January 2012
3 posts
Clay Shirky: Why SOPA is a bad idea
Clay Shirky makes some great points about some of the terrible side effects which are likely if something like SOPA is passsed.
I know this may feel like this problem is over. But it isn’t.
I know you may think this fight is about piracy, it is in part. But really it’s about all of us who want an internet where it’s easy to produce and and share our own content. If it...
Mullaney's Newsletter (a play, a podcast, and a... →
December 2011
2 posts
November 2011
6 posts
Billy Merritt's Improv Party →
I was talking to someone who was looking for advice for teaching improv and it reminded me of this journal.
Poupak's Parisian Life in New York: Three on Three... →
poupak:
I can’t even tell you how special last night was to me!!
Two years ago, I came to the UCB for the second time (I had been to an ASSSSCAT in September that year, and I liked it - I had been drawn to the UCB because I wanted to see more of Amy) to watch what was described as an “Improv…
Thank you, Pat Bear, for all the work you have done over the years to keep the 3x3 Tourney...
Some improv thoughts
As, I tweeted a while back, almost every teacher and coach (including me) talks too much. We should all talk a lot less and let our students get more reps in class. If possible, we should give them a chance to try it again immediately after getting a negative note. If your students can keep track of how many scenes they have improvised in your class, you have failed as a teacher.
Research on the...
Day 187
Are you measuring your body fat by any other measure besides weight? You may be replacing fat with muscle and not know it.
slowcarbcrazy:
241.8 I am bouncing around about a pound. That’s fine, but I’d like to actually start loosing weight again.
October 2011
4 posts
Upstairs Gallery Chicago: No Show @ The Upstairs... →
upstairsgallery:
BUT, if you are so inclined a team of mine is playing up at the Mayne Stage in Rogers Park (and Kevin Mulaney is playing on the closing team!): One Group Mind Performs at the Mayne Stage! (10/18/11) Mayne Stage Theater, 1328 W. Morse, Chicago, IL (Morse Red line) $10 Admission/$5 with…
September 2011
7 posts
5 tags
“What’s going on?
No one would answer me. They put me in the back of the car....”
– via Stories from the Heartland
“If you find an Atheist in your neighborhood,
TELL A PARENT OR PASTOR RIGHT...”
– So says Lambuel at OBJECTIVE: Ministries 4 Kidz (sic).
Improv Nonsense: Yes (Pause) And →
improvnonsense:
I see two common but contradictory problems with new groups:
1) They don’t react at all to anything, they’re just looking at each other or maybe not even looking at each other.
Improviser 1: When we hold up the bank, grab the gun with your feet. Improviser 2: (nothing for a long time) Okay.
2)…
I also like “Yes and Reflect Back” the weird part:
Improvisor...
Writing in Chicago? Say Hello! →
naskewrimo:
If you’re participating in NaSkeWriMo this year and live in the Chicago area, click through and say hello! We usually try to have an end-of-month sketch reading/party in New York; if there’s enough interest we might have one in Chicago, too.
August 2011
3 posts
1 tag
Watchtoyns:
Well, I’m not gonna give up, because what am I … what have I done this so far … you know what I … I’ve gone so far with this. Why should I give up now? I can’t give up.
DCM prep getting to you?
July 2011
5 posts
Day 65: pushups
slowcarbcrazy:
257.4 I walked for 45 minutes today, then did 10 push ups. I’m going to try 10 everyday this week. The next week, try 15. Or maybe 5-10 at a time several times a day? I have no real idea.
Also, I’ve started wearing a bandanna while I walk. So, there’s that.
I’d recommend doing as many pushups as you can and then waiting at least four days to try again. Pushups are...
Day 64: back to it
slowcarbcrazy:
288.2 Monday is always a hard day. It’s the day I know I’ve gotta work hard again after a glorious cheat day (chips and dip and pepsi throwback and pizza and bread and not good for you salad dressing). And I went up a little bit, but I never seem to balloon up after a cheat day, which is fantastic.
So a little gain isn’t a big deal. I have no plans today, so it’ll be an easy...
6 tags
The latest episode of Improv Resource Center...
June 2011
5 posts
“Nevertheless, the more I read, the more I’m convinced that excessive food...”
– Stephan Guyenet, B.S. in biochemistry from the University of Virginia in 2002, and a Ph.D. in neurobiology from the University of Washington in 2009. He studies the neurobiology of body fat regulation
Upstairs Gallery Chicago: Tonight 6/22! Joy Joy... →
upstairsgallery:
Wednesday - Joy Joy Tragedy (June 8, 15, 22) 8pm-9:15pm (Please note the earlier start time), Totally Free
Tonight Kevin Mullaney and Amrita Dhaliwal join us for the final Joy Joy Tragedy at the Upstairs Gallery. I’ve you’ve been putting off seeing the show because of the late…
Yeah! Show number three is tonight. We were planning to start at 8:30 though!
Upstairs Gallery Chicago: Upstairs Gallery... →
upstairsgallery:
Everything is improvised… except what is not. In this mostly improvised show, Amrita Dhaliwal and Kevin Mullaney mix the spontaneous with one scripted scene. Find out what happens when the playwright runs out of words and the characters take over. Which scene was written? Can you tell the difference?
3 tags
What is Joy Joy Tragedy?
Each show will be about 80-90% improvised, but at least once per show we will drop in a scene from a great play (or TV series or film). For each show we will have a selection of scenes we have prepared to choose from, so we won’t even know for sure which scene we will be doing on a given night.
Read more at KevinMullaney.com.
May 2011
6 posts
2 tags
Day 7: Oh shhhhh
slowcarbcrazy:
WARNING: This is kinda gross. Today is my cheat day. I had a bacon angus from McDonalds. It… didn’t want to stay in my body. I guess eating good, high protein food for 6 days and then going to McDonalds will do that to you.
The rest of the day includes: cheese and crackers, doritos, and pizza. PIZZA. Also, I’m supposed to drink water, gotta get on that.
I’ve been on this...
6 tags
Black Box Acting Studio – Review
Yesterday I finished B4 at the Black Box Acting Studio in Chicago. It’s the fourth and final level in what is a terrific program. It’s only been around for a few years, but the curriculum is solid and the teachers are passionate and smart. I feel like I’ve learned some new tools and sharpened some old ones, but most importantly I’ve now got a process for auditions and rehearsals. I also feel...
1 tag
Game of the Scene – an example →
April 2011
4 posts
4 tags
Who, what, where... the first three lines
I think that this whole thing about getting the who, what, where out in the first few lines is a scene killer. It may be this necessary building block for newbies, but when two moderately experienced improvisors are worrying about that stuff at the opening moments of a scene, it can be dreadful to watch and dreadful to do.
One solution that I’ve advocated for years is just do something,...
“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us...”
– Ira Glass (via nefffy)
March 2011
3 posts
Stephanie Streisand: Anti-Semitism →
stephaniestreisand:
The night before last, something awesome went to total shit in just a few hours.
The night before last, I had an audition for a very improv based show (Think Tony and Tina’s Wedding, but a different show) that needed immediate replacements. I walked into the audition room with ten girls that…
5 tags
Get it into your body
I’m learning to play guitar. It is a tough, slow process. If I have a new chord to learn, it takes a lot of repetitions before that chord becomes second nature. I have to practice that shape with my fingers many times. I have to practice changing from chords that I already know to the chord I’m learning. The goal is to play that chord as quickly and as easily as I might say a phrase or sing a...
January 2011
3 posts
