Week 3 - A Major Life Moment

Subtitled, "I Freaking Did it!"

Just a reminder that the class is held at the home building of Comedy Sportz where they do their actual weekly performances on Friday and Saturday night. Complete with stage lights and elevated stage.

Week 3 of the comedy class was story telling. The instructor wanted us to see how much harder it was to be on stage alone then it was to be on stage with a team. We got some new class members last night so there were twenty-four in attendance, twenty-six counting the two instructors. After some warm-up exercises came the real challenge. Each one of us had to get on stage and talk for one minute on a subject that we were given as we were walking up to the stage. As you all know I am taking this class to get over shyness, gain confidence, have fun and learn new things. As you also know getting up in front of any size audience is about as much fun for me as a date with Lorena Bobbitt would be. Do you folks know how long sixty freaking seconds is? If you don't try this with a spouse or friend, give them a subject and tell them to talk on that subject for one minute or better yet have them give you a subject and you try talking for sixty seconds on that subject!

Just as I was looking at the door and planning my escape out of the Comedy Sportz building before my name was called, my name was called. What subject did I get? Hopefully I would get Internet dating, I could have probably done that, or maybe caring for a parent, could have done that. Nope my subject was hobbies. You didn't stand on stage. You sat in a chair while talking. When I got up there, the lights were absolutely blinding. I couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't breathe, almost passed out, don't remember one darn word I said, don't know if the audience laughed, but the bottom line is I did it! I really thought I bombed. When I went back to my chair in the audience the guy next to me just said "classic." I was certain he meant classic screwup. After class when I was leaving one of the teachers stopped me and said "you killed me, I just couldn't stop laughing." "I killed you?" "Yes, it was so real". He was also the time keeper. This is the first time in my life that I have been up in front of an audience of twenty some people. The first time. I didn't die. I didn't pass out. Maybe I didn't bomb afterall?

Later in the class we divided up into teams of eight. Each team had to go up on stage. There was a referee. The class chose a title of a story. The referee pointed to one of the eight in the team whom started the story, then as soon as the ref pointed to someone else that person continued the story, as soon as the ref pointed to someone else the person talking, he or sheimmediately had to quit talking. Sometimes you got several sentences out, sometimes you got one word out. The eight of you had to complete a three chapter story on the fly. What was amazing about this is when I was on the stage with seven other people I was not a bit nervous. Nada. The teacher even used me as an example. Right before I was pointed at the person talking asked a question, I continued, "Yes" and then went on. The teacher said that was the right answer, that you never use "no" in improv because no is a story stopper. Whenever a question is asked the right answer is always yes. By the way the title of the story for our group was "She went into the woods," We took Hansel and Gretle all the way from the woods to using coupons to buy toothpaste and a tooth brush at Walmart. I can honestly tell you that being on the stage with eight is so much easier then being up there alone.

I will save telling about the game that was like musical chairs but without the music for a day when my mind draws a blank and I have nothing to blog about.

On another note before class Mom, sis, my brother-in-law, and I went to dinner at Rose's Deli in Sherwood. Wonders of wonders is that they didn't order what I did so the pressure was off! Also sis absolutely loved the cologne, she liked both Azzaro Legend and Chrome. Said women would love it because it was pleasing, subtle, and sexy! Maybe I should take some trips to the produce sections this weekend!

I'm not really sure I'm looking forward to next week. Next week it is mime. Communicating without words. That scares me almost as much as getting up in front of an audience does. I do know that despite my fears I will go to class, that I will participate, and I will be better for it.

Thank you all for your encouragement and support!