No Shame Iowa City 4-9-10
We had a show! Back in our home, Theatre B. Order in the comments.
Labels: Iowa City
posted by Katy Baggs at 12:54 AM
A blog for the National No Shame Theatre community. To find a post relevant to your location, simply peruse the "Posts Menu" on the right, and click. Then click on comments to participate in the discussion
21 Comments:
1. Nothing by No one
David sings the Blind Melon song.
2. A Play, Written by My Uncle, Performed Backwards, with Four out of Every Five Lines Removed by Asher Stuhlman
What it says in the title. "DISAPPROVAL!"
3. Ginger People Do Have Souls: A Response by Triple Seamus McShawn Swoggle
A ginger lady emphatically insists that they do NOT.
4. Failed Sketches Part I: Stuck in the Middle with You by Chikkin' and Biscuits
Eli argues with a bust of JFK.
5. A Critique of "Your Story" by James S. Roth
James that tears that a bad story to that shreds.
6. Why No One Should Travel Alone at Night by Morgan Miller
A woman thinks she's being lured into peril at a bus station at night, but it was she who was the trickster.
7. Corey Julian's Workout by Corey Julian
He works out to "Sweet Dreams" by the Eurythmics.
8. A Creation Story by Spencer Abbe
A hobo tells a hobo creation story. Big Beard saw that it was gooood.
8.5 Lemme Tell You What the Score Is by evn skenk
Evan yells at Luke and walks a punch onto him.
9. What I Remember from the Lord of the Rings Movies by Someone Who Never Read the Books
I give you my rundown of what happened in the LOTRs.
10. Emo Kids by Taylor Cook
A song about emo kids! Tight pants! Shirts with stripes!
11. A Previous Best Of Piece because I can't come up with anything better: A Deep, Intellectual Monologue about my Feelings by Eli Wilkinson
Kjai lets out his feelings about his DAD!
1. I thought he was singing Basket Case with altered lyrics at first.
2. Sometimes I write plays where the gimmick's explained in the title. It always disappoints me when I'm just called up by name.
Also: Props to my uncle for giving me permission to perform this spindled and mutilated version of his play!
3. Well done.
4. I don't think this can be described as 'failed' in the least.
5. THE VICIOUS CRITIC! I have read every one of these essays in one incarnation or another.
6. This was brilliant. As such, I am preliminiminarily nominating it for Best Of.
7. At this point, I remembered I had a camera, and knowing what was coming, did the only responsible thing: took video. And here it is: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kAVh5ONrzY4
8. The harmonica was epic. I loved the getup too. And the story. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T4x29Q6EO68
8.5. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEpbJDbLqu8
9. I didn't get video from this. I was actually somewhat disappointed by it, because it was a pretty accurate retelling of the LotR saga, all things considered.
10. I love his songs, and this is no exception.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txevq-vbfTg
11. I enjoyed this a lot, and I can see why this was a best-of, dad! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1_ubbhBrCc
Hey, that's cool, but can people who tape the show say they're taping it in case people don't want their piece on Youtube?
1. Nothing by No one
Blind Melon sure can write a pretty okay song.
2. A Play, Written by My Uncle, Performed Backwards, with Four out of Every Five Lines Removed by Asher Stuhlman
This was pretty good. Since we knew what the modifications were it was actually possible to tease out some kind of meaning from it, and at times it seemed to make a kind of transcendent sense.
3. Ginger People Do Have Souls: A Response by Triple Seamus McShawn Swoggle
The red-haired Jewish woman who did this piece was very good at expressing anger on stage. Very effusive. The piece was funny, although I haven't see the youtube thing it referred to. I liked it when she threatened to cut people.
4. Failed Sketches Part I: Stuck in the Middle with You by Chikkin' and Biscuits
I thought he was going to reveal that he had fucked the bullet hole in JFK's head and that's why he had blood on his dick.
5. A Critique of "Your Story" by James S. Roth
I'm amazed that he actually turned in peer reviews with that kind of stuff in it, because usually people feel some pressure not to just rip on people. I laughed a lot.
6. Why No One Should Travel Alone at Night by Morgan Miller
This was a pretty good piece. I liked how the officer just whacked the guy on the skull and left without cuffing him, or filing an incident report, or anything. Comedy can come from a lot of angles.
7. Corey Julian's Workout by Corey Julian
This was a really good physical piece that I actually liked a lot. This guy was not afraid to put his junk right out there. His physical size is an asset, too, because he's a big guy and he seems to know how to use that on stage.
8. A Creation Story by Spencer Abbe
Good piece. The best part was when he blew in the harmonica on the wrong side, then did it again, correctly. A funny little gag. Spencer has a good sense for comedy.
8.5 Lemme Tell You What the Score Is by evn skenk
Sometimes I like to get on stage and do some ad-lib stuff. Man I punched Luke so hard.
9. What I Remember from the Lord of the Rings Movies by Someone Who Never Read the Books
I give you my rundown of what happened in the LOTRs.
10. Emo Kids by Taylor Cook
This was a good song. I still don't like emo kids, though, because they usually don't actually keep to themselves all that well.
11. A Previous Best Of Piece because I can't come up with anything better: A Deep, Intellectual Monologue about my Feelings by Eli Wilkinson
Classic. Kjai definitely put a subtly different spin on it than the previous versions. Shelton originally performed it, and he had a more powerful stage presence than most people, but Kjai seemed to have maybe more depth to it? Can't say which was better, but this version was excellent.
@Katy - Good call. I'll take down any of these if anyone asks and I'll let people know next time I have a camera on me.
@evn - On piece #11: I haven't seen the original, but one thing Kjai did that contributed heavily to the humor was delaying the word "Dad" near the end of some sentences for comic tension: the audience knew what the word would be, but it was when he was going to say it that produced a bit of humor.
Richard Shannon Hoon (September 26, 1967 – October 21, 1995) was an American singer-songwriter and musician whose themes centered mostly on depression and suicide. He was the frontman and lead singer of the band Blind Melon until his death at the age of 28 in 1995 from a drug overdose/possible suicide. He has not been replaced.
Just a year and a half after Cobain. Don't do what they did, everybody! Unless it's songwriting.
Friends & Mental Illness
***section abbreviated***
Too many people respond negatively when confronted with a friend's mental illness, and this only fuels the stigma surrounding the diagnosis. Conditions like depression, schizophrenia, and anxiety disorders affect a person's body. The emotional and psychological aspects of mental illness make supportive friends and family even more important to a person's recovery.
Myth: People with mental illnesses are violent and unpredictable.
Fact: Actually, the vast majority of people with mental health conditions are no more violent than anyone else. People with mental illnesses are much more likely to be the victims of crime. You probably know someone with a mental illness and don't even realize it.
Studies have shown a friend's support during recovery lessens the time it takes for the patient to recover by a considerable amount.
So, now you know you can help just by being there and offering your reassurance, companionship, emotional strength, and acceptance. You can make a difference just by understanding and helping your friend throughout the course of his or her illness and beyond.
***Out***
Jjaro,
Despite what some people have said on this blog, the people at No Shame want to like you and your material. Some of the things you've only posted here on the blog are quite good, and you shouldn't be afraid to perform them onstage. No one comes to No Shame hoping people will fail. But if you assume they do and lash out at them for their perceived animosity toward you, you create a self-fulfiling prophecy.
What the audience really wants is a performer who commits to the material they choose to bring. Even if viewers don't love it because of their own respective tastes, they will respect a peformer with conviction. Believe in what you do, and even if it seems like no one respects it, someone probably does.
Yes, I'll second that. Jjaro, you have posted a lot of your writing here and you are free to perform any of it onstage.
Performing equates a loss of identity; then I will have none instead of many. I prefer to live as waves anyway. I like it.
Performing? I prefer not to. Not where I can be compromised, anyway. Besides, don't you like guessing? You've done a banged-up job of it so far.
All I have written here, more or less, has been copypasta. That means I've taken it from somewhere else not because I'm greedy and like to call things my own but because I feel a need to share it, for it has so irked me in a fundamental way and I want to see if it'll irk others too.
In short, I want to see if what you see matches what I see, and if it doesn't, then some discussion will hopefully get us there. I open doors for a living, and I know others must choose to walk through them.
All this you tell me, I already know. I predicted, with my power, how you'd all react, how you'd all miss the point of my initial mockery (but of whom or what?), how this would all spiral down as according to the unseen Script. Despite my power, I am powerless to stop it. But I'm still changing, still rearranging.
So why try? I'm not anymore. I just do, and do what feels right.
(Snot Nosed is my lover
we fuck each other
all the time)
"The truth is: I do not know... I seek... I have not yet found. Only with this in mind can I feel alive and look at you without shame."
Jjaro, if you don't actually care about No Shame and just want to copy and paste other people's work, put it on your own blog.
Anonymous, had you taken the time to click a few of the links I've posted, you would see how irrelevant your comment truly was.
I do care about No Shame. I just know there's nothing to be done, no tools to fix it with. Because the people in power are unwilling to listen because they get defensive. Nobody wants to be the bad guy. But it's not about that, it's not about the pantomime of good versus evil, it's about the ends justifying the means, getting what needs done done, and leaving it at that.
1. Nothing by No one
Unless I was missing something, I fail to see how this satisfies the originality rule.
2. A Play, Written by My Uncle, Performed Backwards, with Four out of Every Five Lines Removed by Asher Stuhlman
I enjoyed this piece, out of a jumble of nonsense, some meaning could still be taken.
3. Ginger People Do Have Souls: A Response by Triple Seamus McShawn Swoggle
Hilarious parody. I hope she continues performing and submitting pieces.
4. Failed Sketches Part I: Stuck in the Middle with You by Chikkin' and Biscuits
Funny, but would have been better if I didn't see the rabbit being zipped into his pants before it began.
5. A Critique of "Your Story" by James S. Roth
So true. After hearing this, critiquing horrible stories might be more bearable.
6. Why No One Should Travel Alone at Night by Morgan Miller
Good performances by the actors, nice mix of verbal and physical humor.
7. Corey Julian's Workout by Corey Julian
As much as I didn't need to see that, it was amusing nonetheless.
8. A Creation Story by Spencer Abbe
Spencer makes an oddly convincing hobo. I've yet to see him submit a piece I didn't find entertaining
8.5 Lemme Tell You What the Score Is by evn skenk
Senseless and preposterous violence is always fun to watch.
9. What I Remember from the Lord of the Rings Movies by Someone Who Never Read the Books
If your objective was to make me laugh and feel better about my own lack of LOTR knowledge, mission accomplished.
10. Emo Kids by Taylor Cook
Writing something funny is one thing. Writing something funny to music is another. Good job!
11. A Previous Best Of Piece because I can't come up with anything better: A Deep, Intellectual Monologue about my Feelings by Eli Wilkinson
A somewhat-depressing yet delightful parody given new life by Kjai, who was, as usual, excellent.
"I do care about No Shame. I just know there's nothing to be done, no tools to fix it with. Because the people in power are unwilling to listen because they get defensive. Nobody wants to be the bad guy. But it's not about that, it's not about the pantomime of good versus evil, it's about the ends justifying the means, getting what needs done done, and leaving it at that."
Is this all because Eli wouldn't let you put in multiple pieces that one week?
Okay. My patience has worn thin on this.
"I just know there's nothing to be done, no tools to fix it with. Because the people in power are unwilling to listen because they get defensive."
When have you ever come up to me and said, "Hey Eli, if you have the time I have some suggestions that will make the show better."? Never. You have mainly vented your disagreements on the blog which come of as more destructive than constructive. You know what I mean?
Instead you handled yourself on this blog in a way that was not befitting of a man of your intelligence. I've read your work. It's good. Needs some revision (like we ALL do) but it is good material. But when your first post on this blog (and I looked) said things like:
"What the menstrual fuck are you going on about? ..." and "Don't take this the wrong way, brah, but do kindly remove yourself from this conversation. Your lack of grasp on the subject cannot be more outlined than by your clichéd bits of wisdom you must have..."
Don't you see how that is just a tad bit antagonizing? So then how can you logically be expecting people to take your thoughts and suggestions seriously?
Tell you what. You have some ideas to help the show? I'll be there this Friday night. Come and talk to me. I have been on the board the longest. I generally handle the nuts and bolts aspect of the show. Talk to me. Don’t take this out on certain members when you haven’t even talked with some of us in person. Only then can you say that we are “unwilling to listen.” Because so far the only thing you have spoken to me about is story ideas.
“Nobody wants to be the bad guy. But it's not about that, it's not about the pantomime of good versus evil, it's about the ends justifying the means, getting what needs done done, and leaving it at that.”
So you aim to essentially end the show by getting rid of the Board (who do more than just take the order and run the show, I might add) and ruin everyone else’s fun just because it doesn’t suit your means? What then? Are you going to restart the show yourself? Who would come? How would you write the rent check to the University?
Also if your intention is to indeed destroy the show then I am sorry but you are not the first person to think of that. Look up Jamal River and Chris Stangl for more on that. They came to No Shame with the intention of destroying it. So they had the same idea as you when you were in 4th grade.
1. Nothing by No one
Left me feeling awkward...
2. A Play, Written by My Uncle, Performed Backwards, with Four out of Every Five Lines Removed by Asher Stuhlman
Extremely enjoyable. I liked that it left the audience to their own devices to come up with what the story was actually about.
3. Ginger People Do Have Souls: A Response by Triple Seamus McShawn Swoggle
Having seen the referenced material I found this hilarious. She really committed to the piece.
4. Failed Sketches Part I: Stuck in the Middle with You by Chikkin' and Biscuits
Nothing fail about this at all.
5. A Critique of "Your Story" by James S. Roth
I have wanted to do this for so long...it reminds me of earlier this year when someone read a piece by a business student.
6. Why No One Should Travel Alone at Night by Morgan Miller
It had a pertinent message about reverse sexism in modern society that I appreciated.
7. Corey Julian's Workout by Corey Julian
Mmmmm...work it.
8. A Creation Story by Spencer Abbe
The harmonica and costume were nice touches.
8.5 Lemme Tell You What the Score Is by evn skenk
Now I know what the score is.
9. What I Remember from the Lord of the Rings Movies by Someone Who Never Read the Books
I laughed a lot at this while my inner nerd cried itself to sleep.
10. Emo Kids by Taylor Cook
(see first in the order)
11. A Previous Best Of Piece because I can't come up with anything better: A Deep, Intellectual Monologue about my Feelings by Eli Wilkinson
Daddy issues are hilarious.
To answer your question of whether my piece was a fail or not. Simply the reason I called it a "Failed Sketch" was because I had written a good portion of it years ago and had not finished it. It was one of those pieces I sacrificed and gave up on in favor of another piece that I thought was better.
Snot Nosed. That doesn't matter. Can't you see the ends that I have in mind?
Eli. I'm surprised by you. You keep guessing in the dark like that and you might land in something dangerous.
To answer your questions: Yes. I was being antagonistic on purpose. I needed to create a big enough stink to get noticed, otherwise I wouldn't be taken seriously. But I'm sick of hearing how No Shame is going down the tubes, how the board puts such a slant on everything, how they rule with an iron fist, how they forge the Best Of nominations, and everything else I've heard.
This might come as a surprise to you, it might not. It matters not. I just have ideas on how to make No Shame better, because I think I can see where things are weak, and I though I want to make them stronger, I just have this stigma where I believe nobody likes change and nobody likes someone who seems like a know-it-all, and that all makes me very angry, like begging for mercy.
I'll be honest: I don't know where this path goes, but I do know where I'd like it to go, even if I'm a little shy about saying so. Plus I'm flexible.
I just feel like I have some talents that No Shame should be making us of, that's all.
So are you saying you haven't said anything directly because you assumed no one would want to listen to you anyway? Self-fulfilling prophcecy, my friend.
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