Hey everyone,
First off: Happy Father’s Day to my dad, and to everyone’s fathers out there. I wish I could be home in KC right now. I put a great video at the end of this post.
Once again you can follow my everyday life via twitter if that’s your thing, and I have some new pictures on my flikr if you want to check that.
Pretty self-explanatory.
Moving on. Sorry that I haven’t updated this thing more often, I’ve just been exceptionally busy.
Last week I started (and completed) the first round of my immersions classes at Second City. I spent the mornings in Improv. Comedy classes and the afternoons I had Comedic Writing. I was unsure how quickly the classes would progress, and more importantly how quickly our class would come together (most importantly in the improv class) as an ensemble, which is a key in improv no matter what level you are at. As the week progressed, we came together really well, better than I had expected. Everyone in the class was so talented, and it was a pleasure working with them. I’ll miss those who are leaving, and look forward to working with everyone else in the upcoming week. I feel as though I was able to learn a lot and progress in what was a short, but very intensely paced amount of time. I’m excited for next week to even further what I have learned while I am here.
My comedic writing class is where I feel as though I’ve learned the most, though. Our exercises, practices, group work, and just plain writing have all pushed me through into a new place with my writing. I have many drafts finished of sketches, all of which have promise. My ability to write has always come easily, but now I am focusing it in, allowing me to write at a different level.
Most importantly, the classes have allowed me to meet some talented, amazing people, all of which have differing viewpoints about comedy. It is a great feeling to be amongst people from differing backgrounds but all working towards the same goal. Workshopping writing and creating characters or scenes with these people has been such a learning experience for me, and equally a pleasure. I’m hoping to keep in touch with everyone, and even work with many of them in the future.
I’ve tried to catch as many shows as I could afford since I’ve been here, as well. One of my coaches, Rachel Miller, performed last Thursday, doing a long-form improv show called Podcast. The show was great, it was a nice feeling to see your teacher performing in her elements, watch her personality shine through on the stage. After her show, I caught a show called Messing With Friends, starring improv guru Susan Messing. This was one of the best comedy shows I’ve ever attended. Susan Messing has won Chicago’s Best Improv Comic multiple times, and for very good reason. Her show was a self edited long-form improv show based on a single audience suggestion. Both shows took place at The Annoyance, a smaller, indie-esque theater that I grew quite fond of very quickly. Both shows changed my outlook on the possibilities and techniques that improv can entail.
The Legend himself.
On a non-comedy note, last Tuesday was the 20th Anniversary of Buddy Guy’s Legends, and there was a great show. Buddy Guy showed up, performed, and then mingled with the people around his bar. Charlie and I got to meet him, it was, from a guitar players perspective, an awe-inspiring thing to see a legend that close.
Buddy and I.
Last night I saw Jimmy Fallon do stand up. To start, my expectations weren’t all that high, but his show ended up being quite funny (more than his late night program) and all in all it was a fantastic night.
Tonight I am checking out Brother, Can You Spare Some Change, the e.t.c. show at Second City. After last week, seeing the great mainstage show, I have high expectations for this one as well. There is also an improv. jam after the show, which should be a good time.
As for my stand up comedy, Chicago is an interesting place. I have done a couple of shows. The stand up community in Chicago is much different than the improv community. The stand up community is a very “know people” group. Your treatment is very greatly affected by who you know, rather than who you are. Since I was new in town, I often got slighted by hosts of shows, ignored by comedians, etc. Crowd responses, however, were always solid and positive. I got a lot of good feedback from the crowds, those who came to see a show and laugh. Fellow comedians spent shows in silence near the front of a crowd, not really showing emotion for any of their fellow comedians. I suppose the competitiveness of stand up intimidates most of them, so they don’t want to give positivity towards other comedians. But I have a lot of good to take from stand up in Chicago. I met some good people, wrote some new jokes, and had great responses from crowds.
Chicago has been great. I have less than one week left. There are some people I really want to get back to Columbia to see, but plenty I have left to do here in the Windy City.
Since it’s Father’s Day, here’s a nice video of my dad, arguing a call in family four square:
Thanks for reading.
Love,
Kyle
