Let’s get this started.

     Hello everybody! We have been talking about using this blog as an attempt to have a conversation on improv in the open for everyone to see. You can help us by leaving comments and giving us food for thought. Just as the unexamined life is not worth living, the unexamined Improv is not worth watching.  You with? Groovy!

     So I was thinking this morning as my mind was wandering to this weeks show (Sept. 26th @ the Shoebox Theater, be there or be square) What makes this group tick? I have had the honor of performing Improv with other groups and I find the LF5 by far the most enjoyable.

     Why is this, I began to wonder. Sure things like talent and trained skills come into play, but I think there must be more to it. Here are some of the ramblings off the top of my head.

     Well, for one thing, we are a very supportive group. When you see the LF5, you see a group that tries to find to mine comedy by inclusion not exclusion. By this I mean, it is better to look for the humor in, say a teacher in front of a class, than to have a flatulent clown giving a lecture. (in fact everyone knows that the only place a flatulent clown would be funny is inside the clown car, but I digress) I think that this supportive nature lends a feeling of trust that allows us to go deeper and find the common ground between all of us. That truth is what the best humor comes from.

      I think another thing that helps is the diversity of backgrounds. All of us lead vastly different lifestyles and bring different perspectives to any given situation. Much like everyday life, I have been surprised and amazed many times on stage by the input by other members of the group.

     Other things came to me, but I feel I am beginning to ramble, and after all, this is my first entry. I do however want to bait the other members of the group with a question. Let’s see if they bite.  

     When I want a laugh, I have certain comfort areas that I know will always cheer me up. These are, of course, huge influences on me and how I approach improv. Therefore, my biggest influences are probably Chuck Jones and Jim Henson. What does it for you guys? What did you discover in  your formative years that influenced the way you react to a situation on stage?