Whether it’s an improvised song, a show comprised of songs (a revue) or a long-form musical – make it a priority to learn how much is enough, because too much can be deathly. As my composition and arranging teacher, Dick Grove, once said of songwriting, “The longer your song, the greater will be its tendency to suck.” The same is true of any form of entertainment – to report that a movie was “long” is almost as bad as saying that it was just horrible.
Well, there we were in the Mediterranean Sea – the Impromptones on Crystal Cruises. Our act
Continue reading An Impromptones Horror Story at Sea
Is there a God? No one can prove it, but the experience I’m about to describe suggests that there might be, and that He/She likes me.
I always enjoy teaching in Las Vegas because the students are of a different stripe. I call them “glitzy carnies” with no disrespect intended – on the contrary, I think they’re uniquely cool. The showbiz they’re in is a certain world of its own, and this is reflected in their humor and approach to performing. Each is what some would call “a piece of work.”
On this last day of class we all were eager for the culminating performance of our
Continue reading The Musical Improv Show That Providence Made Possible
Corporate shows scare me for multiple reasons, though the cash and the non-show working conditions are so often sublime (I love to travel and stay at high-end hotels and resorts).
Challenge number one: The client usually wants the show to include improvised hilarity “customized” to the company, the president of the company, the product, and so on. This kind of thing is of course a big selling point for some comedy troupes, but in my experience the customizations fail a lot. Not always, but often. The performers may do the best anyone could, but the audience members may not
Continue reading “Cabaretto” in Miami – A Client Request I Should Have Declined
