ComedySportz Here I Come!

I'm beginning to really enjoy NOT watching television! It shocks me to have that sentence come out of my fingertips! Not having television to rely on to entertain me (gently) forces me to get off my rear and get out of the house!

Speaking of which... Ben and I caught the ComedySportz show at Cafe Caffeine on Saturday night. It was hilarious! I got a Brown Bag Foul and had to wear a brown paper sack over my head. While we were there someone mentioned the auditions that were taking place the next day to be a cast member of ComedySportz. I turned to Ben and jokingly said, "Hey, maybe I should try out." I think it stunned both of us that I said it. The minute it passed my lips I thought, "Well, I guess this... is... the natural progression."

I've been taking improv classes with Merlin-Works since September. When I began the classes I was adamant that I would NEVER perform in front of a crowd. That was not my motivation in signing up for the class. But as I think about beginning my first class of 301 (the last in the series) this week I began feeling sad at the thought of not having a group of people I'm playful and silly with every week (other than Ben!). There truly is no better medicine than laughter!

On Saturday during the day Ben and I had tried to get in for a spa day at The Crossings on Sunday but they were booked. We were disappointed but figured we'd spend the day doing yard work and going to the dog park. Instead, Ben came with me to my audition (the first audition I've ever done IN MY LIFE!).

There were 17 people trying out and the competition was fierce! I gave it my all and was pleased with my performance. Ben had given me helpful advice before we got there. He told me to never perform for the crowd. ONLY PERFORM FOR YOURSELF! That made sense to me. The more people TRY to be funny the less funny they are. I crack myself up all the time (and Ben too) so I figured if I cracked myself up at the audition, I'll crack the audience up! Easy enough... or so I thought. There were a generous handful of people there who were semi-pro improvisers and others that were just stinking hilarious. I did my best to not psych myself out and kept telling myself I could hold my own.

They didn't make decisions about the cut right away and I fully anticipated not making the cut. I was mentally and emotionally preparing myself for the news. Last night my phone rang around 9:30pm but I was already in bed so I didn't answer it. This morning I listened to the message and I heard Les McGehee's voice saying he wanted me to join the troupe. I started shaking a bit. I told Ben and he got super-excited and asked me how I felt about it. I couldn't think of anything. I was truly in shock!

I called Les to get the details and to make sure he didn't accept me just because Ben is a performer and one of his good friends. He reassured me that I made it by my own merit. He did acknowledge the large amount of semi-pro improvisers that were there as well as the talent that showed up from the community. Because of the latter they decided to take more people than they originally planned but were excited about the group chosen.

I think I am still a bit in shock. The thing that's blowing my mind is that I've never thought of myself as a "performer". In 32 years that word has never been in any description I would use for myself. Times are 'a changin'... I guess I'll have to get used to it!

The moral of this story: Never say NEVER!