That Wasn't A Cookie...(die)

So, tonight during improv workshop, I had one personal challenge for myself. I wanted to attempt one more accent that I haven't decided yet to try out myself on stage in the safety of class. I wound up using a French accent. I don't know if I did it well; but I did get a laugh. 2 personal challenges completed...attempt an accent and make people laugh.

Side note: Making people laugh isn't an improv goal. It's a personal goal I have in everyday life. If I can do something that makes someone laugh, it makes me feel good...whether I found it to be funny or not. When put into an improv context, making people laugh is not the goal for the performer as much as good scene work and relationships. Put it this way; if good improv is like good cake, then getting a laugh from the audience is like icing on the cake...cake that is just as good without the icing (Dictionary Soup is a good example of this...one of THE BEST Dictionary Soup shows that I've seen had the audience crying at the end). What is important is what you give to the audience. If they laugh, it's great. If they are engaged at the ending of the scene and not board to death, that's the improtant thing...like a slice of cake that doesn't need icing...
Side note 2: It still feels good when I get a laugh...especially from the class instructor...but then again, I always liked icing.

I also got to play Cookie Monster in a scene and I got killed by a NerfBall (hence the title). But the challenge from John tonight was for me to play a steriotypical homosexual. I wasn't too sure why at the time. He had me play a non-steriotypical homosexual 2 Saturdays ago for the purpose of exspressing emotion. I think he wanted me to play a steriotypical homosexual tonight because I've been having issues with physical body movements and poses on stage; there is me, and then there is me with a hunched back. I've been trying to change but I haven't been able to based upon body size and phsicality of my body as it is. Well, if that was the purpose, well then I clame sucess. But there is a possability that he wanted me to see if I could do so without actually calling my charicter a homosexual. I never brought it up...well, not in subject anyway. I hinted at it through body motions and what not.
Anyway, based upon my issue with physicality and what not, Julie had me do an exercise in a mirror after class was overwith to walk up to the mirror leading with a different part of my body...leading with different body parts...leading with my elbows creates a different character for example than leading with my nose...or my ankle, or my butt, or my pinky finger, ect. She actually suggested that I "lead with my knees" on Saturday during class in a scene we were in...I now understand why.

I need to keep these in mind:
1) Workshop is there for me to try out things that might suck before I try them out on stage.
2) The audience laughing at something said on stage is like icing on the cake...and I will get more laughs attempting something at full force than shying away from trying.
3) Changing my physical stance could be as simple as what part of the body I lead with.

I could give more...but it's late and I didn't mention anything else.