Friday, December 09, 2005

post 162. my interview from insider.

careers: making it up as he goes along

What does it take to make an audience roll with laughter? We caught up with Tim Goodwin, 31, of Rochester to get his perspective on the art of comedy.

As a member of Geva Comedy Improv (and its administrator), adjunct lecturer of improvisational theater at State University College at Brockport, and a cast member of Geva Theatre's production of Shear Madness, Goodwin is busy making Rochester a funnier place.

What does the Geva Comedy Improv administrator do?

Lots of odds and ends. I'm kind of the conduit between Geva Theatre Center and the troupe regarding administrative stuff.

What's your favorite part of the job?

It's not doing it. It's having it finished and being onstage and performing for our audience.

What's the hardest part of improv?

Being able to trust yourself. ... You have to not think and sometimes fail.

Is Shear Madness your first Mainstage production?

Yes. For me, it's important to find new things to do, and acting was a great way to do that. It's professional theater, but it's still so much fun.

Tell me about the play.

Shear Madness is a whodunit. It's really funny. I play Mikey Thomas, a young, energetic fella who gets his hair washed, 'cut' and dried each performance. He's also, most assuredly, the sexiest character in the play. Outside of that, you'll have to come see the show!

Is it difficult to transition from improv to the Mainstage?

Shear Madness is a different kind of comedy ... one that grabs you at the very beginning and just boom, boom, booms, its way to the end. There are a few habits I've picked up in improv that don't translate to the Mainstage, but improv is so important to the theater world that the basic skills are universal. All good theater looks improvised.

What's the best part of teaching improv theater at SUNY Brockport?

It's awesome to teach ... people who have never done improv before. To see them breaking down the fear of having a scene come off of the top of their head is great! ... We like to ... learn to play. Improv is play with a purpose.

What advice do you have for people wanting to get into improv?

Keith Johnstone's Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre is the bible. It is ... the basis for narrative improv. Try and remember that there are stories in every single person. Being the best you that you can be. It's what makes improv!