Performing In Front of a Live Audience

There was once a time that I used to get up on stage and perform before a large group of people. I wasn't balancing a ball on my head or anything, but I would perform in front of 300-400 people crowds or groups of 20-30. It was something I enjoyed and something that came second nature to me. Improv comedy was one of my main passions and talents.

College and the immediate years thereafter were a time that I did a lot of improvisational comedy. Most of you are familiar with the show Whose Line Is It Anyway? I was a fan of the British show that the American version is based upon years before it was a part of mainstream American culture.

During my Freshman year at Rutgers, a new friend of mine saw some of humor at a party where I was entertaining a group of other theater wannabees. She suggested that I try out for the student run theater's improvisation troupe. I had no idea what that entailed or what I would be expected to do but it sounded scary and I had to be goaded into trying out.

I made the troupe and was taught the art of improvisational theater over the next two months. The show was a tremendous success and I became heavily involved in the troupe for my next three years at college. During my last two years, I was the director of the troupe and expanded the troupe to 12 performances a year. Almost all of them... were sellouts. The sellouts were easy to achieve. I had some highly talented folks who just enjoyed making other people laugh. We also put on free shows at coffeehouses and contest throughout the schools of Rutgers. We even won the talent show at Cook College -- It was great for marketing purposes... we were now the "Award Winning..." improv troupe.

I basically adapted the Whose Line Is It Anyway? concept and adapted it to the small black box theater that was our home. I combined it with the format of Medevial Times Restaurant. As the audience filed into the theater, the 8 actors (4 teams of 2) ushered them to their seats. They were seated in four sections in an "in the round" format. Each section was the "cheering section" for the actors. The audience had no idea who the actors were so the actors were getting to know the audience by fighting for them to sit in their sections. It set the audience up so they would have someone to cheer for when the Improv competition would begin. Once the show began, the audience realized it was a contest and would cheer and boo the respective teams based upon my scoring. I was the "referee" (with shirt and whistle!) and would score them as I went along. It is funny and strange. Every show... there was a tie! Weird. ;-)

Anyway... I eventually got caught up in the rat race and had to give it up. About 2 years ago, my job required that I give a speech. Would you believe that I was petrified and that I barely slept the night before even with all the experience I had!?!?! I was, but I quickly learned that public speaking is like riding a bike... once I got the initial fear out of the way, I was pretty darn good again in front of the live audience. Now, speaking to 200-300 people doesn't bother me at all.

You may be wondering -- Where did this whole post come from?

Well, muh honey and I went to see a friend's band last night and we had a good time. We knew two of the four guys in the band. One we know pretty well while the other one is sort of a mutual acquaitance. I got to meet the second guy at a recent poker game where he was a nice guy but pretty quiet. When he was on stage, a whole new persona came out that muh honey and I never expected. He was all over the map and revelled in his music. It made the experience of watching him even more enjoyable.

I have another great friend who is in a band and a similar thing happens with him as well. He just comes out of a shell when he gets in front of an audience and it is a pleasure to watch.

This got me thinking last night -- I enjoy live music mostly because I love to watch the passion of those performing. The music or the comedy or the drama move me as they are supposed to but it is the sheer performance that makes me enjoy the experience. I admire anyone that will put themselves on the line and stand in front of a group of people and "perform." These are truly brave people.

Admiration is not something I throw around lightly... but with these people... I can't help it.