCB, and I have to say that I'm glad I took my buddy Dale's advice to take my time and not do the intensive like I planned. I really liked my teacher Ari. Dude is a working actor and he reminds me of a high-energy version of my friend and improv mentor Brian Chapman (which I know I've mentioned before, but it bares repeating). A bunch of us went to Harold night tonight, and it was fun. Beforehand, a few of us went to Central Park to throw the frisbee around and then we grabbed some food at Burritoville (it's good, but it's no Moe's Matt and Stack). We saw some really good improv tonight. Impressive stuff, but you know what? I didn't leave the show going "oh man, what am I going to do, I'm so far away from this, blah blah, woah is me!" My friend Tom Thon told me to stay focused and pay my dues (which I'm doing), but he also reminded me that I'm in my league up here, and I take that as a tremendous compliment from an actor and friend whom I admire and respect on so many levels. On a side note, if you haven't seen Tom perform, you are seriously missing out. The man puts on a clinic every time he takes the stage, and I always learn when I watch him. He's truly one of the best, and if you ever get the chance to see him perform live, DO IT!

Where was I? So I'm watching these performers tonight, and I was impressed, but I also knew it's nothing I can't do (same thing cam be applied to a lot of you reading this). If anything, I was so engergized and invigorated to get up and perform. We have our graduation show this Saturday, and I'm really excited. We have a good spectrum of folks in our class, people who've never acted before, to people who are currently in shows. It's great; I think we're going to have a good show and I'll just try to make my partner look like a bad ass (as I was taught to do). So overall, good stuff happening, and I was really excited to see some good stuff tonight (and in a way, there was a part of me that was a bit bummed because I would LOVE nothing more than to form my own house Harold team with my improv soulmates Matt, Stack, Chapman, Dave, and the rest). I'll throw it out there; come stay with me or Pack and take the first 3 levels of improv (101, 201, and 301), and then you're good to go. We'll call ourselves "the Avengers," and when we go out West we can become "the West Coast Avengers!" (I'm such a freaking nerd...). There's definitely a correlation between trust and performance (not to toot my own horn or anything, but if you've come to a PIT show and watched any combination of the actors perform, you'll see trust in action). Oh, and I know it's a bit self indulgent, but if you're reading this blog...then welcome to the Church of Briantology (making you, yes, you a Briantologist)...