Roberts, Walsh, and Besser laid out the UCBs “theses” on improvisation. Who h ranged from the expected “Game is fundamental” to more subtle “having your own opening isn’t important.” I will be sure to post my full notes once I’m near an accrual keyboard.

The UCB3 then played a few of Del’s earlier, less known recordings.

Shows

MySpace was as usual incredible, with some hilarious scenes about what sounded like the most bizzare workout system spx90, of something in that vain. Bassprov was as wonderful as I remember it and Horatio Sans, who has lost a considerable amount of weight, approached the stage with a poise I have not seen. The Stepfathers was by far the most stressful improv set with Shannon O’Neil and Chris Gethard getting into a slapping brawl on stage. For anyone at the theater, it was like watching your mom and dad start to fight - although very funny once everyone decided not to kill each other.

The highlight of the night, however, was Directors commentary live. The film was Universal Soldier and the commentary was by far the most inventive and hilarious I have seen to date. “I call ziss a Van Damn”, “no sleeves means you don’t have to pay for sleeves” and “That’s me, that’s not me” had people litterally rolling in the isles.

I’ll be updating throughout the DCM10, so that I’m not overwhelming your browsers and RSS readers, I’ll try to keep updates as concise as possible.

I’m headed into the city now after taking off Friday to prep. And by prep I mean sleep. I’ve got a shopping list of trail mix, water, energy bars, and perhaps a few tissues. It gets rough down in the trenches.

See you down there soldier..

Last year I gave you a few tips on how to survive the DCM marathon and some marathon suggested viewing, this year I thought I would give you a few updates, although I still stand by those two previous lists.

Additional Del Close Marathon Tips

• Drink more water - Considder this a plane flight. Drink more water than you normally would. Seriously, I would suggest Airborne as well, because
• Bring Snacks! - Although the UCB does not normally allow food into the theater, during the DCM it is allowed. Avoid salty snacks, they dehydrate and raise your blood pressure leading to hypertension after 3 days. I suggest nuts, trail mix, energy bars, and of course going out for a few meal occasionally. Don’t be the dick with the Halal platter - you will be asked to leave.
• Have a marathon buddy - going to the marathon alone is fine and dandy, but it’s always better to have a friend to bounce criticisms, laugh together, and hold during those awkward silences. Also, just like weight lifting, sometimes you need someone to push you one more hour.
• See Wicked Fuckin’ Queeyah at UCB Sat 02:00 am and WeirDass at FIT Kate Murphy Ampitheatre Sat 07:00 pm - I know I say it every year, but every year I am proven right. These two shows define the DCM for me.
• Find Me - I’m there most of the marathon. Make sure to say hello if you see me, I also accept hugs.

DCM10 Suggested Viewing

• ASSSSCAT 3000 at FIT Haft Auditorium at Sun 08:00 pm
• Baby Wants Candy at FIT Kate Murphy Ampitheatre at Fri 07:00 pm (60)\
• Baby Wants Candy at UCB Theatre at Sun 06:00 pm (45)
• Code Duello: Hamilton & Burr at UCB Theatre at Sat 10:00 pm
• Death By Roo Roo at UCB Theatre at Fri 10:30 pm
• Delta Force 2 - Operation Stranglehold at UCB Theatre at Sun 04:00 pm
• Director’s Commentary LIVE at UCB Theatre at Sat 01:30 am
• Galapagos at UCB Theatre at Sun 12:00 pm
• I Eat Pandas at UCB Theatre at Sat 08:00 pm
• Improvised Shakespeare at UCB Theatre at Sat 07:00 pm
• Mailer Daemon: Our Nuts Are Full at Urban Stages at Sat 01:45 am
• Monkeydick at Hudson Guild Theatre at Sun 06:30 pm
• Omelette Vision at UCB Theatre at Fri 07:00 pm
• Scheer-McBrayer at FIT Kate Murphy Ampitheatre at Sat 10:00 p
• Scheer-McBrayer at UCB Theatre at Sun 05:30 pm
• Thank You, Robot in: Laser Beams! Laser Beams! at UCB Theatre at Sat 08:00
• The Satellites at UCB Theatre at Fri 08:00 pm
• The Upright Citizens Brigade at UCB Theatre at Sat 06:00 pm
• WeirDass at FIT Kate Murphy Ampitheatre at Sat 07:00 pm
• Wicked Fuckin’ Queeyah at UCB Theatre at Sat 02:00 am

Punctuating this mass of performances were the UCB 4 themselves, who got on stage frequently to talk to the audience and answer questions. That for me, was one of my biggest highlights of the marathon. I must have heard Ian Roberts talking over 3 hours about life, love, and improvisation and the majority was truly brilliant. When the 4 got on stage together they really did seem to transform the space. While they really were performing bits the entire time, the energy was contagious.

From all this watching, I began to compile in my notebook a list of lessons I was taking away from each performance I saw. It was interesting to be actively thinking about what I was watching rather than just deciding if I liked what was happening on stage or not. It reminded me of a quote Rob Riggle dropped earlier that week:

You were a reader before you were a writer.

J.D. Salinger

Meaning that you have to experience as a viewer what you love, to find out what it is you enjoy, before you can do it. Which strangely was echoed by Matt Walsh later that week:

Own everything you are learning.

He was speaking about not only just taking loads of classes without question, but to develop your own philosophies. Improv is not a static medium, it is up to each improviser to take the lessons they are learning and to make them their own.

Below are the notes and lessons I wrote in my marathon haze. These are just things I thought about and are no way some sort of guide for improvisers. I urge you all to read them, agree or disagree, and come up with your own ideas about what you believe.

2007 Del Close Marathon Notes

Do what interests you, not what you think people want

Matt Walsh responding to Kate Spencer’s question about staring your own community or theater.

You are an improviser. If you can’t parody and be well read, you have no business being in this room.

Ian Roberts quoting Del Close

2007 Del Close Marathon 20 Performance Lessons

1. Make this the day something happens - If this were a TV show, why would we be tuning in today? This shouldn’t be another humdrum day in another humdrum life.
2. Start in the middle - drop the exposition, get to the meat as quickly as possible.
3. Don’t draw attention to yourself on the back line - Looking confused, judging, scared, or even too laughy can betray the work being performed on stage. You must, at least, look like you know what is going on on stage at all times.
4. Enter the stage calmly - Jumping around and rolling on the floor can give the audience the wrong impression that you are begging for laughs. Enter, greet the audience, and stand in backline.
5. You got space, use it - It’s a big black box, remember to step away from the wall. There’s a line 1/3 the way from the back called the “line of hesitation” - cross it
6. Knock, Knock. Who’s there? 2 doors and a curtain - Why invent a door, when you have 2 doors on stage? Get used to thinking about using them, even in classes where there are no physical doors.
7. Remember stage picture - Sure you can put a car (4 chairs) straight down the center of the stage, but what about going horizontally? It’s 100 times more interesting for an audience, especially when they have seen 42 car scenes before you that go centered.
8. Game is the most important part of an improv scene - forget big characters, wacky situations, or jokes. Be honest, find the game, and play it.
9. No Jokes - When you tell a quick joke you cheapen everything you’ve built thus far and everything you will be creating from then on.
10. Explore, stop inventing - what’s the difference with exploration and invention? Exploration is when you are on game, invention is when you are off it. If you are adding information to heighten the game that’s perfect. If you are adding information because you don’t have enough material, listen harder up top. The game of the scene was probably in your first 3 lines.
11. Ground your scenes - Going to crazy town right off the bat removes the stakes of a scene, which in turn gives us nothing to contrast our comedy against. “Blue doesn’t show up well on blue.” Start grounded and trust in the game.
12. Belong on that stage - Own the fucking stage whenever you step onto it. -Mick Napier
13. Support to play the game, not to showboat - You enter a scene from the back line to heighten the game, or to support the scene taking place - not to steal the focus.
14. Silence is golden - Don’t be afraid of scenes with little or no talking. (ie - Delta Force 2’s silent Jet Ski scene) Silence is a natural stake raiser.
15. Who are you? Where are you? And Why am I watching you? - yup, yup, and yup.
16. Earn the Right to go “Meta” - Sure it’s fun to jump out of a scene, especially in front of people who appreciate it, to commentate on improvisation, but if you constantly break scene to draw attention to the mechanics of the scene, you cheapen everything and it becomes a parlor trick.
17. All suggestions are transformative - Even “potato”. Respect your audience and the time they took to give you something to transform into art.
18. Stay away from gimmicks, especially one’s that can hurt people - This is going to sound pretty rude, but I think it needs saying as it was the one performance during the marathon that really bothered me. We are celebrating one of the most important people in improvisation, who believed improv could be more than just fodder for other performing art forms. I’m pretty sure he’d be rolling in his grave if he knew you were amateurishly riding a unicycle inches away from injuring audience members and yourselves. Don’t get rid of the name, just loose the unicycles and grow unibrows.
19. Wait for the initiation - Coming into a scene with too much energy or information can sabotage your scene partner’s initiation. If you are entering onto a stage with a performer who has made an initiating move, keep your body neutral until you have heard their line, or you sense that they require some additional information from you. Coming into a scene with too many specifics can often step on the toes of your partner and throw a scene off completely. You have to allow your partner’s brick to be placed, before you know where to add your own.
20. Have fun - There’s nothing to worry about. Everyone in the audience wants you to succeed, take your time and enjoy the ride.

That’s it. Hope you enjoyed my little notebook of thoughts. Thanks again for all of the staff that made this year’s DCM so seamless. See you all next year.

This is just my way of saying, I haven’t forgotten about you, I’m just not as sprightly as I used to be.

P.S. - I’m not actually sure I was ever as sprightly as I used to be, but that’s between me and my poor memory. 

(Photos to come)

Rob Riggle (during a Del Close Marathon Workshop)

This is something I’ve been focusing on for the last year. Although there is sometimes a feeling of competition in improv between groups and performers, it eventually comes down to the connections you make in the community. Life is all about who you know and improv is no different. Being a person that people respect and want to work with, will help you in your success as an improviser. Being too competitive, backstabbing, scene stealing, selfish, or unsupportive will only push people away.

Improv, for myself, is a lot about comfort. It takes me about 3 classes to really begin to trust my teammates in my classes. This is greatly expedited by occasional drinks after class, or even a social group event like karaoke or game night. All of this allows you to socialize in the community to build strong connections to other performers and groups. The more people you know, the more doors will be available to you to walk through.

Of course being insanely talented will also bring you success, but will happen a lot faster if people want to work with you.

UCB Theatre (307 West 26th Street)

• I Eat Pandas
• Baby Wants Candy
• Wicked Fuckin’ Queeyah
• Code Duello: Hamilton & Burr
• The Swarm
• BASSPROV
• Walsh and Roberts
• KROMPF Improv Breakfast
• Biscuitville
• ASSSSCAT 3000

Hudson Guild (441 West 26th Street)

• MONKEYDICK: The Reunion Tour 2007
• Rebecca Drysdale

FIT (Seventh Avenue at 27th Street)

• Baby Wants Candy
• Respecto Montalban
• Scheer-McBrayer
• BASSPROV

I should really tell you what day and what time to see all this stuff, but why don’t you print out a schedule for yourself and mark up what you want to see? It’s easier for me and also… easier for me.

Part of all the buzz is because the week leading up the the DCM is filled with enough amazing improv to make your shriveled liver exclaim with fear and excitement, “moderation, moderation, moderation!” It’s going to be one hell of a week and knowing what to expect is half the battle… sidestepped G.I. Joe copyright infringement there.

For those of you who haven’t attended a DCM before, here are a few tips to help make the ride a bit more comfortable.

Del Close Marathon Tips

• Sometimes the sidelines are your best bet - Once the marathon is underway, seats are scarce. Seats on the sides are usually easier to get.
• Watch for Theater Flushings - Every few hours the theater is emptied to clean, restock bathrooms and bars, and give people in line a chance to get in. Check the schedule to plan when you enter and leave the theater. It sucks to get in, just as you are asked to leave, although you will be warned before hand.
• Remember to hydrate - you are probably going to drink, remember to occasionally drink water.
• See as much as you can - The DCM is one of the only times you are going to see certain groups perform, especially secondary characteristic groups like Wicked Fuckin’ Queeyah or Code Duello: Hamilton & Burr, who perform as characters performing improv. Stay for as long as you can stand it, then stay for one more show.
• Check out the other Theaters - While the UCB Theater is the main performance space, FIT and Hudson have the premium performances. Be sure to buy tickets and check them out for those special shows.
• Say Hi - Many of the performers coming to UCB will feel completely out of place in the hectic energy of the marathon, be sure to say hello and welcome everyone to New York. If you are visiting, feel free to chat up us New Yorkers, we’re super friendly… well most of us at least.
• Buy Your Sunday ASSSSCAT Tickets Early - They sell out online.
• Bring Snacks! - Although the UCB does not normally allow food into the theater, during the DCM it is allowed. Justin Purnell suggests Beef Jerkey and I heartily agree.
  

The DCM is one of the only times during the year that the asylum is opened to the insane. It was at the Del Close Marathon that I truly felt I had found a place where I belonged as an improviser. It’s a wild ride which will be sure to leave you with enough new ideas about improv to start a website called improv(something). :)

Have any tips yourself?

Also the Apiary has a slew of tips from last year’s DCM. Anna’s got tips as well.

This material is available on several pages on the DCM Website, and as a soon to be printed handy-dandy postcard, but it’s awesome to see what’s going on across all 3 days at a glance.

Our recommendations on what to see, coming soon.

Del Close Marathon Workshop

Special Marathon Workshop

Rob Riggle It’s sold out.
Tuesday 7-10pm Jul 24

Rob Riggle It’s sold out.
Wednesdays 7-10pm Jul 25

Matt Walsh Class is sold out It’s back up! It’s sold out.
Friday 12-4pm Jul 27

Matt Besser
Sunday 2-6pm Jul 29

We will be keeping up-to-date DCM information as it becomes available.

More classes were just added with Kevin Mullaney from UCBLA on Improvising From The Gut, Monday July 23rd 7-10pm.