[BATA] Pan Theater Improv Article
Pantheater@aol.com
Pantheater@aol.com
Sun, 4 Jan 2004 21:46:12 EST
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Pan Theater's Next Class Sessions:
Improv Basics:
Next sessions start 1/25 Sundays and 1/26 Monday Nights.
Improv Basics introduces foundation techniques and concepts of improv in a
relaxed and supportive small class setting. This class prepares students for
intermediate level classes or for joining one of our troupes.
For more information on our basic class visit:
http://www.pantheater.com/ImprovBasics.htm
Long Form and Acting Basics:
This session starts 1/8
This class combines the basics from traditional theater training with the
techniques of long form improv. This introduces actors to long form improv
and improvisers to basic acting technique.
For more information on this class visit:
http://www.pantheater.com/ImprovActing.htm
Intermediate Classes:
Intermediate Improv focusing on Spolin bases technique will begin on 2/15
for six class sessions. Get the chance to study with one of the Bay Area's
leading improv performers and teachers: Doug Kassel. Doug has studied,
taught and performed Improv for over thirty years. Doug's improv career
started when he began studying Viola Spolin in Chicago.
For more information on this class visit:
http://www.pantheater.com/Intermediate%20Improv.htm
Scripted Classes
Meisner Technique:
Meisner Technique starts 1/14.
Meisner Technique I
Learn the acting technique that revolutionized American Theater. Christy
Butchers, a long time student of Meisner Sanford, will teach the basics of
Meisner technique. This class will introduce students to Meisner technique
including the famous repetition exercise. This class starts January 13th and
meets for twelve weeks.
For more information on this class visit:
http://www.pantheater.com/MeisnerClasses.htm
Auditions:
Pan Theater auditions for our Saturday troupe will be held on January 31st
visit the link below for more info:
http://www.pantheater.com/Audition.htm
Article:
MAKING SENSE OF THE MERKLE
Improvisational training helps you become more creative and spontaneous.
Part of the process includes being able to let go of logical thinking,
censorship, negative judgment, and other things to help you =E2=80=9Cget out=
of your
own way.=E2=80=9D Thinking takes you out of the moment and gets in the way o=
f
spontaneity. Improv encourages you to be able to act and speak without
conscious thought, when necessary
Our brains are conditioned to think logically. Our brains like order. We
like to analyze, choose the right word, come to the point, be =E2=80=9Cclear
thinkers,=E2=80=9D and have our =E2=80=9Cheads on straight.=E2=80=9D Sometim=
es it can be difficult
to just open your mouth and surprise yourself. For this, we have =E2=80=9Cme=
rkle.=E2=80=9D
Merkle is a term used to describe non-linear, non-associative speech, as in
words thrown together at random. All the words you have ever used or heard
are floating around in your head somewhere. The trick is to allow them to
come out without putting them in any order. (I=E2=80=99ve been told that the=
term
used by mental health professionals who treat patients who speak like this
involuntarily, is Word Salad.)
I often see anxiety in students before attempting the exercise. Either they
fear that nothing will come out, or that something will come out (as in
embarrassing or revealing).
There are 3 tools I find helpful in developing the Merkle:
1. Non-association
2. Word Rhythm
3. Found Words
1. Non-association
The first step in merkling is for the student to stand and throw out
non-associative words for a total of one minute. The only rule is that you
cannot stop. It=E2=80=99s okay to repeat words, make up words, or even rhyme=
;
anything that keeps you going. Your brain is probably going to want to fight
you because it wants to be logical by making categories and lists. Often,
early attempts at merkling are rather narrow: =E2=80=9Cred=E2=80=A6 blue=E2=
=80=A6 yellow=E2=80=A6=E2=80=9D or
=E2=80=9Cchair=E2=80=A6 desk=E2=80=A6 lamp=E2=80=A6=E2=80=9D It takes some t=
ime to be non-associative:
=E2=80=9CRhubarb, Excalibur, sycophant, dipstick, lemur, pontoon=E2=80=A6etc=
.=E2=80=9D
It is possible to use associations to get to non-associative words. As the
words come out, images may arise. The next word may come out of one of those
images. For instance, you may have said, =E2=80=9CPlaid.=E2=80=9D That word=20=
may conjure up
the image of the cute girl in grade school who wore a plaid skirt and
offered you licorice. Hence, your next word may very well be =E2=80=9Clicori=
ce.=E2=80=9D
There is no obvious, logical association between those two words, only a
personal one. The listeners will never know how you got there.
Non-association (or at least non-obvious association) is one tool to use in
the merkle.
2. Word Rhythm
Another way to approach the merkle is by ignoring the meaning and just
playing with the rhythm of the words; sort of a verbal drum solo. Each word
has its own arc or sine wave. Some are soft, long and flowing while others
are short, sharp and staccato: Lothario, evocative, vichyssoise, tick,
nomenclature, cracker, stump.
If you really elongate the vowels and/or clip the consonants, you will hear
the music of each word. Another thing to be aware of is the number of
consonants in each word. Again, our brain wants to find patterns, so if you
start with a two consonant word or phrase, the brain wants to find more and
you sometimes can get into a sing song:
Hong Kong, bullfrog, armpit, etc.
Constantly changing numbers of syllables will automatically add variety to
your merkle.
3. Found Words
I call these =E2=80=9Cfound=E2=80=9D words because you start a word without=20=
knowing what it
is until you finish it. Just start with a word sound (vowel, consonant,
diphthong) and let the rest of the word finish itself. Th-ermometer,
Gr-acious, Ph-ilatelist, E-vangelical. Once you commit to starting a word,
it=E2=80=99s pretty easy to finish it.
You can practice these steps separately, until they become second nature. I
find that if sometimes I am feeling blocked during a merkle, I will jump to
one or another of these techniques to keep me going.
Everyone has his or her own personal style of merkling. It=E2=80=99s fun to=20=
see how
different people=E2=80=99s minds work when they can=E2=80=99t hide. Some peo=
ple use short
connecting phrases to create sort of a parody of bad beat poetry:
Incandescent marmosets in cantilevered sobriety, castigating cheese balls
with Mormon distain, clutching onto fishhooks au gratin and dreams of
mismanaged portfolios=E2=80=A6etc.
Fortunately, Merkling is something you can practice in the privacy of your
own head. No one has to know. It=E2=80=99s, at least, entertaining and will=20=
help you
keep your creative channels open.
Have fun!
By Doug Kassel, copyright 2004. This article may not be reproduced without
permission of the author.
About Doug Kasel:
Doug has more than 30 years of experience in improvisational theater. He
studied with Viola Spolin at Chicago=E2=80=99s Second City, during the writi=
ng of
her ground-breaking Theater Games book, "Improvisation For The Theater=E2=
=80=9D and
performed with Spolin's Playmakers, The Game Theater and Paul Sills' Story
Theater in the 1960's. He has also studied the work of Del Close, the
creator of the seminal long-form piece "The Harold."
P.S. Doug=E2=80=99s next class will begin on February 15th. This class will=20=
include
the Merkle and other related exercises for more information visit:
http://www.pantheater.com/Intermediate%20Improv.htm
Note: To be removed from this list email pan theater with unsubscribe in
either the body or subject line of the email. Please feel free to foward the
email to friends interested in improv and theater.
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<HTML><FONT FACE=3Darial,helvetica><FONT BACK=3D"#ffffff" style=3D"BACKGROU=
ND-COLOR: #ffffff" SIZE=3D2 PTSIZE=3D10>Pan Theater's Next Class Sessions:<B=
R>Improv Basics:<BR>Next sessions start 1/25 Sundays and 1/26 Monday Nights.=
<BR>Improv Basics introduces foundation techniques and concepts of improv in=
a<BR>relaxed and supportive small class setting. This class prepares studen=
ts for<BR>intermediate level classes or for joining one of our troupes.<BR>F=
or more information on our basic class visit:<BR>http://www.pantheater.com/I=
mprovBasics.htm<BR><BR><BR>Long Form and Acting Basics:<BR>This session star=
ts 1/8<BR>This class combines the basics from traditional theater training w=
ith the<BR>techniques of long form improv. This introduces actors to long fo=
rm improv<BR>and improvisers to basic acting technique.<BR>For more informat=
ion on this class visit:<BR>http://www.pantheater.com/ImprovActing.htm<BR><B=
R><BR>Intermediate Classes:<BR>Intermediate Improv focusing on Spolin bases=20=
technique will begin on 2/15<BR>for six class sessions. Get the chance to st=
udy with one of the Bay Area's<BR>leading improv performers and teachers: Do=
ug Kassel. Doug has studied,<BR>taught and performed Improv for over thirty=20=
years. Doug's improv career<BR>started when he began studying Viola Spolin i=
n Chicago.<BR>For more information on this class visit:<BR>http://www.panthe=
ater.com/Intermediate%20Improv.htm<BR><BR>Scripted Classes<BR>Meisner Techni=
que:<BR>Meisner Technique starts 1/14.<BR>Meisner Technique I<BR>Learn the a=
cting technique that revolutionized American Theater. Christy<BR>Butchers, a=
long time student of Meisner Sanford, will teach the basics of<BR>Meisner t=
echnique. This class will introduce students to Meisner technique<BR>includi=
ng the famous repetition exercise. This class starts January 13th and<BR>mee=
ts for twelve weeks.<BR>For more information on this class visit:<BR>http://=
www.pantheater.com/MeisnerClasses.htm<BR><BR>Auditions:<BR>Pan Theater audit=
ions for our Saturday troupe will be held on January 31st<BR>visit the link=20=
below for more info:<BR>http://www.pantheater.com/Audition.htm<BR><BR><BR>Ar=
ticle:<BR>MAKING SENSE OF THE MERKLE<BR><BR>Improvisational training helps y=
ou become more creative and spontaneous.<BR>Part of the process includes bei=
ng able to let go of logical thinking,<BR>censorship, negative judgment, and=
other things to help you =E2=80=9Cget out of your<BR>own way.=E2=80=9D Thin=
king takes you out of the moment and gets in the way of<BR>spontaneity. Impr=
ov encourages you to be able to act and speak without<BR>conscious thought,=20=
when necessary<BR><BR>Our brains are conditioned to think logically. Our bra=
ins like order. We<BR>like to analyze, choose the right word, come to the po=
int, be =E2=80=9Cclear<BR>thinkers,=E2=80=9D and have our =E2=80=9Cheads on=20=
straight.=E2=80=9D Sometimes it can be difficult<BR>to just open your mouth=20=
and surprise yourself. For this, we have =E2=80=9Cmerkle.=E2=80=9D<BR><BR>Me=
rkle is a term used to describe non-linear, non-associative speech, as in<BR=
>words thrown together at random. All the words you have ever used or heard<=
BR>are floating around in your head somewhere. The trick is to allow them to=
<BR>come out without putting them in any order. (I=E2=80=99ve been told that=
the term<BR>used by mental health professionals who treat patients who spea=
k like this<BR>involuntarily, is Word Salad.)<BR><BR>I often see anxiety in=20=
students before attempting the exercise. Either they<BR>fear that nothing wi=
ll come out, or that something will come out (as in<BR>embarrassing or revea=
ling).<BR><BR>There are 3 tools I find helpful in developing the Merkle:<BR>=
1. Non-association<BR>2. Word Rhythm<BR>3. Found Words<BR><BR>1. Non-associa=
tion<BR><BR>The first step in merkling is for the student to stand and throw=
out<BR>non-associative words for a total of one minute. The only rule is th=
at you<BR>cannot stop. It=E2=80=99s okay to repeat words, make up words, or=20=
even rhyme;<BR>anything that keeps you going. Your brain is probably going t=
o want to fight<BR>you because it wants to be logical by making categories a=
nd lists. Often,<BR>early attempts at merkling are rather narrow: =E2=80=9Cr=
ed=E2=80=A6 blue=E2=80=A6 yellow=E2=80=A6=E2=80=9D or<BR>=E2=80=9Cchair=E2=
=80=A6 desk=E2=80=A6 lamp=E2=80=A6=E2=80=9D It takes some time to be non-ass=
ociative:<BR><BR>=E2=80=9CRhubarb, Excalibur, sycophant, dipstick, lemur, po=
ntoon=E2=80=A6etc.=E2=80=9D<BR><BR>It is possible to use associations to get=
to non-associative words. As the<BR>words come out, images may arise. The n=
ext word may come out of one of those<BR>images. For instance, you may have=20=
said, =E2=80=9CPlaid.=E2=80=9D That word may conjure up<BR>the image of the=20=
cute girl in grade school who wore a plaid skirt and<BR>offered you licorice=
. Hence, your next word may very well be =E2=80=9Clicorice.=E2=80=9D<BR>Ther=
e is no obvious, logical association between those two words, only a<BR>pers=
onal one. The listeners will never know how you got there.<BR><BR><BR>Non-as=
sociation (or at least non-obvious association) is one tool to use in<BR>the=
merkle.<BR><BR>2. Word Rhythm<BR><BR>Another way to approach the merkle is=20=
by ignoring the meaning and just<BR>playing with the rhythm of the words; so=
rt of a verbal drum solo. Each word<BR>has its own arc or sine wave. Some ar=
e soft, long and flowing while others<BR>are short, sharp and staccato: Loth=
ario, evocative, vichyssoise, tick,<BR>nomenclature, cracker, stump.<BR><BR>=
If you really elongate the vowels and/or clip the consonants, you will hear<=
BR>the music of each word. Another thing to be aware of is the number of<BR>=
consonants in each word. Again, our brain wants to find patterns, so if you<=
BR>start with a two consonant word or phrase, the brain wants to find more a=
nd<BR>you sometimes can get into a sing song:<BR>Hong Kong, bullfrog, armpit=
, etc.<BR><BR>Constantly changing numbers of syllables will automatically ad=
d variety to<BR>your merkle.<BR><BR>3. Found Words<BR><BR>I call these =E2=
=80=9Cfound=E2=80=9D words because you start a word without knowing what it<=
BR>is until you finish it. Just start with a word sound (vowel, conson=
ant,
<BR>diphthong) and let the rest of the word finish itself. Th-ermometer,
<BR>Gr-acious, Ph-ilatelist, E-vangelical. Once you commit to starting=
a word,<BR>it=E2=80=99s pretty easy to finish it.<BR><BR>You can practice t=
hese steps separately, until they become second nature. I<BR>find that if so=
metimes I am feeling blocked during a merkle, I will jump to<BR>one or anoth=
er of these techniques to keep me going.<BR><BR>Everyone has his or her own=20=
personal style of merkling. It=E2=80=99s fun to see how<BR>different people=
=E2=80=99s minds work when they can=E2=80=99t hide. Some people use short<BR=
>connecting phrases to create sort of a parody of bad beat poetry:<BR><BR>In=
candescent marmosets in cantilevered sobriety, castigating cheese balls<BR>w=
ith Mormon distain, clutching onto fishhooks au gratin and dreams of<BR>mism=
anaged portfolios=E2=80=A6etc.<BR><BR>Fortunately, Merkling is something you=
can practice in the privacy of your<BR>own head. No one has to know. It=E2=
=80=99s, at least, entertaining and will help you<BR>keep your creative chan=
nels open.<BR><BR>Have fun!<BR><BR>By Doug Kassel, copyright 2004. This arti=
cle may not be reproduced without<BR>permission of the author.<BR><BR>About=20=
Doug Kasel:<BR>Doug has more than 30 years of experience in improvisational=20=
theater. He<BR>studied with Viola Spolin at Chicago=E2=80=99s Second City, d=
uring the writing of<BR>her ground-breaking Theater Games book, "Improvisati=
on For The Theater=E2=80=9D and<BR>performed with Spolin's Playmakers, The G=
ame Theater and Paul Sills' Story<BR>Theater in the 1960's. He has als=
o studied the work of Del Close, the<BR>creator of the seminal long-form pie=
ce "The Harold."<BR><BR>P.S. Doug=E2=80=99s next class will begin on Februar=
y 15th. This class will include<BR>the Merkle and other related exercises fo=
r more information visit:<BR>http://www.pantheater.com/Intermediate%20Improv=
.htm<BR><BR>Note: To be removed from this list email pan theater with unsubs=
cribe in<BR>either the body or subject line of the email. Please feel free t=
o foward the<BR>email to friends interested in improv and theater.<BR><BR></=
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