Follow Your Fear (and other advice from Del Close)

I've been doing improv for 19 years. But, I've never been an improv nerd. I mean, I grew up doing comedy but I never knew or cared much about structures, rules, "the game" and all that stuff that I learned about as I got older. In the same vein - I've never known much about famous improvisers (like Keith Johnstone or Viola Spolin) or honestly cared to know who invented long-form vs. TheaterSports and all that.

So, that being said - I just finished reading "Guru" - a book about the life of Del Close. First off - the book was fantastic - mainly because Del Close was such a whacko dude who said crazy things, did crazy drugs and mingled with crazy people (Wavy Gravy, L Ron Hubbard, and Bill Murray for starters). But, I have to say - there were some pretty inspiring quotes in there as well... that I just couldn't escape from. I found myself relating to this crazy man in a "no day but today" kind of way. As I wrote about recently, I've been thinking a lot about the shortness of life and the importance of doing what we truly want...rather than wasting our time doing what we think is right or what is easy.

Crazy man, Del Close, seemed to have some of the same thoughts on life. And, of course, his passion for good improv; building quality scenes off of relationships... all of that is inspriring me now as well. I want to be a better improviser. And I want to live my life for today.

Anyway, here is some of the good stuff:

About life:
I was reading in the newspaper the other day about a skydiver who dived out of airplanes and did aerial acrobatics for several thousand feet. When he pulled the ripcord, the main chute did not open. And then what did he do? He did flips and acrobatics head over heels at the top of his ability all the way into the ground. Splat. Now that's my kind of guy. That's a kind of metaphor for life, isn't it? I mean, we're all going to hit the ground--splat--eventually, aren't we? So what I'm going to do is follow that guy's example and do acrobatics all the way out.

About Improv:
I'd like to see some goddamn integrity on stage. Are we so incompetent and unenlightened that we can't elevate ourselves to have some sort of dignity when we perform? You have to treat your scene partners like artists and poets. When you lower yourself, you pander to the audience and you insult your scene partner, your audience, and me.

The absolute worst thing you can do in a scene is be apathetic.

You need to conciously invest more concern in your scene partner than in yourself so you can explore all the facets of your existence and your environment.

Never blame the audience. They are much smarter than we are. If they didn't like it, it was our fault.

(To Charna Halpern before he died) Tell them that we succeeded. We created a theater of the heart - a theater where people cherish each other to succeed on stage. Tell the students - theater of the heart.

About Life and improv:
Follow the fear.

p.s. Thanks, Calvin and Sue, for giving me the book!