Harold 3: Someone didn't send me the memo...

I'd expected the composition of the Harold 3 class to be more or less the composition of the Harold 2 class. After all, Harold 2 is a prerequisite.

Nope. Most of the Harold 3 class are members of Harold teams that perform at the theater. Obviously, they easily meet the prerequisite for this class. Actually, I'm kind of wondering why they need this at all. We had our first class today and they were awesome. (I got side coached a lot...)

Three of us, count 'em three, aren't on a Harold team. Two of those three auditioned at for spots at the end of March.

The instructor is the head of the Harold department. I like him a lot. He's a great teacher, and a cool guy. (I had him for Harold 1.)

However, put together, this is all rather intimidating. The instructor has already commented that I need to work the nerves out of my system. He did do it very nicely in a pleasantly off-hand, no big deal matter though.

On the plus side, this is a great learning experience working with all of these seasoned improvisers. I had a mini-epiphany walking home from the theater. What's unfortunate is that most of my epiphanies sound really stupid. (Yes, I am Captain Obvious. And your point is?)

I do my best improv work when I'm grounded in specific, concrete situations. Otherwise, I get all flighty dart from idea to idea as lose track of each one. (I got deservedly dinged on this today.) If I'm in a specific place committing a visceral action with a detailed character, I have a structure on which I can hang everything that happens. Well, I'm in the scene. I don't have to just let it all happen to me. I can create the physical environment. I can endow characteristics on myself and on my scene partner. I can commit whatever physical action on stage I want. That is, I can set things up for myself such that I do my best work. In the process, I can make my scene partner look fabulously awesome at the same time.

Yes, I'm also watching and listening to my scene partner to accept and heighten whatever choices he has made. However, I don't have to wait and wonder if what I'm doing will be ok with him or if it will fit in with what he has in mind. (I mean, barring telepathy, how am I supposed to know what he has in mind anyway?) I can build off of whatever he has done to create the world to the level of detail that I need it and it will all fit together. That is, no matter how a scene starts off, I can always get to the place where I do my best and allow my partner to do his best.

It's only taken me two years to figure this out. Sometimes, I feel too stupid for words... *argh*
[What I really want is to have my first class of Harold 3 all over again with this insight in mind. Oh well, there's always next week.]

Ironically, if I pressure myself to get there, I probably won't...

The thing about improv is that, at least where I live, not a whole lot of people do it. At least not the improv that interests me. Given the people in my Harold 3 class and what we're planning on covering, it seems unlikely there will be a Harold 4. As I said, most of the people in Harold 3 are already performing in Harold Night. Most of Harold 3 is about expanding the realm of possibilities within Harold Night. Fearless Instructor talked not only about playing around with Harold structure but getting the various Harold teams to interact with each other more. I feel like I've wandered into a private master class.

What this means is that unless I work through my issues then do consistently good improv scene work, I may never have any more chances to perform Harolds after the middle of June. (i.e., when the class ends.) That's too bad because I really enjoy performing Harolds (even if I don't care actually having an audience.)

I know, yet another reason to pull it all together. I'm not thrilled about the idea of perform improv in front of an audience. However, it's pretty much the only way I can think of have the chance of improvising regularly.

There are more auditions later this year. I guess next time, I'll actually be hoping to get in. *sigh*