Human Brain Evolution is fascinating!

Some theoretical tidbits that I’ve come across while researching for my talk in September:

  • Domesticating fire put us on the path to becoming distinctively social animals because fire led to us sitting in circles facing one another. It was the first real commodity outside of food, shelter, and water.
  • Hunting and eating meat allowed us to develop bigger brains because of the higher amount of fat that comes from meat protein. Very important because the modern human brain consumes one quarter of the energy generated by the body to simply maintain regular brain function.

This is only a couple of amazing things that I’ve gleaned from Stephen Mithen’s The Prehistory of the Mind. It’s an incredible read for those who are interested in creativity, history, and evolution.

What is Improvisational Theater?

Recently, I was going through old DV footage thinking about putting together a general trailer for the ol’ Brody, and I came across this from the summer of 2005. At the time, some students were working on an attempt to rebrand the Brody. Please excuse the narcissism, but I thought that it could hold up. Although, I’ve changed my opinion on some things after doing my research.

Amsterdam or Bust

So I am very excited to learn that my proposal to speak on the Anthropology of Improvised Theater was just accepted for the Applied Improv Conference in Amsterdam this September. I finally get to share the findings of my research with a friendly audience. Since I earned my MA, I’ve continued to research on my subject, and it has been amazing what else I have uncovered in the way of human cognitive evolution. The connections to our ability as a species to make do and succeed with very little are incredible, as well as our ability to synthesize, break apart and reform novel concepts.

A good friend of mine steered me to a site called Kickstart.com in order to get a jump on funding this conference. Meanwhile, another friend inspired me to consider turning this into a larger teaching/speaking tour by extending my stay. Thanks for that one Kerry! So the kickstart thing would also be to fund the tour. Wish me luck in my endeavor to spread the word of why our ability to improvise has actually been our saving grace as a species. Improvisation can save the world.

The Rules

In improvised theater, there have been discussions on and off about the “Rules”.   Say yes.  Heighten your scene. Don’t ask questions. Give information. Start in the middle. Like your scene partner and so on.  Mick Napier among others is a proponent of not being a slave to the rules or even seeing them as sacred.  I like to say that they are more a set of tools than rules.

I had a discussion with my level 1 class last night about just this, and it was great because they are an astute bunch of learners.  The distinction of identifying these ideas or guidelines as tools helps to deflate them as some form of checklist formula for a good scene, and places them in a category of things to use in different contexts.  I like this because improvised scenes, just like life, require different approaches for different situations.  Maybe asking questions actually will heighten the tension and relationship between characters?  Maybe an introduction can vault us into the middle of something?

If you have a good grasp of the “Tools”, you will be better able to use the tool for the job than standing and staring while your brain digs through its toolbox trying to apply every tool to the job at hand.  Instead of  just grabbing the phillips screwdriver and getting the job done.  If there’s been a common complaint in peoples’ journey through learning improv, it has been the mental blocking power of too many things to think about and apply while building a scene in the moment.  In my opinion, the “rules” can drive a person into a cloud of worry in their head sometimes more than liberate them to act appropriately to develop their scene.  Mick Napier’s words ring in my head “Fuck it!”  It’s all disposable whether its brilliant or not.

This is not to say discard the tools.  It’s more to say start thinking about best applications for each tool.  The best improvised scenes come from good listening and staying present.  The tools are what we rely on when we don’t find that great chemical connection with our scene partners and the material at the start of the scene.

Generic Loveliness

God’s speed to Dr. Keith Harrington-Jewel’s travels on the blue road of death.  He was a commendable gynecologist and will be missed by Victoria Glass his close colleague and Human Resource Director for Generic Hospital.  May Butch Hardcastle forgive himself for losing Keith during his brain tumor operation.  Safe journey Nigel Poosbottom, vein surgeon extraordinaire, good luck putting your family back together.   At Generic Hospital a single day held a death of hunky ex-child star turned gynecologist, his funeral, and the redemption of Dr. Nigel Poosbottom III.  Brilliant work cast and crew!!!  One more show to go this coming Saturday.  Cannot wait!

Soap Street at the Blue Monk

Just got back from the fabulous finale of Soap St.  Great, great cheeseball antics and overwrought performances.  This was definitely a fun romp.  I’m sad that I only made it for the finale.  Great job again Soap St crew!!

Back in action!

Two months after my truck was burgled next to the Laurelhurst Theater, I have finally received my replacement laptop.  I’m re-establishing command central on what turns out to be a slightly better laptop.  Finally insurance did some paying out.