My Michael Delaney Winter 2002 Level 3 Experience

[Brandy]

Wow, Jake was just on the TV! I am distracted. God, why is my undying love for Conan unrequited? Sigh.

Okay, back to the point.

I encountered Michael Delaney exactly one year ago, when I took my first Level Two class in the Winter of 2001.
Michael (never Mike, always Michael) taught in a way that I look back on now with total reverence. He took us and his teaching seriously, never (openly) cringed at our oft-repeated mistakes, and overall served as a formative model to me of what improv should be. It is for this reason that I opted to study with him again for my first Level Three. After a long break, which he encouraged by telling his students it was to our benefit as improvisors to study with as many different UCB instructors as possible- I am back to re-examine and strengthen the skills he so gracefully imparts to his students in his Level Three classes. What follows are a jumble of my parapharased notes from the classes- less a dialouge, more a list of his statements. Things in quotes are word for word Delaney comments.
(For anyone reading who may not be studying at UCB, a quick note: Level Three is the class where students continue to learn the Harold and are able to perform in front of an audience semi-regularly).

Class One: January 14
In scenes, look for the first unusual thing. There are two steps to get there-
1) be real
2) wait; listen- be aware- it will come

Make active choices; go to places you normally wouldn't- you are masters of time and space.

Have the conversations you want to have.
Speak directly to each other.
Avoid conflict- always find ways to say yes, and always stay connected.
Don't put obstacles in your path.

No game is established until it's made into a pattern.

On a semantics choice being played as the only game in a scene: "That's ground pepper. That's not your meal, no one wants to just eat pure pepper. No one wants just a bowl of pepper."

Don't fix the problem. Never- do not get stuck on the problem. Create more problems just like it.

Scenes are not about objetcs, they are about what objects represent. Make the scene about "us", not about the items in it.

"I don't wash my pants. I do wash my shirts...c'mon, dude!"

Act the shit out of your moments. Don't script, if you're worried about the thing to say next, you're scripting and you're not in the moment.

"That's what theater [and strong improv] is about...the day that's different [from all the rest]."

The Two Pillars of Great Improv:
1) place
2) relationship

Call out things once, move past it.

Things to aim for in scenework:
in the moment
fresh
active
about the now

In group games:
try not to ever repeat anything (any games) done before. Challenge yourself.
If you insist on playing children, play at the top of your intelligence and play well-behaved children. DO NOT WALK ON YOUR KNEES TO PLAY A CHILD. ("You look like a damn monkey!")

Activity versus action: If you're talking about what you're doing keep doing what you're doing BUT TALK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE.

Please get your ideas out- look them in the eye. The things we don't want to do in life we have to do onstage. Don't be coy with your ideas.

Initiations don't have to be funny, they have to be specific. Be a real person, act real and truthfully in the moment.

In scenes, premises aren't games. Once you have a premise, work to find a game.

Start your third beats in the middle of some action- come in and play it twice as hard becuase these beats are twice as short.

Openings are a theme for the Harold, you need to do things you like in your openings so that they will be a part of your work.

We're not concerned with jokes, we're concerned with the truth.

Find ways to say yes.
If this is true, then what else?
Make active choices.

Too good to omit: "Keep your inner child alive, just make the inner child be 8 or 9."

######

More next Monday, Improv Fans!

 

[Brandy]

Specifics.

I like the idea of giving this journal a background. Henceforth:

The reason I am posting it is because I find that when I look back over the notes I studiously took during my classes over the past year, I am always newly amazed by them. Each instructor- Mullaney, Ian, Billy, Aramndo, Ali- has a unqiue and really wonderful personal improvisational blueprint that they generously pass on to you, if you listen. And notes, for me anyway, are the reinforcement of that gift.
I just don't retain like other people unless I take pages of notes- ADD or what have you. I get more out of reflection, I guess.
In that vein, I enjoy reading and rereading texts related to improv, and looking back at class notes frequently. And I felt that since it was such a boost to me, that it would be only fair to share the wealth with others in the community, should they feel in need of information for whatever reason.

So...uh, yeah.

I also admit as I have all along that I have a real, true & pure respect for Michael Delaney, as a person and as an instructor. Okay, so I'm deranged. Great. Glad you all picked up on that. Nice of him to let me stay in his class what with the restraining order and all.

But hey! 'Fess up. You, too, are fascinated with the man known as Delaney. I mean, why else would you be reading this pithy little foray into time-slaying if you weren't? No, really...why?

So, now that that is out of the way, I will no longer feel I need to justify my choice to post on a weekly basis the paraphrased delights that tumble from the mouth of Michael Delaney like so many rubies and sapphires, as he steers his pupils through the nefarious Level 3 New Team Harold waters.
Whoa, mixed metaphors.

 

[Brandy]

Won't You Be My Delaney Level 3 Neighbor?

Class #2: January 21, 2002

*Delaney made an astute point, as is his way: Many of these notes, even if direct quotes, don't fly out of the situation they were given in. For example, he recanted the comment on third beats being faster, and explained that this was the tendency although they did not HAVE to be fast. Though there are universal improv truths stated here, they are paraphrased from direct scene commentary.
So, apply that Vaseline to your lens when reading this week's installment.

_____________
Everything done onstage should be as specific as possible
Specific=good
General= not bad, but not so so so good

Play it real, find the game.
Create a reality, and listen for the unusual thing
Establish a game by making a pattern out of your unusual thing/premise

Until you discover the game, be cool with each other- no conflict

If you must ask questions, ask ones that offer information

Make healthy assumptions about characters

Transaction scenes do not allow you to connect to people

Screw conflict, explore relationships and characters

Group games are like an opera- everyone has their little aria

If there is a problem, CREATE MORE
Live in the problem- Be The Problem
If this is true, what else?

Blowing up your 3rd beats- See who is important in your character dynamics- do you need to be paired up still? Are you needed in that scene? Don't automatically put yourself there unless you are needed.

And the quote of the week:

"Damn! Genital warts!"
__________________

Later alligators.

 

[Brandy]

Super Bon Bon.

It is so cool to have fun in class, really have fun and not be sick to your stomach trying to be something, anything when you get out there in front of oyur classmates. The trick is being yourself, a person who is fun loving and in that, worthwhile and delightful to watch. And we all are that person, so it's within everyone's grasp.

Okay so I AM covering for my laziness and lack of typing this week's journal with a fey statement. But it is true and I do mean it. And I felt it this week in Class #3: Epiphany 2002: Coming soon to the journals when I get off my fat ass.


And that's one to grow on.

 

[Brandy]

"We're halfway to comedy."

I ate a few Entenmann's Chocolate Donuts: energy redux.

Class #3: January 28th, 2002

If you feel bound to your first beat, don't be. In second beats you can place your 1st beat characters anywhere you want- masters of time and space. If you hate you hate your game, DON'T PLAY IT.

"That first beat...that's your boyfriend."
Male Class Member: "Or girlfriend."
"No, let's just say boyfriend."

Know your relationship- not just "names"- Mom/Dad/Sis is bullshit- really know one another.

Make a pattern.
Heighten patterns.
Find interesting & unusual ways to heighten.

You cannot underestimate the power of specifics.

Game may very well be In first 3 lines- if you are very specific & listen.

Transpose from a question into a specific.

Start your scenes in the middle of something- load your initiations w/ information.

Make choices that build a specific (slightly unusual) world.

Confront fear by doing active things.

Be connected to your partner onstage.

Suggestion is point A- take the scene to point B (i.e. already be there).

Let your environments be good not shitty. Just like avoiding conflict between partner, avoid environmental conflict.

Play one brick at a time; don't start out with mortar fire.

Avoid problematic scenes; live in your world.

Initiation: News to the actor, but to the character, "No shit".- starting in the middle of the scene.

Sometimes character is the game; put that character in situations, play it hard. Play it from that person's point of view. Play characters truthfully.

Avoid plot- soap opera moves

Talking about activities is never as funny as doing them.

In scenic work- there are a lot of "first days" (i.e., "This is only my first day at the restaurant..."). This gives you permission to play shitty. So be good at things, have an established talent, that is better.

Embrace success; ignore failure. Dare to be dull. Connect- give over to the moment.

Ideas don't exist unless they are articulated. Say it. Get it out of your head.

Don't be concerned with conflict be concerned with agreement. Mirror your partner- it's me & you against the world, not you vs. me. If you don't KNOW, get on board. DO stuff together.

Failure is not as funny as success. Yes is funnier than no.

The idea of creating the other character first: not who you are- who they are. When you get painted, do a "come back at you"- give them the gift of a key to who they are.

The specifics are the most important. Watch for this in improv.
Pay attention to the first three lines; make healthy assumptions. Games will be there.

Trust your sense of humor; don't trust your sense of comedy.

Don't go to art for the art, go to LIFE for the art.

Bring yourself to it [to your improv]. Not what others do, what YOU do.

Whatever that suggestion is bust that shit open.

All that matters is that you know what the suggestion is, not what the you think the audience knows (or may be confused on).

Transaction scenes are not wise, they are often played as if players are unknown to one another and waste time n establishing character.

Let's find excuses to be in other times and places, instead of bringing it back to modern times.

No jokes are appropriate unless the audience as well as the players are in on them.

"No, not a beartrap. That's ridiculous."

bBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbBbB


Audi.

 

[Brandy]

A Fun Fact

Michael Delaney may or may not answer to the follwing names:

Chet Sollee
Mitch Cummings
Dutch

He will NEVER answer to Mike. At least, this is what I hear.

No more Entenmann's allowed...too much refined sugar...bad.

 

[Brandy]

Three is The Magic Number.

Even though this is for Class #4, February 4th, 2002.
____________________________________________________

If you don't have a strong premise, then you play it real. Go out and play it real.

Avoid scenic openings. Dialogue (as in between two characters) is not always so good in the opening- Silly Rabbit, scenes are for Harolds. [I made that one up all by myself.- BB]

You need patterns for pattern games. Play scenes you want to play- do this in your collage.

Be OK with being more poetic, less literal; poetic lets you be more abstract and allows finding of themes.

Do things well; if you do it shittily, you already have your easy tired game.
Don't fight- it does not further scene. Instead put partner in a place where they are not comfortable. Put them into their discomfort zone.

"I have a theory about talking animals: either it's totally normal, or "OH MY GOD! Then, accept it."

Kick things up a notch of you are playing an "expert" game. Make it up, it can be anything because you are the expert.

Inanimate object scenework w/ 100% commitment & truthfulness is not done enough.
"What's a toilet's opinion of the day?"

In pattern games: Be OK with moving information forward; a walk on heightens, clarifies, & gets the fuck out.
____________________________________________________

Not a lot of notes because we were really active in class.

Yeah.

 

[Brandy]

No Notes for 2/11/02

Missed class due to a performance. Sorry. I myself was extremely sad to have to do so.
But back to business as usual tonight. Yay.

And then the class has a New Team on Thursday, which I won't be in but that should be full of fun. A strong group, and much more adept than I recall being in my Level 3. Check that out, if you like.

 

[Brandy]

Have you read my other thread?*

*If not, then you may be baffled by my total lack of ability to keep an orderly posting schedule- especially considering that this class commenced and a new one has already begun. Should you feel these emotions, please see aforementioned thread.

MISSED CLASS #5- February 14th, 2002, due to performance with comedy partner Jaime Fallon in SPANK.

CLASS #6: February 18th, 2002

Let games find you organically.

Can be simplistic, must find specifics.

Play variations on a game. It's not the thing, it's what the thing REPRESENTS.

The idea is really important in game; i.e., not avoiding signing contracts as a character in that scene, but on a larger scale that you as the character don't take risks.

Work on relationships, not on gonnas.
Don't need to emphasize the first things all the time.

30 "gonnas" are never as funny as one "do it!"

Patterns tell us when we find the game.

Lots of times when you "no" then "yes" the "yes" becomes the edit. Just say yes from the get go. NO can be funny. but yes is always funnier & it opens doors. Yes always comes by the end, but do it from the beginning and that is a better choice.

Sometimes to heighten it, you must go under it- that helps.

Avoid sitcom at all costs, tell the absolute truth.

If you keep the truth at an arms' length, you'll keep the humor at an arms' length.

Let an idea go to support scene partner if you can help inform (if misunderstood) without invalidation.

Don't play ending, no happy ever after unless you bust into song.

Good editing gives the impression of strong longform- I don't care if you don't have "anything"- you have feet. Use them.

When you talk about games, remove particulars and mate the idea. "If this, then what else?"

"So what, if they get a titter? They shouldn't have to get a sweat titter off some guy. Somtimes that laugh is not going to come. So why let them suffer?"

Don't play plot. That's when you reference the 1st beat and it continues. Play the game.

Find that game, don't call back plot. Find truths, do active shit, play reality, aviod contrived zone. Once you find the game it becomes a cool mental puzzle.

"Longform does rock; here's why. It's about the way we approach scenework. That's all."
The uniqueness lies then in the approach taken to scenework.

Kooky- never as good as honest & truthful.

Get on board with the approach to minutia.

Don't be kooky & play farce, play it twice as serious and twice as straight.

Be ok with who you are and where you are, play the reality. Play relationship, not plot.

Start with D- don't go A,B,C to get to D in scene.

"If you're having fun the audience will have fun, too. That note will bite me in the ass because when you start having fun I'll stop you- 'CUT! WHAT are you doing?!? WHERE are you?!'"

For every note there's a contradictory note- impulses based in truth, something we can relate to.

Reality- that one place we all agree.

Just be specific. Play it real. Hear your words. Absorb that. And be aware.

That day that's different from all the others. The person that's different from all the others. [that's where scenes begin]

"The I Love Lucy Effect": Just be willing to always get on board.

 

[Brandy]

Delaney Fact File Sidenote

Michael Delaney was once in the play in "Red Noses" by Peter Barnes, as was I. As we chatted and came to this realization, I recall being glad that I was rewarded for ultimately being myself. There is so much kindness in that way that Michael Delaney can make you feel when he focuses on you and you only, 100%. He doesn't want your best effort, some fakeness, any calcualtions. He appreciates you for your real essence. It's a rare and intoxicating personality trait. We should all be so amazed by the beauty of simplicity, eh?

Also he gets sick on occasions (such as this week) and I am always worried over him, as are many of his loyal fans. He may tell you he is not Fuzzy from the world of John Irving. Don't listen. Coddle him. Send him your positive energy and your support, the guy is not only an improvisational master but a miracle testimonial to the tenacity of the human body's capabilities to survive.

More Winter 2002 improv notes to follow. Hopefully before the class after these notes were taken ends in a few weeks.

 

[Brandy]

From: "Ryan Rogers"

Holy shit, I just read your Michael Delaney journal entry and guess what...I was in Red Noses too! Perhaps we can assemble an allstar alumnus cast and stage a revival. Now if only I could remember my character's name...

Former Level Three Winter 2002 Classmate Ryan shares the "Red Noses" gene.

Peter Barnes is awesome, this is true.

Delaney taught the Coaching class this past week, which I had to miss. I cried and had a tantrum, then demanded excruciatingly detailed notes be taken in my absence.

Brandon Calhoun has obviously never studied the basics of copyright infringement or, idea theft for that matter.

 

[Brandy]

Nevermind.

This journal has come to an untimely and cruel end due to the hateful tactics employed by others named Brandon Calhoun.

I refuse to be mocked by that horrid little toad.
So, instead of sharing my pure and really honest respect for the man who made me adore long form improvisation, I will sulk electronically. Join me if you like.

Should you find this to be unfortunate, please direct all responses to aforementioned stoat at:
brandon@mansonroast.com

Hey Calhoun, "whatch" THIS!

 

[Brandy]

Brandon Lee & Brandy Leigh

You realize, we are kidding. Right?
I mean, Delaney himself pointed out that the journal was mocking mine, yes, but Calhoun and I have discussed its true nature.

If you can't figure out who it's really truly making fun of, I feel sorry for you.

HINT: It is not (as I propsed) me and no, Will and others, I am not mad. I love Calhoun.

I did crack his fucking teeth though.

 

[Brandy]

If you have not taken a class with Michael Delaney, then know this:

* The best characters/funniest scenes are the ones who make you laugh but also, break your heart. *

This bit of advice that he doles out frquently and fairly to all is one of the most true. Apply it to your favorite comedic pieces and I am sure you'll find it stands the test.

To see an attempt to put this principle into action, you could come see THE DOGS OF SAINT CHRISTOPHER next Tuesday nite at 11 at the UCB.

Or not.

I will put the rest of these Level 3 Delaney notes up someday.

Bran