My final for Improvisational Acting class was last night, and it was by far the best final ever. We did an improv show at Pegasus Theatre, and all the things we learned over the course of the semester came together for what I think was a great show. Everyone brought there A game, and really made me proud.
This crazy part for me was the fact the class decided to name our improv group "Matt Fowler and the Funky Bunch." We've been rehearsing for this show for about three weeks (yes you rehearse in improv), and were having trouble coming up with a name. A few ideas were tossed around like "Kitten Farts" or "Improv'ing the World", but nothing really stuck. Finally last Tuesday, we absolutely had to settle on a name. A few choices were written on the board, and then they asked me what I thought. Looking over the names, I mulled it over and said, "None of the above." I was of course saying I didn't like any of the available choices, but a few people actually really liked the name "None of the Above" as our name. Okay I thought, well that could be a cool name I suppose, and at that point thought it would become the group name.
Later someone in the class says to me, "Matt Fowler, whatever you suggest I'm going to think is a cool name for our improv group." That's cool I thought, and then someone says, "How about Matt Fowler and the Funky Bunch." There was no dissent, a few people actually thought it was a cool idea, and so just like that the name stuck. At first I felt a little strange about it. I'm not usually the type that leads things, or likes to speak in front of people, but having the group named after me made me the de facto leader, and meant I would more than likely have to be the opening emcee for the show.
In the end, it went fine. I got a few laughs with my opening, and the show was a blast. Three years ago I would have never thought I could do something like that. I took Public Speaking as a fast track class so I could get it over with as quickly as possible. I was absolutely terrified of speaking in front of people. Acting is no problem, since you have a partner usually, so you kind of don't really pay attention to the audience. But being up there all alone, speaking directly with the crowd, that was something that send chills down my spine. Last night though, I embraced it. It was just another part of the old me crumbling down. That person who was always too afraid to actually live his life. So thank you to each and every member of the Funky Bunch who believed enough in me to let me do that. It means a lot.
