Improv Tech Meets Improv Thinking

Interview

The Theater of Public Policy did their first Zoom performance/Facebook live stream production last week (watch it here on YouTube). Their next production live streams on Facebook this Monday, April 6 at 7pm.  In the video below, Tane Danger and Heather Meyer from T2P2 share the conceptual, artistic, and technical choices that surround this new way of broadcasting their long-running improv show during this period of social distancing.

A few tips they shared for theater and improv in this digital landscape:

  1. Stand up! The energy is completely different when you are standing than when you are sitting down. Do reporters sit down? No!
  2. Take advantage of the new affordances in this digital space! Both Heather and Tane speak about muting yourself when you are not speaking, letting your scene/team mates finish their sentences, and “passing” the conversation to others for maximum clarity. In Zoom, as in some other platforms, there is an “audience/streaming view” as well as a “performer view.” Take advantage of this view so that your cast can communicate covertly.  
  3. Enjoy this new change of pace! Mixing up presentation styles provides a way to rethink central tenants to your practice, be it improv or theater. Which brings us to:
  4. Practice! Practice more than you usually would. It takes time to change the pacing and conceits of any genre. Enjoy playing around with tech as a cast!
  5. Solicit audience feedback! We can still get feedback from our audiences, but it may take the form of texts, emails, tweets, and Facebook comments.  While we all love live theater, this is an amazing opportunity to spread your group’s practice to people who might never be able to come see a live show.

If you have any questions about tech or best practices, T2P2 is also happy to answer questions. Destiny Davison, Marketing and Communications Manager ([email protected]), can put you in touch with the right member of the T2P2 team!

 

Headshot of Erin McNeil
Erin McNeil

Erin McNeil is a museum professional, artist, and writer living in Minneapolis, Minnesota. McNeil received an M.F.A. in Photography and M.A. in Art History from the Savannah College of Art and Design and a B.A. in the History of Ideas from William Jewell College. Her day job involves managing logistics and budgets for exhibitions. She is the Lead Editor of Minnesota Playlist and can be reached at [email protected].