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Curses! Did you think I didn’t know what you were up to? Well, I’m on to you, buddy!

What you might not know, my friend, is how badly I wanted to bail on it last night. I had it all planned out. I’d show up, ooops! A little bit later than I’d originally planned. Traffic, you know! And it totally would have been OK because it’s only 2 minutes. Those two minutes can easily be filled with more improv, or more break-time, sure. Everyone get more beer!

Well, I’m sorry, but I just couldn’t let you down. Not this time. Well, the material might let you down, but my physical inhabiting of the space at the time as scheduled was not to let you down. I couldn’t give you the satisfaction, of tuning in next month, and listening to me whine about how I STILL HAVEN’T DONE ANY STAND-UP!!! UGH!!!!

You tapped into this weird sense of duty, nay responsibility in me. You knew I couldn’t bail because you know how much I hate it when people fucking bail. I hate it hate it hate it Also, living with the guilt afterwards if I hadn’t done it. I’m very susceptible to guilt, (see: Catholic.)

So I did it. My two minutes (and then some, I’m sorry.)

Are you happy now Dale?

bjw3zlt

Thank you. I really needed that kick in the butt.

Quick musings on the start of my new job and what feels like a new year (because of how we’re socialized as children to see the school year to be a new year and even though I have’t been in school for a few years, it still feels that way…)

  1. I need to see a physiotherapist for my shoulder. For real. (but AFTER softball season’s over.)
  2. I’m getting pretty tired of administrative work. Can someone please pay me for my thoughts, and not my ability to print shit soon?
  3. It’s way better to take the streetcar at 7:30 AM than 8AM. That half hour makes an insanely stupid difference in TTC service.
  4. I miss working on Steven and Chris.
  5. I miss working with the people at PanAm.
  6. For two days, I feel like I’ve been in control of my schedule. Let’s see how long that lasts. (My guess, until the first JFL42 show I see.)
  7. I’m getting pretty sweet at editing our my podcast. Even though sometimes I have to splice together pieces that, for continuity’s sake, make no sense whatsoever. (Example: Let’s go bowling.)
  8. You should be on and listen to my podcast.
  9. I haven’t performed in like, 4 days. I both miss it, and am incredibly relieved to be doing other creative things that don’t involve hourlong train commutes.
  10. I went to the gym! #PointsMe

Thanks for indulging me.

Episode 6 of my brother and my podcast, The Constant Struggle, is up & we’d love it if you’d giver a listen.

This time around, Nick’s got a new writing deadline he wants to get to before he takes off to Scotland with his family. Will the trip inspire him to write something while he’s over there? We’ll see!

Will Brie survive her month of insane-work hours and continue to work on her comedy all throughout, or will she have a complete mental breakdown along the way?

Find out, by downloading the episode on iTunes or checking it out right here:

http://www.podbean.com/media/player/audio/postId/5711034?url=http%3A%2F%2FTheConstantStruggle.podbean.com%2Fe%2Fe06-chicken-pod%2F

Oh, and if you want to sign that petition to help get Kevin Smith Canadian citizenship, click here:

https://www.change.org/p/government-of-canada-grant-kevin-smith-a-canadian-citizenship?recruiter=309221733&utm_source=share_petition&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=share_twitter_responsive

Struggle On, friends!

Earlier this week I tried something I hate.

A character monologue.

I’m always fascinated by some comedians I know who seem to come up with this plethora of weird and wonderful characters, for which they’ve created this fun universe and they bring them up on stage and speak to the audience in that character for upwards of ten minutes, and people love it. They tell jokes in character. They have funny accents. They dress up.

I just hate it so much.

Not when other people do it. I just hate doing it, myself. It if were to serve a sketch, in which there were several people, no problem. I’ll play a weird and wacky character. But on my own, just speaking directly to the audience? No thank you. Well, that is, outside of comedy school and this past Tuesday’s “Bombaes.”

I wrote and performed a character monologue inspired by something Kate Mulgrew said while promoting her book last month (was it last month?) at the Toronto Reference Library. It seemed to get very little response while I was speaking it, which is bizarre. As a stand-up comic, you’re used to getting a laugh at certain points in your set. But either it wasn’t funny, or it was just not good, I felt like I got nothing back from the audience, apart from polite applause when I was finished my bit.

Stand-up, fine. You’re telling jokes, and the audience responds in such a way as to let you know whether or not your jokes are hitting or missing. Improv, GREAT! No problem making people laugh there. But this? GAH. This is PAINFUL.

PAINFUL! AND DIFFICULT!  AND SCARY!

That being said. If anyone has a solo-sketch/monologue night in Toronto, I’m totally ready for you to meet this gal. She’s a real something else.

 

If you’ve browsed elsewhere on this website apart from the front page, (or the article about the WWI brothel, which continues to get more hits than any other post,) you’ll know that my brother Nick and I have been working on a podcast over the past few weeks that deals with the ongoing struggles creative types face on their journey to accomplish their artistic goals.

This month’s episode is no exception as we delve further into overcoming rejection, navigating networking events and just getting it done!

Check it out:

http://www.podbean.com/media/player/8rght-5622a1?from=wp

If you like it, and you’re interested in sharing your creative struggles with us on an upcoming episode, feel free to write to us at constantstrugglepod@gmail.com.

 

*** *Note: the books we referred to during this episode are:

Save the Cat!: The Last Book on Screenwriting You’ll Ever Need, by Blake Snyder

Elephant Bucks: An insider’s Guide to Writing TV Sitcoms, by Sheldon Bull

The Nerdist Way: How to Reach the Next Level (In Real Life), by Chris Hardwick

SoCap gave EPBAB a Performer Spotlight! Check us out!

BygoneTheatre's avatarSoCap Comedy Blog

dsc_0012It’s another performer spotlight! This time we’re checking in with Brie Watson& Gillian English of Exit, Pursued By A Bear.

How would you describe your group?

Bladder-busting improv duo of classically trained Shakespearian actor Gillian English and classically trained doofus Brie Watson take you on an adventure into the world of the smart and silly; the smilly! Guided by dynamic chemistry and fun and relatable characters, EPBAB delight and entertain with unconventional world-views and stories that’ll leave you in stitches. EPBAB headline a monthly comedy show at the Social Capital Theatre in Toronto every 4th Thursday of the month & have been on NOW Magazine’s “Critic’s Picks” list.

Tell us a bit about the show.

This is a 1.5 hour comedy variety show hosted and headlined by EPBAB. The show features our favourite local stand-up comics, sketch and improv troupes, and a variety of other comedy acts. We try to get…

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