Wow! Such an exciting week filled with multiple laughs and fantastic learning opportunities! It has gone quickly, and today is the student's last day.
This morning, they are attending two workshops conducted by Barbara Holliday. The first is about learning how to market yourself. The second workshop focuses on game shows and how to become a contestant.
At 5 p.m., the students will showcase the work they've done this week in class. There will be four improv games, four sketches, and six standup comedy routines.
My only regret for the week is that I will be unable to attend the showcase due to a family commitment. It's called a wedding, and I need to be there, for better and for worse. OK, enough nonsense!
As the director of this camp, I hope the students take the skills they've developed during the week and apply them to any situation they face in life. Improv, quick thinking, and wit will assist students no matter what path they choose in life.
Showing posts with label comedy camp. Show all posts
Showing posts with label comedy camp. Show all posts
Sunday, June 22, 2008
Saturday, June 21, 2008
Great American Comedy Festival - Youth Camp - Day 5
Friday was the last official class day for the youth comedy camp that is part of the Great American Comedy Festival. It's been interesting!
This morning during standup class, students fine tuned their performances for tomorrow's showcase. They tightened up the opening joke and then got right in to the routine. While some of the students seem more at ease than others, the quality of material and the laughs they should generate will appeal to the audience. I'm so impressed with the work the students have completed in this class.
This afternoon, we ventured to the venue where we will perform tomorrow and blocked the sketches on stage. Next, the Brave New Workshop and Dave Reinitz ran through the entire show. I couldn't stop laughing.
And for a finale for the day, we attended the comedy finals. Competing were Drake Witham, Chris Coccia, Jim McDonald, Chuck Bartell, Erin Jackson, Shane Mauss, Deacon gray, and Marianne Sierk.
On our way back to the dorm, I enjoyed listening to the students discuss the differences in the routines presented this evening as compared to those in the semi-finals. Some comedians had partially new sets; others rearranged the material; and others used the same routine from earlier in the week.
At the end, Deacon Gray earned the winner's title, Erin Jackson took home $3,000 for second, and a third place tie occurred between Drake Witham and Jim McDonald.
Students were very impressed with Chuck Bartell, a comedian from Minneapolis. Three of my favorite bits he presents include a mood ring, telling a woman 'I love you' for the first time, and picking up hitch hikers. Hilarious!!
I was able to attend a reception for those who put together the festival, and more importantly, for those who performed. Robert Klein, a veteran comedian and actor who was on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" over 82 times, sat at our table. We shared some stories about Second City Comedy Club, limo rides, and improv guru Viola Spolin. Very funny man, and I am glad I had the opportunity to meet him.
This morning during standup class, students fine tuned their performances for tomorrow's showcase. They tightened up the opening joke and then got right in to the routine. While some of the students seem more at ease than others, the quality of material and the laughs they should generate will appeal to the audience. I'm so impressed with the work the students have completed in this class.
This afternoon, we ventured to the venue where we will perform tomorrow and blocked the sketches on stage. Next, the Brave New Workshop and Dave Reinitz ran through the entire show. I couldn't stop laughing.
And for a finale for the day, we attended the comedy finals. Competing were Drake Witham, Chris Coccia, Jim McDonald, Chuck Bartell, Erin Jackson, Shane Mauss, Deacon gray, and Marianne Sierk.
On our way back to the dorm, I enjoyed listening to the students discuss the differences in the routines presented this evening as compared to those in the semi-finals. Some comedians had partially new sets; others rearranged the material; and others used the same routine from earlier in the week.
At the end, Deacon Gray earned the winner's title, Erin Jackson took home $3,000 for second, and a third place tie occurred between Drake Witham and Jim McDonald.
Students were very impressed with Chuck Bartell, a comedian from Minneapolis. Three of my favorite bits he presents include a mood ring, telling a woman 'I love you' for the first time, and picking up hitch hikers. Hilarious!!
I was able to attend a reception for those who put together the festival, and more importantly, for those who performed. Robert Klein, a veteran comedian and actor who was on Johnny Carson's "Tonight Show" over 82 times, sat at our table. We shared some stories about Second City Comedy Club, limo rides, and improv guru Viola Spolin. Very funny man, and I am glad I had the opportunity to meet him.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Great American Comedy Festival - Youth Camp - Day 4
We must be getting close to the end of the week.
I say that for two reasons. First, the students are up late memorizing lines for the four sketches they will present at Saturday's Youth Showcase. Second, I'm tired.
No, really, I'm tired. Even though I watch the sessions and handle any situation that occurs throughout the day, I can feel my energy slowing a bit. I think the kids are starting to see the end, too, and they are pumped for Saturday's opportunity to perform.
Standup class began with a discussion about last night's semi-final session we attended. The instructor asked what we liked about the comics and what didn't work with their performances for us, also. Very interesting discussion ensued about joke structure and if it is best to get right to the first laugh or if spending time riffing with the audience draws the audience into the bit. Students practiced a short riff, followed by some of their routine, and then returned to riffing. This type of setup is called hammocking. The students seemed to master it in no time.
During improv, the students worked on the group mind activities they will be presenting on Saturday. Four types of improv will be presented. The first improv is titled "bus". One student will drive the bus and as each person boards the bus at a new stop, he or she will assume a certain type of character. Everyone on the bus will assume those characteristics. Once all students are aboard, they will exit the bus, and the improv will continue until the drive is once again, the only person left.
Next, students will perform a game of freeze tag. Now, this isn't the type of elementary playground game you grew up with. Instead, two people enter the stage, walk around, and when someone yells freeze, they do as told, look at the pose they both have assumed, and begin a scene. At some point during their scene, "freeze" will be heard and someone will tag one of the players and assume that position and start a new scene.
The directed story - which I discussed earlier - will be the third type of group mind activity that the students will demonstrate. Oh, so much fun! This is a good activity to show off a person's creativity level.
The final improv activity is titled "Dear Diary." Even though the students are together in a group, each student jumps in and pens a diary entry for the person or object suggested.
And now, on to sketch comedy/sketch writing. Students blocked the scenes and discovered that some of them need to memorize their lines . . . by tomorrow's dress rehearsal. Overall, they did a good job with the scripts. Only a little bit of improv on some of the lines!! :)
Tonight, we watched both sessions of semi-final competition. Wow! There were some spectacular routines. The first group featured Joe Klocek, Erin Jackson, Shane Mauss, Jamie Lissow, Dan Boulger, and another comic who took the place for someone who was unable to be here. In fact, I think he actually flew in to Omaha today and performed tonight. The top two advancing from this session were Erin Jackson and Shane Mauss.
At 8:00, we watched Darryl Lenox, Deacon Gray, Paul Varghese, Myq Kaplan, Marianne Sierk, and Joe DeRosa. Each one of them had energetic shows, with Marianne Sierk and Deacon Gray advancing to tomorrow's final round of competition.
I find it interesting that both women in the competition advanced, especially after being told earlier this week that women in comedy usually don't do well in competition because there are more men than women who perform the standup bit. But I think both women in this competition have their own style that they bring to the stage and it works! So congratulations to all the comedians who will joke around tomorrow for a grand prize of $5,000.
With that said, I see there are five minutes left until the stroke of midnight, commencing the beginning of Day 5 of Youth Comedy Camp at the Great American Comedy Festival. And, since I'm close to falling asleep at the keyboard, I bid everyone adieu.
Until tomorrow! Keep joking....
I say that for two reasons. First, the students are up late memorizing lines for the four sketches they will present at Saturday's Youth Showcase. Second, I'm tired.
No, really, I'm tired. Even though I watch the sessions and handle any situation that occurs throughout the day, I can feel my energy slowing a bit. I think the kids are starting to see the end, too, and they are pumped for Saturday's opportunity to perform.
Standup class began with a discussion about last night's semi-final session we attended. The instructor asked what we liked about the comics and what didn't work with their performances for us, also. Very interesting discussion ensued about joke structure and if it is best to get right to the first laugh or if spending time riffing with the audience draws the audience into the bit. Students practiced a short riff, followed by some of their routine, and then returned to riffing. This type of setup is called hammocking. The students seemed to master it in no time.
During improv, the students worked on the group mind activities they will be presenting on Saturday. Four types of improv will be presented. The first improv is titled "bus". One student will drive the bus and as each person boards the bus at a new stop, he or she will assume a certain type of character. Everyone on the bus will assume those characteristics. Once all students are aboard, they will exit the bus, and the improv will continue until the drive is once again, the only person left.
Next, students will perform a game of freeze tag. Now, this isn't the type of elementary playground game you grew up with. Instead, two people enter the stage, walk around, and when someone yells freeze, they do as told, look at the pose they both have assumed, and begin a scene. At some point during their scene, "freeze" will be heard and someone will tag one of the players and assume that position and start a new scene.
The directed story - which I discussed earlier - will be the third type of group mind activity that the students will demonstrate. Oh, so much fun! This is a good activity to show off a person's creativity level.
The final improv activity is titled "Dear Diary." Even though the students are together in a group, each student jumps in and pens a diary entry for the person or object suggested.
And now, on to sketch comedy/sketch writing. Students blocked the scenes and discovered that some of them need to memorize their lines . . . by tomorrow's dress rehearsal. Overall, they did a good job with the scripts. Only a little bit of improv on some of the lines!! :)
Tonight, we watched both sessions of semi-final competition. Wow! There were some spectacular routines. The first group featured Joe Klocek, Erin Jackson, Shane Mauss, Jamie Lissow, Dan Boulger, and another comic who took the place for someone who was unable to be here. In fact, I think he actually flew in to Omaha today and performed tonight. The top two advancing from this session were Erin Jackson and Shane Mauss.
At 8:00, we watched Darryl Lenox, Deacon Gray, Paul Varghese, Myq Kaplan, Marianne Sierk, and Joe DeRosa. Each one of them had energetic shows, with Marianne Sierk and Deacon Gray advancing to tomorrow's final round of competition.
I find it interesting that both women in the competition advanced, especially after being told earlier this week that women in comedy usually don't do well in competition because there are more men than women who perform the standup bit. But I think both women in this competition have their own style that they bring to the stage and it works! So congratulations to all the comedians who will joke around tomorrow for a grand prize of $5,000.
With that said, I see there are five minutes left until the stroke of midnight, commencing the beginning of Day 5 of Youth Comedy Camp at the Great American Comedy Festival. And, since I'm close to falling asleep at the keyboard, I bid everyone adieu.
Until tomorrow! Keep joking....
Great American Comedy Festival - Youth Comedy Camp - Day 3
OK, so technically we're half way through day 4 of youth comedy camp at the Great American Comedy Festival. I'll talk about yesterday's happenings though, and leave today's for a post for later tonight!
Again, I am in AWE of the talented kids who are attending the camp. Amazing! Simply amazing!
Stand up class started with an explanation of riffing - where a comedian talks with the audience. I found it interesting how quickly the students were able to come up with funny responses on the spot. The other students gave false names and made up jobs and location of residence so the comedian could interact with the audience. I heard some very good stuff!!
If you attend the events at Johnny Carson Theater at night, the folks from Reader's Digest have a joke booth there. You enter the booth and record your joke. The grand prize winner wins a trip to New York City. I've been practicing my joke that I plan to record tonight. The students have been coming up with their own jokes and have recorded their one-liners.
The Reader's Digest group visited camp yesterday. They even provided some audience participation. We certainly appreciate the assistance they offered!
During improv, the students worked on the structures they will be using in Saturday night's Youth Comedy Showcase. They definitely have a group mindset! My favorite to watch yesterday was the group story when each student was given an emotion. Then, each portion of the story they told had to use that emotion through the language. Wow! I heard some pretty creative stories about a vacation in Florida.
Sketch comedy and sketch writing finalized scripts and assigned parts for the showcase. Then, it was off to memorize lines in time for Thursday's class.
As a surprise - or actually more like a break from rehearsing - we attended the second semi-final section. Very impressive. Six outstanding comics from across the country performed and the top two advance to Friday's finals. Listening to the students on the way back to the dorm was interesting. Some agreed with the judges' decision; others felt there were other comedians who were better. But, the judging criteria was listed in the program, and we talked about perspective and how to decide how the audience reaction plays into the decision.
More practicing and fine-tuning stand up routines, and then, finally, lights out!
Whew!
Again, I am in AWE of the talented kids who are attending the camp. Amazing! Simply amazing!
Stand up class started with an explanation of riffing - where a comedian talks with the audience. I found it interesting how quickly the students were able to come up with funny responses on the spot. The other students gave false names and made up jobs and location of residence so the comedian could interact with the audience. I heard some very good stuff!!
If you attend the events at Johnny Carson Theater at night, the folks from Reader's Digest have a joke booth there. You enter the booth and record your joke. The grand prize winner wins a trip to New York City. I've been practicing my joke that I plan to record tonight. The students have been coming up with their own jokes and have recorded their one-liners.
The Reader's Digest group visited camp yesterday. They even provided some audience participation. We certainly appreciate the assistance they offered!
During improv, the students worked on the structures they will be using in Saturday night's Youth Comedy Showcase. They definitely have a group mindset! My favorite to watch yesterday was the group story when each student was given an emotion. Then, each portion of the story they told had to use that emotion through the language. Wow! I heard some pretty creative stories about a vacation in Florida.
Sketch comedy and sketch writing finalized scripts and assigned parts for the showcase. Then, it was off to memorize lines in time for Thursday's class.
As a surprise - or actually more like a break from rehearsing - we attended the second semi-final section. Very impressive. Six outstanding comics from across the country performed and the top two advance to Friday's finals. Listening to the students on the way back to the dorm was interesting. Some agreed with the judges' decision; others felt there were other comedians who were better. But, the judging criteria was listed in the program, and we talked about perspective and how to decide how the audience reaction plays into the decision.
More practicing and fine-tuning stand up routines, and then, finally, lights out!
Whew!
Tuesday, June 17, 2008
Great American Comedy Festival - Youth Comedy Camp - Day 2
Wow! I can not believe the level of talented kids we have participating in the comedy camp this week. Simply amazing!
First, I watched part of the stand up class. Each student presented a basic routine and then was given a critique by Dave Reinitz who is serving as the class instructor. Students will now take the knowledge they learned about joke structure and add details to the routines they will present at the Youth Comedy Showcase.
The improv class just gets better and better! Today's activities included the freeze game and the ladder. Brave New Workshop talked quite a bit about building a scene by saying yes, and then letting the sketch grow from that point. I like that the kids are up and moving. They were good yesterday, but today, there was a new energy.
And in sketch writing/sketch comedy, the students had completed outlines. The group brainstormed and offered ideas for each sketch based on the five elements of a sketch:
First, I watched part of the stand up class. Each student presented a basic routine and then was given a critique by Dave Reinitz who is serving as the class instructor. Students will now take the knowledge they learned about joke structure and add details to the routines they will present at the Youth Comedy Showcase.
The improv class just gets better and better! Today's activities included the freeze game and the ladder. Brave New Workshop talked quite a bit about building a scene by saying yes, and then letting the sketch grow from that point. I like that the kids are up and moving. They were good yesterday, but today, there was a new energy.
And in sketch writing/sketch comedy, the students had completed outlines. The group brainstormed and offered ideas for each sketch based on the five elements of a sketch:
- satirical point
- characters
- setting
- scene of action
- the "funny"
Following the discussion, the groups began pounding the keyboards and spent approximately 45 minutes writing the sketch. BNW instructors read the scenes in front of the students and once again, the group mind brainstormed ideas.
Tonight, we ventured to the Johnny Carson Theater at Norfolk Senior High for the amateur night. Twenty comedians from across the nation signed up for the competition. In fact, my inside informers tell me that when it was time to register for tonight's performances, the 20 slots were filled within 5 minutes. Amazing!
The young man who won ended with a bit about why reality TV needs to end and we need to return to original programming. Hilarious! Simply truthful.
Monday, June 16, 2008
Great American Comedy Festival - Youth Camp - Day 1
Today was officially the first day of the Great American Comedy Festival's youth comedy camp. I'm the director, and let me tell you, I'm ready for sleep!
Students checked in last night, and we did all the usual camp stuff: rules, regulations, goals. And then, the full-fledged pig out with build-your-own-sundaes, M&M cookies, and five varieties of potato chips. That was simply the appetizer. Then we completed the mixer with a meat lover's delight pizza.
I've realized that we really try to make things easy for kids. The catering company delivers breakfast to the dorm. All they need to do is walk downstairs, select from the luscious layout, return to their room, and then eat.
The first class featured stand up comedy. Today, I discovered a few things about writing jokes. Jokes consist of three elements: a set up, a connector, and the punchline. Always consider the degrees of difference in something - how something is bad and then each step away from that should be something worse.
Need an example? Ok, how about I say that I just love those silent conversations you have with others in an elevator. First, there's the bulleted eye contact that darts toward then and then quickly averts when you sneak a glimpse at the person. There's the moment when you both reach to push the floor button. And then there's the moment when the monotonous tones of elevator music rush through your brain....and you both realize the toe-tapping, head-bobbing music has turned both of you into those crazy brothers from Night at the Roxbury.
And then - a break for lunch. Keep 'em feed and busy and they'll eventually tire out. A wise woman told me that once.
The afternoon was spent with instructors from Brave New Workshop. I have one word for this fantastic group of performers: awesome, awesome, awesome! (Technically, it is one word. I just used it three times for effect.)
The improv workshop began with several games so the kids could build trust. This workshop time seemed like it flew past us! I was so engrossed watching the kids and was hit with the energy burst they were generating.
After a break, and some goldfish crackers, the kids began learning about the art of sketch comedy writing. Using the local newspaper and personal lists of joys and angers, the whiteboard became the fodder for a brainstorming session. So many interesting and unique ideas! Then, I was called away on camp business, so I missed the basic outline of the sketch (darn it), but I do believe that the basics include a theme, character(s), and place, as well as two other elements that I will discover tomorrow.
Dinner at Valentino's (a Nebraska tradition) and a trip to the Elkhorn Valley Museum for the Johnny Carson exhibit completed day one. Free time and some homework assignments kept students at the keyboard or at the ping pong table in the game room until lights out.
And yes, it's time for some peace and quiet and much deserved rest before tomorrow's outing.
What a fantastic opportunity and such a talented group of young people from across the U.S.! I'm glad I am able to be a part of it.
Reporting live (and close to sleep) from Norfolk, Nebraska..... until tomorrow. Same comedic tim(ing), Same comedic channel.
Students checked in last night, and we did all the usual camp stuff: rules, regulations, goals. And then, the full-fledged pig out with build-your-own-sundaes, M&M cookies, and five varieties of potato chips. That was simply the appetizer. Then we completed the mixer with a meat lover's delight pizza.
I've realized that we really try to make things easy for kids. The catering company delivers breakfast to the dorm. All they need to do is walk downstairs, select from the luscious layout, return to their room, and then eat.
The first class featured stand up comedy. Today, I discovered a few things about writing jokes. Jokes consist of three elements: a set up, a connector, and the punchline. Always consider the degrees of difference in something - how something is bad and then each step away from that should be something worse.
Need an example? Ok, how about I say that I just love those silent conversations you have with others in an elevator. First, there's the bulleted eye contact that darts toward then and then quickly averts when you sneak a glimpse at the person. There's the moment when you both reach to push the floor button. And then there's the moment when the monotonous tones of elevator music rush through your brain....and you both realize the toe-tapping, head-bobbing music has turned both of you into those crazy brothers from Night at the Roxbury.
And then - a break for lunch. Keep 'em feed and busy and they'll eventually tire out. A wise woman told me that once.
The afternoon was spent with instructors from Brave New Workshop. I have one word for this fantastic group of performers: awesome, awesome, awesome! (Technically, it is one word. I just used it three times for effect.)
The improv workshop began with several games so the kids could build trust. This workshop time seemed like it flew past us! I was so engrossed watching the kids and was hit with the energy burst they were generating.
After a break, and some goldfish crackers, the kids began learning about the art of sketch comedy writing. Using the local newspaper and personal lists of joys and angers, the whiteboard became the fodder for a brainstorming session. So many interesting and unique ideas! Then, I was called away on camp business, so I missed the basic outline of the sketch (darn it), but I do believe that the basics include a theme, character(s), and place, as well as two other elements that I will discover tomorrow.
Dinner at Valentino's (a Nebraska tradition) and a trip to the Elkhorn Valley Museum for the Johnny Carson exhibit completed day one. Free time and some homework assignments kept students at the keyboard or at the ping pong table in the game room until lights out.
And yes, it's time for some peace and quiet and much deserved rest before tomorrow's outing.
What a fantastic opportunity and such a talented group of young people from across the U.S.! I'm glad I am able to be a part of it.
Reporting live (and close to sleep) from Norfolk, Nebraska..... until tomorrow. Same comedic tim(ing), Same comedic channel.
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