Josh and I just had a meeting with our fellow Big Boxians tonight - two of the creative team for Cramped. Danielle Hisey is one of the authors and Doug Snyder is the director. We worked out some logistics... ate some dinner... made some small talk. Doug mentioned he wanted to tie in the two shows somehow. Make them flow. So we started brainstorming. Some good ideas, none of which I will expound on here, because some things need to be a surprise. But it could be fun.
Now, to write more of the script.....
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
What's comedy got to do with it, got to do with it?
Thank you for letting me paraphrase you, Tina.
Seriously though. What's funny? That has been Josh and my biggest worry. We crack ourselves up all the time. But will anyone else laugh with us? Hell, even at us? There are times where I'm not sure I get my own jokes. And, as people constantly tell me, I live waaaaaaaay over in the town of Over The Lineville. But I know what's funny in other people. Usually. Just don't make me laugh at Family Guy.
Josh and I went to see Jonathan Coulton - www.jonathancoulton.com - (or JoCo, as his fans call him. Now that was something I thought was incredibly funny. Until I saw an autograph on someone's t-shirt. Can you imagine signing Jonathan Coultan over and over?!? Smart man.) He is what I call Nerd Rock. Let's just say, walking into that concert, I felt like a super model. Whoa. But JoCo's (I still giggle) songs are witty, fun and funny.
The opening act was a music/comedy act called Paul and Storm - www.paulandstorm.com. Now JoCo (heehee) is all about the wit and his songs are well written. These guys happen to be comedians that can also play guitar and harmonize really well. The act consisted of them making jokes (usually with the help of a very vocal audience - either Paul and Storm have heard it all before, or they are some of the best improvisers I've ever seen in my life), singing a song, taking a step back, bowing in unison, and starting the process over again. I loved the bows. Every time they did them, I heard Steve Martin saying, "thank you" in the voice he always uses when he isn't playing himself. You know... the nasally, drawn out one?
I turned to Josh and told him, "We have to do like that."
Tell a few jokes, do a fight, take a step back, bow in unison and start the process over again. That's comedy.
Seriously though. What's funny? That has been Josh and my biggest worry. We crack ourselves up all the time. But will anyone else laugh with us? Hell, even at us? There are times where I'm not sure I get my own jokes. And, as people constantly tell me, I live waaaaaaaay over in the town of Over The Lineville. But I know what's funny in other people. Usually. Just don't make me laugh at Family Guy.
Josh and I went to see Jonathan Coulton - www.jonathancoulton.com - (or JoCo, as his fans call him. Now that was something I thought was incredibly funny. Until I saw an autograph on someone's t-shirt. Can you imagine signing Jonathan Coultan over and over?!? Smart man.) He is what I call Nerd Rock. Let's just say, walking into that concert, I felt like a super model. Whoa. But JoCo's (I still giggle) songs are witty, fun and funny.
The opening act was a music/comedy act called Paul and Storm - www.paulandstorm.com. Now JoCo (heehee) is all about the wit and his songs are well written. These guys happen to be comedians that can also play guitar and harmonize really well. The act consisted of them making jokes (usually with the help of a very vocal audience - either Paul and Storm have heard it all before, or they are some of the best improvisers I've ever seen in my life), singing a song, taking a step back, bowing in unison, and starting the process over again. I loved the bows. Every time they did them, I heard Steve Martin saying, "thank you" in the voice he always uses when he isn't playing himself. You know... the nasally, drawn out one?
I turned to Josh and told him, "We have to do like that."
Tell a few jokes, do a fight, take a step back, bow in unison and start the process over again. That's comedy.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Not single spies but in battalions
The tally of all named deaths is complete. We counted approximately 150 characters who either die on stage, or whose death is reported during the course of the play.
In a related note, some British professor has used plagiarism-detecting software to determine that "Edward III" was, in fact, about 40% written by Shakespeare, with the other 60% most likely Thomas Kyd (article). I still say it stinks.
In a related note, some British professor has used plagiarism-detecting software to determine that "Edward III" was, in fact, about 40% written by Shakespeare, with the other 60% most likely Thomas Kyd (article). I still say it stinks.
Keepin' on keepin' on.
Josh and I have been stressing out about this (Josh more than me). We have been talking it up, sent out a save-the-date email blast, and thrown around ideas to our friends. The amount of support and excitement has been overwhelming! Sometimes a little too overwhelming. Instead of hoping we have a fun and funny show, we're now hoping we don't suck.
With all of the wonderful suggestions and comments our friends and colleagues have given us, we got a little ahead of ourselves. We started steering our little boat of stage combat fun towards the Sea of Dramatic Purpose, which would eventually lead us to the Ocean of Ohmygodwhatarewedoing. We decided to get back to basics.
So, Josh and I requested a brainstorming from our friend Dave. Very, very helpful. It put Josh in a better frame of mind and we are renewed with purpose! The session was a lighthouse - to further my metaphor I started in the last paragraph. If you couldn't tell, I'm the visual side of the team. ;)
As I type this (to make myself feel like I'm accomplishing something tonight), Josh is continuing to research all of the deaths in Shakespeare's works. Through one of our friends we discovered a wonderful reference book called Who's Who in Shakespeare by Francis Griffin Stokes. It's a dictionary of every person in and around Shakespeare's writings. The best part? At the end of the detailed scene by scene breakdown of what the character does in the play, it says how they die. OH MY GOSH!!!! Time saver! We thought we were going to have to read/re-read every single freakin' play. And as much as I love Shakespeare, I REALLY don't want to read King John. Someday I will. But hopefully I will be paid to do it.
I asked Josh if he would like to add anything before I post this. He says I should change King John to Timon of Athens. We all have our limits I guess. Does anyone die in Timon? Echth, I hope not.
With all of the wonderful suggestions and comments our friends and colleagues have given us, we got a little ahead of ourselves. We started steering our little boat of stage combat fun towards the Sea of Dramatic Purpose, which would eventually lead us to the Ocean of Ohmygodwhatarewedoing. We decided to get back to basics.
So, Josh and I requested a brainstorming from our friend Dave. Very, very helpful. It put Josh in a better frame of mind and we are renewed with purpose! The session was a lighthouse - to further my metaphor I started in the last paragraph. If you couldn't tell, I'm the visual side of the team. ;)
As I type this (to make myself feel like I'm accomplishing something tonight), Josh is continuing to research all of the deaths in Shakespeare's works. Through one of our friends we discovered a wonderful reference book called Who's Who in Shakespeare by Francis Griffin Stokes. It's a dictionary of every person in and around Shakespeare's writings. The best part? At the end of the detailed scene by scene breakdown of what the character does in the play, it says how they die. OH MY GOSH!!!! Time saver! We thought we were going to have to read/re-read every single freakin' play. And as much as I love Shakespeare, I REALLY don't want to read King John. Someday I will. But hopefully I will be paid to do it.
I asked Josh if he would like to add anything before I post this. He says I should change King John to Timon of Athens. We all have our limits I guess. Does anyone die in Timon? Echth, I hope not.
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