Musical Improv Workshop and First Fringe Performance!

The morning’s routine was slightly different: the cast of Baby Wants Candy, a fully-improvised musical, came for a special improv workshop with us! We learned some of the ins-and-outs of musical improvisation, with Allie, one of the amazing cast members, and Adrian, the brilliant keyboard player, guiding us through the whole process. We learned about the structure of the song chorus, then the verses, and finally, the bridge. After exercises that involved us making songs about being an Astronaut, a craving for Chipotle, and going to Disney World, we finished off the workshop with a bang—improvising a whole song, complete with a quickly constructed dance routine and jazz hands. We’re also going to see the Baby Wants Candy show in a couple of days, and I couldn’t wait to see what the title for the musical is going to be!

 

After a quick lunch, we headed off to a show by one of the high schools in AHSTF—The Curious Case of Groesneck, TX.  In this show, we were introduced to the inhabitants of a rowdy tavern-turned-spa in tiny Groesneck, Texas, and things take an unexpected turn when famous Scottish novelist Robert Louis Stevenson arrives at their doorstep. When the cast gave their bows, we all clapped and cheered, and I was amazed by how dedicated they were to their characters. Every character stood out, and we never lost a single word—even with their perfect Southern drawl. The stakes for our show may have been high before, but the amazing performance that we just saw raised them to unprecedented heights. We were determined to make our performance perfect.

 

For now, an afternoon of Fringe fever awaits! Holly, Charlotte and I made our way to Chicken, a play which Harriet and Evelyn had enthusiastically recommended. For the next hour, we watched in fascination as the actress—in full chicken costume, with head-bobbing and clucking to match—narrated her life as  “not a chicken, but a proud Irishman”, and her acting career in New York. Towards the end of the show, she tore off her costume, leaving feathers under our seats, and we cheered as she burst out of the basement door. As I walked out of the show, I couldn’t help but muse about the play—it’s a show that, while odd, seemed to make perfect sense at the Fringe. 

 

Finally, for our big event of the night—our performance. Although we were as loud and enthusiastic as can be, there was an undercurrent of apprehension. This is our first performance in the Fringe—could we make it count? I could feel my heart pumping furiously as I helped with setting up before the show, reviewing my Prologue routine with Holly, and quickly going backstage as the house opened. Despite small accidents and hiccups, the show went smoothly, and we were proud of ourselves—people loved our show! Our energy was fully charged for our next show, and we were determined to fix everything before our 12PM performance on Day ten.

 

 We had another event in store before heading off to bed though—watching A Naff Play About Spies! Love, humor, and betrayal abounded in this play, and while the plot-twists took us on a rollercoaster ride, the hilarious show marked an end to our eventful day.