[BATA] Fwd: Theater Improv Article: Kiss the Lizard & Last Regist Call Pan Theater

Thu, 9 Oct 2003 16:34:02 EDT

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From: Pantheater@aol.com
Full-name: Pantheater
Message-ID: <1ca.12314a37.2cb72018@aol.com>
Date: Thu, 9 Oct 2003 16:33:28 EDT
Subject: Theater Improv Article: Kiss the Lizard & Last Regist Call Pan Theater
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Last Call Class Registrations:
Improv Basics starting October 12th- Sundays from 11am to 1:30pm. Call (510)=
=20
393-4146 or visit www.pantheater.com

Improv Acting and Long Form Basics starting October 16th from 7pm to 9:30pm.=
=20
Call (510) 393-4146 or visit www.pantheater.com

Article:

The Importance of Kissing the Lizard
(Doug Kassel, copyright 2003)
=20
Lest you think the title refers to a sexual double- entendre of some sort of=
=20
Carlos Castaneda/ Don Juan metaphysical mushroom-eating hallucination, let m=
e=20
define the term, =E2=80=9CKiss the Lizard.=E2=80=9D

=20

This term was born one night in a class, during the performance of a=20
fairy-tale opera. The princess had to free the prince from a reptilian curse=
 with a=20
kiss. The woman playing the princess was getting caught up in the ecstasy of=
 the=20
moment and finishing her big aria. Her eyes were closed and she was in=20
another world. All she had to do was finish her song and kiss the lizard, an=
d then=20
everyone in the class could go home.

=20

I looked at my watch; saw there were only five minutes left in the class, an=
d=20
started thinking to myself as she was singing, =E2=80=9CKiss the Lizard.=E2=
=80=9D I started=20
to say =E2=80=9CKiss the Lizard=E2=80=9D softly, and proceeding to repeat th=
e term, gradually=20
getting louder and louder, as the rest of the class joined me in what became=
=20
a chant- "Kiss the Lizard! Kiss the Lizard!"=20

=20

Eventually, the princess took the hint and did what needed to be done and th=
e=20
story resolved happily ever after.

=20

=E2=80=9CKiss the Lizard=E2=80=9D became a regular side-coaching term to use=
 when anyone was=20
stalling, avoiding, waffling, negotiating, or, in any way, not getting to=20
whatever comes next.

=20

It=E2=80=99s interesting that even though the improviser=E2=80=99s role is t=
hat of a=20
storyteller, we sometimes shy away from that which will progress the action,=
 =E2=80=9Cup the=20
ante=E2=80=9D or conclude the story. Often audiences more clearly see where=20=
a scene=20
needs to go than the players.

=20

I=E2=80=99ve seen scenes struggle because players won=E2=80=99t use any of t=
he options=20
before them. No information is being given and no action is being taken. I c=
all it=20
=E2=80=9CCircling the Airport.=E2=80=9D The scene is in the air and looking=20=
for a place to=20
land, but no progress is being made.

=20

It is interesting how scenes of confrontation can fall flat when the players=
=20
accept a stalemate by not being willing to follow through on their goals. In=
=20
the example of an =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99m leaving you=E2=80=9D scene, very ofte=
n an ultimatum is followed=20
by a lengthy discussion and no action. If one party has reached the point of=
=20
ending the relationship and the other is being non-responsive, dismissive or=
=20
argumentative, why keep the scene/relationship going? I=E2=80=99ve asked act=
ors, =E2=80=9CWhy=20
don=E2=80=99t you leave?=E2=80=9D and gotten responses like =E2=80=9CCan I d=
o that?=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9CThen the=20
scene will be over too soon and he=E2=80=99ll be onstage all by himself.=E2=
=80=9D

=20

There=E2=80=99s a difference between abandoning your partner and doing what=20=
needs to=20
be done. Being left alone onstage can actually help end the scene by showing=
=20
someone=E2=80=99s real reaction to what just happened. Does he cry, get drun=
k or=20
immediately call an old flame?

=20

Do what you would do in real life! If you don=E2=80=99t leave, what is keepi=
ng you=20
there? If you don=E2=80=99t want someone to leave, what are you prepared to=20=
do to keep=20
him or her there? The =E2=80=9CKiss the Lizard=E2=80=9D in this case, would=20=
be to at least=20
attempt to leave and find out the consequences of that action, rather than a=
void=20
taking action at all.

=20

If you open a door in a scene either literally or figuratively, or in life=20
for that matter, you must go through it. If you just stand in front of the d=
oor=20
and talk about going through it, then nothing has happened and you won=E2=
=80=99t get=20
to the =E2=80=9Cwhat comes next.=E2=80=9D

=20

I=E2=80=99m reminded of the story of Elaine May auditioning with actors for=20=
=E2=80=9CThe=20
Compass Players=E2=80=9D in Chicago in the 1950's. The actors were told that=
 they were to=20
improvise a scene where they were to go into the bar and pickup the girl. Th=
e=20
actors would sit down and try to make witty small talk and Elaine would say,=
=20
=E2=80=9CLet=E2=80=99s go back to your place. "If they continued the auditio=
n, trying to be=20
funny instead of getting up andleaving with Elaine, they weren't considered.

=20

The actors got confused, because they didn't expect the lizard to be kissed=20
so quickly and without a fight. They were probably more focused on "doing we=
ll"=20
than on listening and reacting to the moment, two essential skills for any=20
improviser (and actor).

=20

Viola used to constantly coach us =E2=80=9CShow us, don't tell us.=E2=80=9D=20=
One of the=20
meanings of that is to do it, rather than talk about it. Whether you might j=
ump out=20
a window or try to kiss someone, it is better for the scene to act on the=20
impulse and then deal with the consequences, rather than discuss =E2=80=9Cwh=
at if?=E2=80=9D

=20

Doug Kassel

=20

Doug teaches an ongoing Advanced Scene Workshop for Pan Theater and coaches=
=20
the troupe on a regular basis. For more information on Doug visit <A HREF=
=3D"http://www.pantheater.com/">
www.pantheater.com</A>. No portion of this article may be used or reproduced=
 without express=20
permission of the author. Audits/Trials of the Advanced Improv Workshop are=20=
Free

P.S. This article will be posted to our Web site next week.

Unsubscribe: to be removed from future emailings reply with unsubscribe in=20
the subject line.

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Content-Type: text/html; charset="UTF-8"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Language: en

<HTML>Last Call Class Regist=
rations:
 Improv Basics starting October 12th- Sundays from 11am to 1:30pm. Call (=
510) 393-4146 or visit www.pantheater.com
 
 Improv Acting and Long Form Basics starting October 16th from 7pm to 9:3=
0pm. Call (510) 393-4146 or visit www.pantheater.com
 
 
 Article:
 
 The Importance of Kissing the Lizard
 (Doug Kassel, copyright 2003)
 =20
 Lest you think the title refers to a sexual double- ente=
ndre of some sort of Carlos Castaneda/ Don Juan metaphysical mushroom-eating=
 hallucination, let me define the term, =E2=80=9CKiss the Lizard.=E2=80=9D<B=
R> This term was born one night in a class, during the performance of a=20=
fairy-tale opera. The princess had to free the prince from a reptilian curse=
 with a kiss. The woman playing the princess was getting caught up in the ec=
stasy of the moment and finishing her big aria. Her eyes were closed and she=
 was in another world. All she had to do was finish her song and kiss the li=
zard, and then everyone in the class could go home. I looked at my w=
atch; saw there were only five minutes left in the class, and started thinki=
ng to myself as she was singing, =E2=80=9CKiss the Lizard.=E2=80=9D I starte=
d to say =E2=80=9CKiss the Lizard=E2=80=9D softly, and proceeding to repeat=20=
the term, gradually getting louder and louder, as the rest of the class join=
ed me in what became a chant- "Kiss the Lizard! Kiss the Lizard!" E=
ventually, the princess took the hint and did what needed to be done and the=
 story resolved happily ever after. =E2=80=9CKiss the Lizard=E2=80=
=9D became a regular side-coaching term to use when anyone was stalling, avo=
iding, waffling, negotiating, or, in any way, not getting to whatever comes=20=
next. It=E2=80=99s interesting that even though the improviser=E2=
=80=99s role is that of a storyteller, we sometimes shy away from that which=
 will progress the action, =E2=80=9Cup the ante=E2=80=9D or conclude the sto=
ry. Often audiences more clearly see where a scene needs to go than the play=
ers. I=E2=80=99ve seen scenes struggle because players won=E2=80=99t=
 use any of the options before them. No information is being given and no ac=
tion is being taken. I call it =E2=80=9CCircling the Airport.=E2=80=9D The s=
cene is in the air and looking for a place to land, but no progress is being=
 made. It is interesting how scenes of confrontation can fall flat w=
hen the players accept a stalemate by not being willing to follow through on=
 their goals. In the example of an =E2=80=9CI=E2=80=99m leaving you=E2=80=
=9D scene, very often an ultimatum is followed by a lengthy discussion and n=
o action. If one party has reached the point of ending the relationship and=20=
the other is being non-responsive, dismissive or argumentative, why keep the=
 scene/relationship going? I=E2=80=99ve asked actors, =E2=80=9CWhy don=E2=
=80=99t you leave?=E2=80=9D and gotten responses like =E2=80=9CCan I do that=
?=E2=80=9D and =E2=80=9CThen the scene will be over too soon and he=E2=80=
=99ll be onstage all by himself.=E2=80=9D There=E2=80=99s a differen=
ce between abandoning your partner and doing what needs to be done. Being le=
ft alone onstage can actually help end the scene by showing someone=E2=80=
=99s real reaction to what just happened. Does he cry, get drunk or immediat=
ely call an old flame? Do what you would do in real life! If you don=
=E2=80=99t leave, what is keeping you there? If you don=E2=80=99t want someo=
ne to leave, what are you prepared to do to keep him or her there? The =E2=
=80=9CKiss the Lizard=E2=80=9D in this case, would be to at least attempt to=
 leave and find out the consequences of that action, rather than avoid takin=
g action at all. If you open a door in a scene either literally or f=
iguratively, or in life for that matter, you must go through it. If you just=
 stand in front of the door and talk about going through it, then nothing ha=
s happened and you won=E2=80=99t get to the =E2=80=9Cwhat comes next.=E2=80=
=9D I=E2=80=99m reminded of the story of Elaine May auditioning with=
 actors for =E2=80=9CThe Compass Players=E2=80=9D in Chicago in the 1950's.=20=
The actors were told that they were to improvise a scene where they were to=20=
go into the bar and pickup the girl. The actors would sit down and try to ma=
ke witty small talk and Elaine would say, =E2=80=9CLet=E2=80=99s go back to=20=
your place. "If they continued the audition, trying to be funny instead of g=
etting up andleaving with Elaine, they weren't considered. The actor=
s got confused, because they didn't expect the lizard to be kissed so quickl=
y and without a fight. They were probably more focused on "doing well" than=20=
on listening and reacting to the moment, two essential skills for any improv=
iser (and actor). Viola used to constantly coach us =E2=80=9CShow us=
, don't tell us.=E2=80=9D One of the meanings of that is to do it, rather th=
an talk about it. Whether you might jump out a window or try to kiss someone=
, it is better for the scene to act on the impulse and then deal with the co=
nsequences, rather than discuss =E2=80=9Cwhat if?=E2=80=9D Doug Kass=
el Doug teaches an ongoing Advanced Scene &nbsp;Workshop for Pan The=
ater and coaches the troupe on a regular basis. For more information on Doug=
 visit <A HREF=3D"http://www.pantheater.com/">www.pantheater.com</A>. No por=
tion of this article may be used or reproduced without express permission of=
 the author. Audits/Trials of the Advanced Improv Workshop are Free
 
 P.S. This article will be posted to our Web site next week.
 
 Unsubscribe: to be removed from future emailings reply with unsubscribe=20=
in the subject line.</HTML>

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