Wow. I was really excited about this show. When I get excited, I get these crazy butterflies in my stomach. There's so much to think about not only being in the show, but from a producer standpoint. I wanted the first show to go well (for us and for the good people of Peachtree Playhouse). I think it was awesome. The crew and some of the cast of Peachtree Battle were very supportive. We had almost 40 people for the first show, which is not a bad start at all. The audience seemed to be very entertained, and initiated something relatively new to us...applause on the edits. As Jim said when we discussed it later, that happens a lot in Chicago, but here we are playing to a room in which the number of audience members with improv perfomance experience is probably 10%, those who had seen long-form of some kind before probably another 15%, and they all "get it".
JaCKPie in the first half was great. It felt good to get back into that. Even though we had done those shows in Avondale in the last couple months, it still felt like it had been a while for me. My excitement to be doing it manifested itself in a couple of "breaks" where Jim's characters were threatening to make me bust up laughing onstage. In one such instance, "I'm not like that. I'm not in college anymore," I tried desperately to keep it hidden, but eventually gave up and edited the scene.
Jim, CNik, Mike and I performed the second half. As predicted the energy and tone of the scenes is a lot different when the four of us play together. It's a nice gear shift. CNik did a monologue on the llama in a petting zoo as our source. The audience really got into this piece too. Favorite moments include:
"Need to change the signs on those barrels."-Brune
"Don't pull! Don't pull!" and "I'm going to pet the f'in llama."-CNik
The petting zoo animals' musical inner monologues- Jim
I can't wait for the next show. Peachtree Playhouse is a great place to play. Being next door to the Vortex is cool too. I've got a really good feeling about these shows.
Additional Comments Posted by Jim:
I had a great time from start to finish. Everyone on volunteer staff showed up on time, got their assignments and went straight to work with smiles on their faces. Damian and I got the set up in record time and I had a few seconds to breathe before Chris and I went on.
The crowd was wonderful... so supportive of everything we were doing. Chris and I did a good first half... It was like a flashback to 2001 when we first did our run of JaCKPie shows. It had a feeling of retro as well as a touch of newness.
If you didn't get a chance to see this one, definitely check out the ones on the 15th, 22nd and or 29th. They will be packed with fun.
Chris and Mike came in and gave the audience a different feel for long-form by adding their signature styles to the stage. I was even able to do an improvised Llama siren song to Chris Nik since there were more than two people on stage.
Can't wait for the next show.
Jim
Another one from Damian:
Star show! Very excited for the rest of the month. I learned so much as an improviser getting to see Jim, Chris, Chris Nik, and Mike play. EVERYONE COME SEE THESE SHOWS. Get a burger next door too.
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