Teamwork.  

You heard of this word.  It’s sounds so kindergarten(ish) whenever someone says it.   Remember when the word was so emphasized in elementary school?  Or when you were a teenager starting at some part time job?  I remember working at Wendy’s on Long Island at the age of 16 making $4.75 an hour.  Fuck, I cannot believe I’m 38.   Anyway, I remember Wendy’s showing me a VHS on “teamwork”.    I remember how hot the girl was who was also at orientation.  I may have looked at that tv for a matter of 30 seconds. Maybe 10.   Anyway - teamwork never crossed my mind.   I could care less if the guy making the fries was way behind or the cashier was getting bombarded with customers.  I just wanted to get my paycheck and be out. However, ask any NFL player about the word “teamwork”and they will tell you an answer as if their livelihood depended on it.  Because in football - if the offense doesn’t come through in the game, The defense needs to step it up and get their back.  If not the team loses.  And there’s blame to go around on both side of the ball.  It’s a team game.  Same thing in improv.  We are a team when we are all out there.  If the person starting the scene gets lost, it’s the other persons job to really use their improvisational skills and get the scene back on track.  If not, then we have an unsuccessful scene.  We have a role in every scene even if we’re on the back wall .  More importantly, if the scene fails and I’m sitting back there thinking about second beats, I am also failing the team.  How many times have you heard Anthony Amteunek or Shannon Oneal say “it doesn’t matter even if you’re on the back line - everyone owns the scene. ” Put a little trust in the word teamwork and all of a sudden it doesn’t sound as childish.  I bet Will Hines trusts Chris Gethard or Ben Rogers supports Gavin Spieller when they’re in a scene together.  Why?  Because they get it.  They know if one fails they all fail.   They’re like well oiled machines when it comes time to get each others back.  Remember  - there is no “I” in “team”.  Childish?   Not in improv.

So I am currently on four (4) practice groups performing improv.  Yes I know.  When I tell people that, I hear one of three things.  First, I hear, “You’re crazy.”  Next is, “wow, you must love improv.”  And recently I heard from various people in the industry, including Chris Gethard, “Sounds like another Don Fanelli.”  The last was the most embarrassing statement because to me Don Fanelli is one of the best improvisors in NYC.  I on the other hand am still trying to get out of the 401 black hole.  

So where am I going with this?  I must say, for me, taking class after class or even being in 20 practice groups is not enough.  I truly believe that performing on stage, whether it’s in front of one person or a packed house, is the only way to truly get better as an improvisor.  Not too long ago during a class break at the UCB I was outside and saw one of the legends of the NYC improv scene - Neil Casey.  I asked him about my struggles with class.  The first thing he said to me was “so where are you performing?” Unfortunately, at that time I was only taking classes.  I explained this to him and he immediately told me “You have to go out there and perform.  You can’t expect to get better by taking a class once a week and sitting in a chair half the time.  You have to perform, put yourself out there and not be afraid to fail.  If you don’t, then what’s the point?” 

From that day forward I have been trying to perform anywhere and everywhere.  I feel that after every show, whether we got 20 laughs or none, I walked away learning 10x more than I would have just sitting in class.  Learning how to move on stage, thriving off the audience’s laughs, or struggling through a scene when there is complete and awkward silence throughout the theater.

Don’t get me wrong, class is where you get the tools to polish your craft.  I’ve taken enough to be an expert on at least that.  However, if you are not using those tools by performing on stage, then like Neil Casey said, “What’s the point?”

(Source: acting&improvinnyc)

kevhines:

“Ultimately, you don’t need to have a team that wants to go out to dinner together, but you need to have a team that wants to protect each other on the field, and be fiercely loyal to each other on the field. That’s what ultimately is really important”

-Terry Francona on Team Chemistry (via the Boston Globe)

He’s talking about baseball teams, but I think this applies to all teams, including improv teams.