Back in the day, when I was young and pretty and fabulous... I had my time to shine on the NYC stage. Improv, to be exact. When I was a kid, there was nothing more that I wanted than to be onstage. I'm not sure where it came from or where it started, because I was a shy kid, and have pretty much been shy all the way through to the present time. But something about being in "character" changes that. Anyway, once I moved into highschool and had to compete with girls that grew up taking private voice lessons and whatnot, I put that dream on the back burner and focused on more serious things- partying.
So I kind of forgot about that passion I had as a kid.
Years later, when I was waiting tables at the Sheraton NY, I found myself surrounded by people trying to break into show business. Not really my co-workers, because we were union employees. The waitresses I worked with were, and are, quite literally, professional waitresses. But, living and working in midtown, you deal with a lot of struggling actors that are waiting tables to pay the bills.
My sisters and I have always had funny repore. My Dad is really funny. When we were little, my Mom was funny in the funny/silly/cooky way. But my Dad has that rare, quiet, perfect timing, unassuming humor. He's funny without trying. My sisters and I combined the two gene pools into a pretty weird and yet oddly entertaining, and hilarious (if only to us) sense(s) of humor. So I always kind of knew that people found me funny in an effortless way.. and that gave me a really good outlet for my insecurities because it allows for unapologetic self deprication.... since it's for the benefit of others.
One year, my co-worker's best friend gave her a gift certificate to an improv class. The Upright Citizen's Brigade. I was very familiar with who they were. It's where a lot of A list comediens come up through. Amy Poehler, for example is an alumni. Come to think of it, if you think of the casts of Snl, 30 rock, Community, you'll get a pretty good idea of the comedy that can potentially come from UCB training.
So I decdided to join with her for fun. I usually wasn't the prettiest girl in the crowd, but I could demand my share of attention with the humor.. so I figured why not see what happens? You live once, go for fun and see what comes of it.
My friend and I learned very quickly that we were in some fierce competitve territory in this class. From the first day, our classmates and teachers were discussing which books they've read on the art of comedy and which "writing for comedy" classes they've taken. Which talent highschools and/or colleges they came from. We were in way over our heads. We were there for fun, and I often felt like I was an insult to some of them for being so flip about being there. But, we still hung in there and had SO much fun. We did learn a lot about delivery, and cues and whatnot. I don't remember a lot of it- it was over 10 years ago now.
My friend and I were both livng in Brooklyn at the time. We'd leave class, go back to Brooklyn and party together for the rest of the night while our classmates were presumably reading another Groundlings text book or something.
Our "Graduation" after a couple of months was an improv performance in front of a real live audience at the UCB Theatre. I have never been so nervous in my life. There is NO script. The audience shouts out a topic, and you just have to GO. Just start a sketch and you just have to know when to jump into or out of the sketch if and when you have something funny to add to it. Alot of pressure! What a rush of adrenaline when we were finished though!! We all left and celebrated together and had great time.
A few weeks later, at my friends birthday party, it was that time to re-register for the 2nd session, if you were going to try to continue on in this school and the comedy business. When you move into the 2nd level, you are supposed to have a small group of people that you choose from your first course that then becomes your "team." I was SO flattered that three of the guys that had already decided to be a team asked me if I would be their fourth. Truly flattered. These guys were some of the ones that were really serious, the ones that read the text books and attended UCB shows several times a week to learn, etc. And THEY thought I was funny.
But I already realized it wasn't for me. And I felt guilty because I knew I wasn't willing to put in the time and effort that those guys did. So I declined. I was secretly delighted by their vocal disappointment. It's nice to feel wanted. So that was that. I hung up my acting shoes and called it a day. But I will always be able to tell my kids that their Mom really did perform live improv on stage in NYC. That's pretty cool.
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