I love the concept of art as therapy. Art allows us to be creative. To have fun. To step out of the comfortable. To make mistakes and be a kid again. My creative therapy of choice: improv.
Right now, my life seems to be enough of a muse all it’s own. There have been wonderful trips, fantastic work adventures, but major disappointments and heartbreaks too. Who needs fiction when your life is drama-filled; enough to either scare away companions or open the door, wide, for critics?
I need it. In these moments, we truly need fiction to free our minds.
Some great improvisors!
Last night at improv I got to be an Italian debutante, a screeching banshee, and a subtitle interpreter. My favorite character of all, brought in my most beloved structure of improv: long form. In playing a game called ‘freeze and justify’ myself and another actor found ourselves continually coming back to 1 story line. We were going to have a baby. Unplanned.
This repeating theme was crucial as it:
- Brought me to go back to my improv ‘roots’ of long form .
- Allowed us to create a story arc. In 30 minutes-with other scenes in between- we had gone from finding out this would happen to 5 years later sitting at our daughter’s back to school night.
- Pushed me to play and play deeply with this character.
I was completely obnoxious, rude, and unsympathetic to my partner’s kind ways. I got to live in the ‘all about me‘ mindset of this character. It was liberating!
It was also humorous. As I confessed that our kindergartner, Shanique was not his. I’d be happy for him to remain as “Uncle Steve” in her life, and take any monetary contributions for her.
Last night, I laughed, I loved, I hated, I screamed, both as myself or any of these characters. Solely as Kate, I lived last night.
That’s what art can do. What are YOU waiting for?
Say Yes! Change Things. 