If the N and Q trains ever ran silently, would rent in Astoria triple, or even quadruple?

By Tumblr - Kevin Hines | Published: 7/20/2010

I’m not sure. But if the MTA would install my proposed teleportation grid then noisy trains would be a thing of the past.

Stop dismissing my handwritten letters as “jokes” or “crackpot ideas” MTA. The future is in those crudely scrawled missives.

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are you enjoying life with a cat more than you thought you would? does he love you best?

By Tumblr - Kevin Hines | Published: 7/20/2010

Having a cat is great. I have had cats in the past, so I knew what I was getting into. But I have never had such a lap cat. In fact Parker is in my lap right NOW. I’ve quickly gotten used to laying down on the couch with Parker sleeping on my chest, or curled up in my arms.

Does he love me best? I don’t think so. Catherine feeds him. She’s out of town today so I got up early to feed him, and the excitement he showed me was more then I have ever seen. But I am a close second because I have a much bigger lap to sit in.

On a side note, in this heat Parker likes to sleep right next to his water bowl, and sometimes sleeps with his head on the edge of his water bowl. Today he slipped and his head dunked in the water, and it was pretty adorable watching him walk around with a drenched head.

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What should I do?

By Tumblr - Kevin Hines | Published: 7/20/2010

Put some pants on for pete’s sake!

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I have been doing improv for 2 years. I am in the advanced courses at UCB. I have a lot of fun in class. But I have zero fun doing shows (class shows or otherwise), practice groups, or indie groups outside of class. What is wrong with me?

By Tumblr - Kevin Hines | Published: 7/20/2010

I wouldn’t say there is anything wrong with you. I think I’d ask myself what I liked so much about class. And see if that wasn’t something I could apply to rehearsals and/or shows.

I’ve gone through phases where classes where my favorite parts, shows were my favorite parts, and rehearsals were my favorite parts.

For what it’s worth, my favorite periods coming up through the classes was generally when I was loving rehearsals, because I did those more then classes, and more then shows, so I was loving the thing I spent the most time doing.

I always felt like the seeds of stuff I learned in classes actually bloomed in the rehearsals when I got to do more scenes. So I grew the most in rehearsals. I think I’m off topic.

Do you like classes because of the people in your classes? Maybe they feel ‘safer’ then rehearsals or shows where you either have less audience, or more un-trained audiences? Maybe you don’t like performing, and like it as an intellectual exercise? Maybe writing sketches would be more fun? I don’t know the answer I guess.

So back to my first point. Find out what makes you love class, and find a way to get that feeling in your rehearsal. The shows will follow.

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One problem I can’t seem to figure out is in making game moves. I can pull ideas from an opener, I can find a game, I can connect with my partner on what we’re playing, I can support, and most of the time I can play the game. But there are just those scenes that seem to slip away; I’ll know what the game is, but I can’t think of a move. It doesn’t happen that often, but it’s definitely frustrating when it does. What should I do in this situation?

By Tumblr - Kevin Hines | Published: 7/20/2010

Relax. Listen. React.

You need to reach a place where in the middle of a scene  you aren’t thinking of moves (game or otherwise) but have lost yourself in the moment of the scene. Then, as the scene goes on all you need to do is react to your scene partner and be effected as your character would be effected. Do the things your character would do in that situation.

This will either end up being a game move, or lead you (or your scene partner) to a game move.

Truthfully the longer you do this the more often that reaction ends up being on game.

Basically, by practicing improv, you are training your subconscious performing-brain to play game. Early on you are using a more conscious brain, but that keeps you a bit removed from every scene.

So when you get stuck, look at your scene partner and react to him/her. If he/she isn’t doing anything. Look to your environment and react to that. Just be effected.

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I seem to have a hard time getting and staying with any practice group. Someone put one together while I was in 201, but the only time I could make it, they canceled last minute and I wasn’t invited back again. My 301 class met 2 or 3 times outside of class for extra practice, we all loved each other, and we swore we’d make a practice group after the class ended. It’s been 3 months. No practice group. And recently, I did one of those $20 practice sessions and a couple people invited me to join a practice group they’re arranging, but it won’t be running for another month or two.<br /> <br /> I’m going into 401 and I’m not in a practice group. I mean, it’s not exactly a necessity, but I feel like I’m missing out on a major part of the UCB experience. Also, I really, really want to do something that isn’t a class show for once. Any advice, Kevin Hines?

By Tumblr - Kevin Hines | Published: 7/20/2010

The simplest answer is form one yourself. Instead of waiting for other people to get it going, do it yourself. Invite those people who said they’d invite you. Invite everyone in your most recent class (if you have their emails). Invite anyone you are in touch with from previous classes who is still involved in improv. Over invite so when people drop last minute you still have a good number of people.

I hated running practice groups too. I ran a few in my level 2 and 3, and then joined some others after those fell apart (most do fall apart after time). But I am sure I got invited to those practice groups because I invited folks to my practice groups. So I’m glad I went through the pain-in-the-butt organizing.

And frankly I think by the time you reach 401 they are a necessity. Not a requirement. But to improve, you need to practice. And to practice you need a group of people and a coach.

Good luck anonymous!

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What’s one thing you’ve done on stage that surprised yourself?

By Tumblr - Kevin Hines | Published: 7/20/2010

Singing.

I am not comfortable singing. I don’t feel good in hot spot. I’ve struggled int he few scenes I have had to sing in. I remember a rehearsal where fwand did a musical harold and I had to a scene with Ellie Kemper and even with no audience I felt horrible.

But there was a Scam show where one of the scenes I was not in was musical political debate. This wasn’t a musical show, but I stepped forward and sang about a garbage crisis. I could have easily stayed out of the scene, but I saw a move that helped the scene and I did it. And it worked.

I’ve done funnier stuff, smarter stuff, and riskier stuff - but to willingly and easily do something that I makes me feel so out of my element, that surprised me.

(And honestly even taking my first improv class surprised me. That was scary as hell.)

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Those count!<br /> <br /> I’ve been meaning to read Kane for years.<br /> <br /> Is any of this a question?

By Tumblr - Kevin Hines | Published: 7/20/2010

only that last bit.

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Tell us a story about your first crush!

By Tumblr - Kevin Hines | Published: 7/20/2010

This is an old question I never answered.

My first crush is boring, and would be a name with no story. So I keep it to myself. But I remember the first crush that I had in college. It was during my second semester of school and at that time I was skipping a ton of classes (that’s a story in it’s own right), but I discovered this girl that I had met during Freshman Orientation was in my Friday morning Math Section.

I had 3 Math Lectures a week that I didn’t attend. They were at 3pm. Huge halls of students. Then we had sections, where they didn’t take attendance, but you had smaller classes (like 20) and you simply asked questions of the TA or they ran examples.

That TA was one reason not to go. He was a horrible teacher. Anytime someone was confused he would get sad and talk about how bad a teacher he was. He would then often segue into how horrible his life was. His girlfriend didn’t attend Cornell, and his car was broken down so he never got to see her. Often many of us would lie and say that we understood so that he would cheer up. So I learned NOTHING in this section.

Also it was at 8:30am.

I went every week because I got to talk to a girl who I never asked out.

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Which DCM show are you most excited about?

By Tumblr - Kevin Hines | Published: 7/20/2010

Hmmm.

Selfishly the show I am most looking forward to is one of my own. Straight Men, a show that Dom Dierkes and I put together last year that was way more fun then I hoped it would be. I’m not sure if we can top it, and I don’t honestly care. I’m just going to enjoy it.

But a show that I am not in…. Hey, Nailed Down is back! That hasn’t been in DCM for a while (right?). Nailed Down should be a show I hate. Two guys stand, don’t move, and chat for 30 minutes. BUT - it’s Delaney and Secunda, so it’s always amazingly funny. It will be great.

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