Open improv in Decatur

Today, I led an improv workshop for Savage Tree at the Decatur Arts Festival on the old town square. The workshops and performances were set up at the Literary Arts Festival tent. It was 85 degrees outside. But inside the tent, it had to be 100+.

Because it was a literary arts festival and Jerry, the organizer, was interested most in our doing an improv rather than a writer’s workshop, I concentrated on putting together some games that could be done with large or small groups, could work with people who didn’t know each other, and were simple enough to share with a mixed group of adults and children.

We lost a few people, when they realized that they couldn’t just sit in chairs and be passive, but we ended up with a great group of three adult women, one man and two little girls. There were some bystanders, and so I involved them by getting the subject of the stories we would improvise.

Here was our “set list”:

1. Creative handshakes: To introduce strangers to each other, they shook hands, high-fived and made up unique ways of greeting each other.
2. Screamers: In a circle, when “heads up” is called, people look up; if they catch each other’s eyes, they point, scream and leave the circle. One little girl was so shy/polite, she had to close her eyes before she felt comfortable screaming. Just a silly game to break the ice.
3. Tossing the ball: Tossing an imaginary ball to each other, loosening up the imagination, getting the group to agree and communicate nonverbally.
4. Follow the follower: Basically, this is a mirror exercise — you copycat what you see going on in the group and take turns leading and following.
5. Sound and movement: Each person had a gesture and a sound and passed it on to someone else, who let it evolve and passed it on … and so on …
6. Love & hate: Everyone secretly chose a #1 and #2 person. On “go” they tried to get as close as possible to #1 and as far away as possible to #2. It was so hot under the tent, everyone was ready for a more intellectual, less physical activity, so I scrapped the next exercise I was going to do and went right on to group story creation.
7. Conducted story: We took a suggestion “dog” and I pointed at people to let them know when it was their turn to speak. It was a lovely story about a dog who lived in a castle and dressed up like Cinderella. We did a couple of conducted stories to work on listening and agreement.
8. Word at a time story: We told a couple of stories one word at a time. There was a family that came in late and so didn’t get to participate (well, was too shy to participate, but stayed to watch) and they suggested “a dog who found a bone somewhere he didn’t expect.” Our group came up with a wonderful story about a dog, a magic kitchen, swaying staircases and ladders.
9. American Idol: We finished up with a group number; a song they had never rehearsed, but knew perfectly. Each person contributed. Even the shy/polite little girl eventually turned her change purse into a tamborine. Everyone else picked an instrument to “play”, the man sang about the wonderful place called Decatur, and we even had some back-up singers and a near-definable chorus.

All in all, a fun bit of time and an interesting way to spend part of Memorial Day Weekend. I really loved seeing how willing people are to just play when given the opportunity. And how, even when people don’t want to play, they still find it fascinating to watch.

Four-hour Town

In a matter of four hours, a small band of everyday people created an entire city, populated it with stories, “shot” a documentary film and then sang Ur Town’s national anthem moments before it was spectacularly destroyed by the government’s failure to shoot the spy satellite out of the sky.

No, it wasn’t a virtual Web platform, or a video game, it was a real-life experiment on how to teach, experience and create art of all disciplines in a compact period of time with people who don’t consider themselves artists, aren’t trained to be artists and may not ever want to pursue art as a career. It was an invigorating exercise in seeing what was possible if people come together to play. And, best of all, it was fun.

Over the next week or so, I’ll be posting reactions from other participants, snatches of stories that were created and pictures.

If you want to be part of the experience, join us for our next Savage Crash Course on March 8.

Here’s a tour of the town, just before it was ecstatically destroyed:

‘Awkward Racial Overtones’

Shortly before we closed “Wink Davidson,” Brian Bannon, who played Chuck, mentioned he would be reading some of his fiction at Eyedrum.

Imagine our pride when we discovered that he was reading as one of the winners of the 2007 Creative Loafing Fiction Writing Contest. 

His piece, “Awkward Racial Overtones,” inspired by the contest theme of “scratch” goes inside the heads of several patrons and a hapless employee of a local Bojangles’ fast food restaurant.

What we found most impressive, however, is that CL managed to get a photo of the elusive Bannon. Patrons of his Savage Tree theatrical exploits know that more often than not, he is represented on the call board as a bottle of pills or rabid crowd of fight fans.

Congratulations Brian! We’re very proud of you!

Photo by Joeff Davis/Creative Loafing

Request for re-runs…

A funny thing happened this past weekend.

Robert wrote “Wink Davidson Christmas Spectacular” thinking it would be a way for young people to understand their elders. He thought older crowds, like you’ll find at Theatre Decatur, would be into the nostalgia of the show. But, after playing the first two weekends, it became obvious that this show hits the sweet spot for Baby Boomers, GenX/Y and kids. So bring the family, but you may want to leave granny at home.

The Baby Boomers remember the 1960s Christmas specials and how there was always a number with a puppet or a bear that wanted cookies or something that wasn’t quite right with those family members of the star. The younger kids who weren’t around for those shows really dig the retro feel and the loving camp of the presentation. And it’s clean and fast-paced enough that even those with short attention spans can feel the magic.

And it’s interactive, so you’re supposed to clap and cheer, gasp and laugh (and maybe sniffle a bit) so the TV audience can hear you clear through the set.

We’re not sure why the eldest component of the audience weren’t into it. But, we keep getting comments from people who want to come see the show again, the “re-runs” as you will.

So, if you can tell the Theatre Decatur box office man what Mini wants for Christmas, tickets are only $5 for you, not $10, which is the regular price of admission ($8 for kids).

We’ve only got 7 shows left, so hustle down to Decatur and come see us. We’re looking forward to sharing some holiday cheer with you!

(By the way, Curt Holman gave us a nice mention in the Creative Loafing 2007 Holiday Guide, if you want to read all about it.)

The cast of “The Wink Davidson Christmas Spectacular”:
John McLean, Angela Porter, Brian Bannon, Steve Banks, Jeremiah Prescott, Robert Sanders, Erin Greenway and Kristi Casey (from left to right). The final show will be Sat. Dec. 22, 2007 at 8 p.m.

X Clan at the Speak Easy

One of my favorite pieces at the Sunday Night Speak Easy Nov. 25, was a multi-generational, multi-disciplinary performance created by Marion X and her family.

Here’s the X Clan’s segment:

A Christmas gift for performers

If you missed the Dignity vs. Despair festival that we did at Dad’s Garage in spring of 2005, then you missed a beautiful little piece called The Kankle King show, which was inspired by old Burns and Allen and Milton Berle TV shows. It had a star (Monty King) and a sponsor (Kankle Cheese) and a lot of improv performers who brought a lot of fun to our little variety show.

 

 

Kankle King Cast: Randy Havens (Monty); Christie Vozniak, Stacey Bode & Anna-Kate Nalesnik (Kankle Kewpie Dancers); and Kristi Casey (Barbina) & Amber Nash (Midge). Photos by Christina Tober, design by Robert Sanders.

This time around, Robert wanted to create an homage to the reruns of live Christmas TV specials he watched as a kid in the 1970s. He was inspired by images of Andy Williams surrounded by his family, a bear that just wanted to eat cookies, Bing Crosby mixing things up with Sinatra, people walking through fake snow, silly punchlines, and lots of familiar Christmas tunes.

Thus was born The Wink Davidson Christmas Spectacular — which opens tomorrow night at Theatre Decatur and runs through December 22.

I didn’t mean to end up a part of the cast, and neither did Robert, but no one else was insane enough to give up time away from their family to do theater this time of year. And I figured we might as well be together for 4 shows a week than apart.

It could have been a nightmare. But, instead, it’s turned into a really unexpected pleasure. It’s a live TV show, so anything can happen. The people in the show are Wink’s real family members, so they may not be polished singers or dancers, but everything they do, they do with a lot of love.

And one of the greatest surprises has been to see how much the actors have brought to the table. We had to change the writing credit because everyone: Steve Banks, Brian Bannon, Kristi Casey, Erin Greenway, John McLean, Angela Porter, Jeremiah Prescott and Robert Sanders have contributed so much to the show. From Robert’s script have grown amazing sight gags, puppet lazzis, hilarious improvisations and creative prop recycling.

Kankle King was an odd little show that ended up getting kind of an odd following by the end of its run. Who knows if anyone will turn up to see us in Wink. But we’ll have a great time regardless.

After all, Robert wrote it as a Christmas gift for performers to be something fun, light and easy to enjoy. We hope you do, too.

‘Who is this insane weirdo?’: Notes from the audience

The estimable Joanna Daniel saw the show on Sunday, Nov. 11. Those of you who are acquainted with Ms Daniel know her for keen eye, her trained ear, and considerable talent and good taste.

Of Hell’s Bells, she remarks:

“So I went to see this amazing show Sunday night, it was this ghoulish collection of ghastly tales and creepy ghost stories adapted for the stage by some insane weirdo who seems to have thing for Poe and Saki, and wants to share it with, of all things, an audience … can you believe it? From the moment the Goreyesque fantasy began, I was transported from the rather pitiful and dour theatre auditorium through a dreamlike sequence of cautionary tales, nightmarish fantasies, disturbing scenarios, bizarre but brief snatches of the strangest characters, and a chorus of reciting voices which needed no musical accompaniment since it was music itself. The bare space in which these men and women and children moved and ranted and whispered became a place haunted by a world of spirits. some new, some familiar, re-kindling forgotten memories and reminding me of that dark place which tempts us all, even though we try to pretend we’re not at all curious.

“Hmmm …. you should check it out for yourself, might be something you’d enjoy, in a weird sort of way …”

Only four shows left! Purchase tickets online now. Or call 404-373-5311 to reserve a seat for closing weekend. Last show is Nov. 18 …

Here’s another shout-out from one of our audience members, Sarah Onsager, a terrific actress and singer in her own right:

Friends –

I was one of the fortunate souls in the house this past weekend for HELL’S BELLS, a Savage Tree production (going on through this weekend, November 18!) at Theater Decatur.

As actors, playwrights, and performers, we share a love of words, music, and visual artistry. THIS SHOW HAS IT ALL!

The stellar cast performs as a true ensemble, from the opening number
(everyone plays an instrument — WELL!) to the quieter moments. From the ghostly to the mischievous, there’s not an emotion unexplored.

The “Actors Director,” Kyle Crew, has fed his merry band a feast of words and imagery, and the audience member is the lucky diner.

But they need bodies in the seats!

I know that we are looking toward Thanksgiving, but listening to classic literary pieces of the macabre can certainly make you thankful for what you have.

Please support this fine production with your attendance. You will be glad you did!

yours ever,
Sarah O.

Kyle Crew: ‘Absolutely brilliant’

Last night, I went to see “Hell’s Bells” at Theatre Decatur with a group of friends. It’s a great cast of folks (Enisha Dickerson, Angela Porter, Kristina Baade, Judy Thomas, Erin Greenway, John McLean, Winslow Thomas, Matthew Trautwein). What impressed me most was the way director Kyle Crew and musical director Matthew Trautwein figured out a way to combine the music with the show.

Actors who had never played an instrument before became part of a musical machine, playing percussion, cello, piano and adding their voices to a choir of performers that in its whole was a very effective ensemble.

After the show, I went out for a pint with Trautwein, and he had glowing things to say about director Crew.

“I have never worked with a director who was seemingly so devoted to ensuring that every moment on stage was meaningful to that actor,” Trautwein said. “He’s been absolutely brilliant about filling in the spaces, but as soon as someone has an idea, he’ll get out of the way.”

The audience also had high praise, especially for the adaptation of Christina Rossetti’s “Goblin Market.”

Final shows are this Thursday-Sunday. Hope you can come out and join us. Purchase tickets in advance from tix.com, and use the statement to get 20 % off your next meal at Voila Market Cafe.

Hell’s Bells: ‘It’s like goth heaven’

The cast of Hell’s Bells - photo by Bob Souvorin

We’re now in our second week of Hell’s Bells. It’s really a lovely show and I’m so proud of the work Kyle and the cast is doing. I’m going on Sunday at 7pm on Nov. 11, so stop by if you want to say “hi.”

If you buy tickets online Donna at Voila Market Cafe will give you 20% off your meal through Nov. 18. Just bring in your print out receipt or ticket stub.

Creative Loafing gave us a nice shout-out and Curt Holman came opening weekend. I can’t really tell if he liked it or not (I have a hard time following his train of thought sometimes), but he had some really nice things to say:

“Savage Tree Arts Project’s Hell’s Bells resembles what a midnight gathering in the parlor of Anne Rice’s house must be like. Directed and adapted by Kyle Crew, Hell’s Bells presents readings and dramatized interpretations of creepy old poems, songs and stories, some dating back to before the 1830s. It’s like goth heaven, except goths probably don’t believe in heaven. … In the best visual effect, ‘The Demon of the Gibbet’ takes place entirely in silhouette against a deep-red background and eerily matches Fitz-James O’Brien’s account of a ghostly figure in a tree. The production also features some saving graces, such as Trautwein’s moody compositions and the singing of Kristina Baade, whose presence is at once ethereal and earthy.”

— Curt Holman, “Hell’s Bells: Savage Tree Arts Project goes for the jugular,” Creative Loafing, Nov.7, 2007

I hope you can join us. Just 7 more shows!

 

 

Poe in the bright sunlight

Oakhurst’s Art & Music Festival was quite a treat! Here’s some pics from the Hell’s Bells Savages. Thanks to everyone who came out — the festival went on for some long after the sun went down.

Also, check this week’s Creative Loafing: Our very own Kyle Crew scares himself.