Auditions begin tomorrow for UCBT-LA's Harold Teams. Like many people, I have a lot of opinions about this, but to start I'd just like to say WHO GIVES A SHIT ABOUT WHAT I THINK?
Instead of posting a manifesto about the ups and downs of Harold auditions and why it's cool if you get on a team, but also why it's okay if you don't, I would just like any people auditioning to watch this video because the one huge important piece of advice I would give you is:
FUN IS INFECTIOUS.
I posted this video last year, and I think it might be all I ever say publicly about Harold Audition Season. You can teach people how to ground their first beats, you can coach people to explore, heighten, and justify in their scenes, you can drill group games and openings... but you can't teach someone how to have fun.
So, what am I looking for in the audition room? I'm looking for people who don't give a shit and wanna have a good time.
Looks like UCB Harold auditions are upon us yet again - so what better thing to view than this harrowing chapter in the 37 Giraffes saga? Remember, callbacks mean nothing and if you don't see your name, they probably just posted the wrong list.
Tonight marks the start of the annual comedy freak out that is the UCB Harold team auditions. I thought, since it's on people's minds, I'd repost what I wrote about auditions last year.
I also think what Anthony King wrote here and what Jodi Skeris wrote here are definitely worth reading.
A couple other things I'd add that might be of use in your audition...
- Call it out. Whatever you think "it" might be, call it out. If your scene partner does something weird, name it. If something seems like an unusual point of view, ask your scene partner "Why?" If you're the unusual one, find a way to name exactly what you're doing.
- Justify, justify, justify. It's not what you do in the scene, but why you do it. If you have a clear philosophy behind what your character is doing, the rest of the scene will be much easier.
- I said it last year, but it bears repeating. Be yourself and trust 100% in what YOU think is funny. Something happens in a scene that you think is funny? Great. Embrace that and make the scene/game about that. All we want is to see you a: do solid scenework and b: do what strikes your sense of humor. If you have fun up there, that's the absolutely best impression that you can make.
Best of luck to everyone! And if you have any questions about this whole thing, just ask!
(Oh, and also... sorry for the fact that the audition room will probably smell like sandwiches.)
So Harold auditions at UCB LA are TOMORROW. And I know we're all supposed to be like, "Let's just have fun!" and "Well, you know getting on a Harold team isn't everything!" and "I don't have to throw up right now!" But come on. So anyway, here's some Harold advice reading material for you, I compiled. You've probably read it all before, but reading it 20 more times won't hurt. Enjoy and see you tomorrow! (but be warned, I heard the crew that's auditioning at 6:20 on Friday is really excellent will probably book all the available slots. Sorry, dudes.)
Round-up after the break:
First, start with this UCBTLA Podcast on Harold Auditions, which you can download here. It's Episode 12. It's a good one. I've listened to it an embarassing number of times since it's come out.
Then in general, checking out my Improv Reading List for inspiration, general advice, interviews from people you love, etc.
Then there's these great blogs from people you know and love:
Alex Fernie's Harold Audition Advice:
"Trust yourself. And be yourself. Do NOT try to change what you do well to fit what you think the people in the room want to see. Because we don’t want to see a bunch of identical improv drones, we want to see people with their own sense of humor having fun and showing their own styles and personality on stage."
Anthony King's Advice, which made the Tumblr rounds again earlier this week:
"THEY WANT YOU TO SUCCEED. When you’ve been watching improv for seven hours straight, all you want is for a confident improviser to yes-and clearly, build a coherent scene with their partner, and create something delightful. Know that. The sincere desire of the people watching you is for you to KILL IT."
Nate Dern has this to say, among other things:
"Make choices that you think are fun, don’t try to do what you imagine the people in the room think the “correct” move is."
Kevin Hines dropping some truth bombs:
"The most important thing is to relax. This isn’t the time to fix any weaknesses you feel you have. Audition as you are now. You either know it or you don’t. You can’t cram for art."
You can't cram for art!
And of course, never forget Billy Merritt's advice:
"Relax, this will be your only chance ever to make it in the comedy world."
I read somewhere on reddit that Jason Mantzoukas said, "80% of improv is just owning the stage." Own the stage, guys!
So, I wrote before here about my 2013 improv goals. Here's how it's going so far:
The Annoyance intensive in Chicago is happening in August.
I brought what I could to Harold auditions (didn't get called back but not sweating it).
I have gotten a lot better about not being The Meanest to myself after shows.
Here are some additional goals:
Give less care to "the rights and wrongs" of improv
Still want to get together a silent improv group
Relax. Relax relax relax.
Cheer more, critique less.
Not getting a callback to this round of auditions wasn't unexpected, and actually is proving to be a bit of a relief. I was getting so worried about improv, and had lost the fun for a while. It's coming back, y'all. And it's gonna get funky in 2013, just you watch.
I didn't audition for Harolds this year, but when I look at my friends who got callbacks, and especially those who did make the final cut, they all have one thing in common: when you see them on stage you're not conscious of the fact that they're performing. They're all funny people, but even more so, every one of those improvisors who made it looks totally natural on stage, as if they're living their lives up there. You never feel like they're inventing or playing a wacky character, you feel as though they're just being themselves, even when they're being a wacky version of themselves.
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We spend a lot of time worrying about the mechanics of improv, and rightfully so. But those who made the cut (and everyone I know who got a callback) manage to make the mechanics seem like second nature, so that their personalities are able to shine through. They play with a level of comfort that makes improv look easy and natural, the way a professional baseball player can make hitting a home run look easy and natural. Thousands of hours of practice are involved in that one swing, but in the moment, confidence trumps skill, and that home run (or that "weird farting grandma" character you're playing) fails or succeeds based on your level of commitment, your level of comfort in the zone.
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So as I grow the balls to audition next year, every time I practice or perform, my focus will be on improvising without seeming like I'm improvising, on feeling comfortable on stage, on committing to the scene completely. And really, all the mechanics we're taught, from "yes and" to "react in an honest emotional way," are there to help us look comfortable and natural on stage, instead of looking like performers doing a job. If the improvisors who made it this year are any indication, the key is to improvise without looking like you're improvising at all.
