How long are you going for? 2 weeks!
What exactly will you be doing while you’re there? I’m gonna be doing a tailor-made residency focusing on solo-improv, made up of a series of private coaching sessions in the day-times, checking out improv stuff at night!
Who will you be doing it with? Two of my FAVOURITE people on Planet Earth. The first is Gary Austin. He founded The Groundlings (where the likes of Will Ferrell, Lisa Kudrow and many many more have come out of. Helen Hunt even thanked him in her Oscar speech) and is generally regarded as one of the finest improv teachers around. I had the tremendous fortune to meet and work with Gary last year when I went to the Masterclass in NYC and connected with him immediately. I am beyond excited to work with him again, particularly in such a focused way and in the area with which I need the most help. I’ve heard people speak so highly of his solo improv exercises (I’ve heard whispers on the breeze already of a pretty famous one he does called 42nd street…sounds tremendous) so yes. Will be most cool indeed!
The second is Michael Pollock, who literally wrote the book on musical improv. We first met many moons ago when I did his intensive workshop in Vegas, where this vid was shot on our graduation. I LOVE him. He is a genius at both the doing and the teaching. And musical improv is my complete and utter passion in this life. I’ve experimented with solo musical improv (including accompanying myself on the keyboard) quite a bit since that time, but am so looking forward to getting into the meat of what else is possible with him!
What’s the grant that you got? The grant is courtesy of the Ian Potter Cultural Trust, a fantastic organisation that supports early career artists to undertake overseas professional development.
Who’s looking after your kids while you’re gone? I have a most wonderful nanny who is moving into Fort Comic Mummy to hold the…well, Fort…while I’m away. Yes, I am pretty crazy lucky.
Are you going to miss them like crazy? Ehem. I don’t want to think about it. The first time I left them for an overseas trip I spent the first 8 days bursting randomly into tears. It nearly ripped my heart out. These days of course, we have skype, which helps. But I am firmly resolved to just make sure I make the most out of every damned minute so it is WORTH being away from them for. Bring it AWN!
What are you most excited about? Oh gees, I don’t know. Everything. The night I fly in I’m going to see an amazing improv show that Gary Austin is directing, featuring Helen Hunt, Helen Slater (who I used to adore in Supergirl when I was a wee lass) and many more amazing folks. Excuse me. AAAAGGGGGHHHHHH!!!!!
Why are you still typing?
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