Lately, I’ve been looking at things that serve me personally and things that serve my career.
Since this is not about me and my personal stuff we’ll focus on the career part. As I’m culling out projects, people, and general distraction from my career (I didn’t move here to surf), I’ve had to take a look at why I’m doing a weekly improv show.
Does this serve me?
I had to think about it. There have been groups I’ve left because it was simply a case of doing a show for your friends. This serves nothing but your ego and hookup percentage. Nothing wrong with serving either of those categories but it does not serve the career (unless one of the hookups is connected).
I looked at the my current show, a two man half hour improv show called The Greene Boozer Elixir. I broke it down from three stand points of career service. Does it pay well, does it make me a better/more marketable performer, is there some long term gain I can reasonable glean.
To the first question; Does it pay well? Nope! Its theater work in LA.
To the second question; Does it make me a better/more marketable performer? On the better performer tip, I work with Mr. Thomas Greene one of the best improvisers I’ve ever seen. He is the most giving, patient and solid performers I’ve ever had the pleasure to share the stage. I come out of every show a bit more competent due to having Tom as a partner.
When looking at the more marketable question, The Greene Boozer Elixir is a weekly show at The Second City Theater. It’s at the same venue, on the same eve which give consistency to our audience and in turn helps build an audience as opposed to one night here, a different night there… And it is the Industry renowned The Second City, with a rich history which goes back over 50 years and has mega stars that have come out of it, why would you not want our name associated with this kind of action?
Which leads right into the third question; How will this serve going forward? The people of Second City Hollywood are highly motivated. Being around that kind of energy of helps stoke your own fires and well as forging relationships with persons that will be around for longer than just a season. These are people that have been here in Hollywood and will be here in Hollywood making things happen. Understand that relationships is how you build a career. The Second City has not produced mega stars and been around for 50 years by accident.
All this led me to the answer that yes, my weekly improv show does and will serve me. So, for the next 6 weeks (at least) I will be doing The Greene Boozer Elixir, 7pm Fridays at The Second City Hollywood.