Producing Improv Lounge: October Season

I have taken the leap from performer to producer.  Granted, all my experience with Stitch Tactics in Kansas City and The University of Kansas counts as producing, too.  This time, however, I was in charge of just about everything within a larger group with other, more experienced producers backing me up.  It was between getting my feet wet and the deep end.  As producing goes, this is my foray into the shallow end of the pool.

Here's the link to our Facebook event: The Improv Lounge: October Season

I am the director and producer for Improv Lounge: October Season for the Wellington Improvisation Troupe (WIT).  And I can't tell you how proud and excited I am.  So far, producing has exercised both new and old skills.  Personnel management is one, which I've had some experience with thanks to my previous job as Volunteer Coordinator for the Lawrence Humane Society, and in my experience with Stitch Tactics.  Organization was another skill I needed to use, which I have admitted to employers is something I am working hard to improve.  (And I am! I swear!)  But basically, if you're a producer, here's some of what you do:

• Contacting and liaising with the venue re: availability, times, dates, stage configuration, lights, music, etc.
• Marketing
• Arranging staff/volunteers (e.g. lights person, front of house, musician, photographer)
• The budget (which I haven't done much with but am very interested in learning more about)

For this particular series of shows, I was also responsible for casting, directing and training the players.  The goal for October Season is to provide a show for new WIT members.  To find my cast, I led some workshops in short-form games.  We played several games, workshopped them and I cast the shows based on who was a WIT member and was enthusiastic to play.

Yay improv! Courtesy of Ali Little (http://alittleart.net/)

I led two workshops.  The first was focused on learning games and the second worked on polishing those and working on some skills.  My favorite exercise, which also seemed to be a hit among the players, I found on the forums from www.improvresourcecenter.com.  The original poster said they learned it from Rob Corrdry, so that's sweet.  It's quickly become a favorite of mine, too.

Corddry's Game
Player A: "I am _________ (who you are).  I am _________ (what you're doing)."
Player B: "I am _________ (who you are).  We are _________ (where you are)."
Player A: "I feel ________ (about person B)."
Player B: "I feel ________ (about person A)."

The intention is to create instant platform.  Who are you, where are you, and what's your relationship?  (Relationship = how you feel about one another).  It was a great way to get the players to slow down a bit and have something to lean on.  It took a lot of the frantic fear out of creating a new scene from scratch.  Here are a few notes I had from playing this:

• Person B: be aware of what Person A has created.  Think about what character will add to what's already there.  Who else lives in Person A's universe?  Like in the rest of improv, your offer should support others' offers.  Conversely, other people should support your offers.
• That being said, if Person B offers something that doesn't obviously support what's been established, both players must justify the others' existence in their universe.  Meet in the middle and support one another.

 We recently had our first show, and I can only say that I'm extremely proud of the players, and I must say, myself.  The set was pretty tight and the players had a great energy.  The audience also seemed to really enjoy themselves. I'm still learning how to produce and, let's face it, get my shit together.  I'm loving it, though.

I still have two shows to go, but so far so good.  And here's our event once more for good measure: The Improv Lounge: October Season

Stay inspired my friends,
Maggie