What? Yup. Can spilling your big ideas ruin them? I'm sure not sharing the biggest ones.
This is a really important video. And it only takes 3 minutes to watch.
Essentially: state your goals in a way that gives you no satisfaction. That way, you'll still be motivated to accomplish them.
So to recap, Part 1 of "So You Want to Write a One Person Show", I spoke about discovering the Central Moment on which your show pivots.
Part 2 of "So You Want to Write a One Person Show" we looked at the moments that lead up to the Central Moment of your revelation in your solo show. We explored possible turning points and after effects of the Central Moment, and we looked at possible through lines, the threads that sew your stories together into one cohesive piece.
Part 3, Write write write. We threw out all we "knew" and explored all possible avenues. This is where the rubber meets the road–we took creative risks and pushed past our normal habits and ideas about who we are and what we can create.
Part 4, Take a break, play, and contact your muses. We contacted our "muses"–that something greater that guides us and shows its genius.
Part 5, Bringing it all together, editing, refining through performance. "The difference between a standup show and a solo show is that in standup, the character knows exactly what they're talking about and exactly what they think. And they're going to tell you. In a solo show, the character doesn't know. They're looking for something, they want something, and they're figuring it all out with you, on this ride, together. The hero has a conflict."
Part 6, Kill Your Darlings. Take some steps back, acknowledge and let go of your darlings. What is really in your work because it stands on its own, and what is there that needs explaining?What is in this piece that sheds light on some aspect of humanity never before spoken, and what is trite or cliche? The joy will come, not in hearing the accolades, but in being an instrument for something truly, humanly brilliant that touches people's hearts and raises the stakes in living their lives fully.
Part 7, Owning Your Story.
It's time to own it. Ask yourself, what did you learn? About yourself? About the world? Who are you today? Is nothing ever the same again? Is everything actually the same as it's always been? Are you ok with that? Why or why not?
It takes a lot of chutzpah to create a solo show and tell your deepest, most personal shtuff in front of complete strangers. Let alone people you know. What drives you? Is it a compulsion to over-disclose? Are you telling to much in order to push people away? Out of a hope that if they really knew you, they'd stop liking you? Cause it won't work. The more we know about you, the more we like you.
I've always loved the phrase, "Your attributes make you likable, but it's your flaws that make you lovable." After it takes guts to tell your story in your big one person show, it takes brains. Brains to work out the truth of your story, seeing it from your vantage point. It's easy for us to look at a dissheveled, homeless person and see their life story. But so much more is there than we can see. Alternatively, it's easy for us to look at our lives and see the inside version of the story. To actually see ourselves simultaneously from the inside out and the outside in, that takes real skill, objectivity, perceptivity, and honesty. Of course it's going to remain subjective in many ways because it's us telling what happened with ourselves.
So but there's an incredible amount of work that goes into being able to actually see and tell the story, and there's one final trap to avoid once we've got our script all worked out and our scenes all staged and blocked (you did do that part, right?) Once we've got our aunt Lil's voice down pat and our sister Jessie's squeal just right. The trap is that we can get so "clear" about the story that we forget to actually own it. To come to a place where we re-live it anew (without re-traumatizing ourselves… and this is a whole topic for discussion) and then we come to learn something about ourselves, to experience a transformation, on stage, in public.
The trap is that we can forget to actually be present for it. The deep deep work we've done on the way is challenging and rocky, and that time on stage is the sweet reward. It's the gift we receive and it's also the gift we give to the audience. It's the gift of us arriving at this moment through telling the story of how we arrived at this moment. It's grace. It's power. It's peace. Own it. And let it go.
These are the qualities you may be experiencing and needing to convey to the audience as you reach the climax or conclusion of your story. And notice how the actual story in some way begins to dissolve as these qualities emerge. It's similar to a photo coming more and more into focus and then as the focus gets so sharp it is suddenly so close or so far away that the image dissolves into nothingness an all that's left is a sense of Violet or Cyan or Indigo that forms a kind of sunset we all watch together. A kind of quietness, like, "Well, that happened."
So, what are you waiting for? Go get 'em, Tiger!
~
Stay tuned for "Advanced Solo Conversation: Professionals in the World of Solo Performance."
And check out an interview with solo performer and comedian Joe Klocek here.
So to recap, Part 1 of "So You Want to Write a One Person Show", I spoke about discovering the Central Moment on which your show pivots.
Part 2 of "So You Want to Write a One Person Show" we looked at the moments that lead up to the Central Moment of your revelation in your solo show. We explored possible turning points and after effects of the Central Moment, and we looked at possible through lines, the threads that sew your stories together into one cohesive piece.
Part 3, Write write write. We threw out all we "knew" and explored all possible avenues. This is where the rubber meets the road–we took creative risks and pushed past our normal habits and ideas about who we are and what we can create.
Part 4, Take a break, play, and contact your muses. We contacted our "muses"–that something greater that guides us and shows its genius.
Part 5, Bringing it all together, editing, refining through performance. "The difference between a standup show and a solo show is that in standup, the character knows exactly what they're talking about and exactly what they think. And they're going to tell you. In a solo show, the character doesn't know. They're looking for something, they want something, and they're figuring it all out with you, on this ride, together. The hero has a conflict."
Part 6, Kill Your Darlings.
You may have heard this quote before and not fully understood what it meant, so let me elaborate. It was Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch who spoke it first, ???Whenever you feel an impulse to perpetrate a piece of exceptionally fine writing, obey it ??? whole-heartedly ??? and delete it before sending your manuscripts to press. Murder your darlings.???
My senior film thesis in college was a mockumentary about standup comedy. I made a feature length film (video) in which I starred as a struggling comedian, struggling with whether she wanted to be a famous comedian or just date one. It was a lot of fun to make, and earned a high grade in a school where we didn't technically even have grades. And it was good work. But years later, I got re-acquainted with an assistant who helped shoot the movie. He handed me a DVD of my film, recut. He recut my film. From 75 minutes to 40. And you know what? It was better. It was a totally different movie and missed a lot of the points I was making, but there were about 30 minutes of purely self-indulgent material that I had no ability to recognize as indulgent at the time. In fact, if I were to re-cut the film again, I'd make it about 25 minutes long. There is a fantastic scene (which I am not in) that I directed two friends to improvise about chicken soup and sex, and it is probably the best 10 minutes of the whole film. By killing 65 of my "darling" minutes, there is an incredible piece that would be wonderful to watch. And it took 10 years to be able to see that truth.
So take some steps back, acknowledge and let go of your darlings. What is really in your work because it stands on its own, and what is there that needs explaining? What is in your work because it makes only you satisfied, and what is truly satisfying to people in general? What is in this piece that sheds light on some aspect of humanity never before spoken, and what is trite or cliche? What is in your piece that's part of some inside joke and what is a universal joke? What's there to make a secret jab and someone you're mad at, and what's there to speak truth to power? What's there to secretly impress someone you're in love with and seem clever or brilliant, and what's there that was truly channeled through genius? What's there that distracts people from what you really want to say, and what's there to artfully hide what you want to say so they'll come upon it in surprise? It's time to be ruthlessly honest with yourself, step aside, and allow your muses to speak through you. And when it goes well, let them take the credit, too. The joy will come, not in hearing the accolades, but in being an instrument for something truly, humanly brilliant that touches people's hearts and raises the stakes in living their lives fully.
Stay tuned for Part 7, though I have no idea what could follow that!
So to recap, Part 1 of "So You Want to Write a One Person Show", I spoke about discovering the Central Moment on which your show pivots.
Part 2 of "So You Want to Write a One Person Show" we looked at the moments that lead up to the Central Moment of your revelation in your solo show. We explored possible turning points and after effects of the Central Moment, and we looked at possible through lines, the threads that sew your stories together into one cohesive piece.
Part 3, Write write write. We threw out all we "knew" and explored all possible avenues. This is where the rubber meets the road–we took creative risks and pushed past our normal habits and ideas about who we are and what we can create.
Part 4, Take a break, play, and contact your muses. We contacted our "muses"–that something greater that guides us and shows its genius.
Part 5, Bringing it all together, editing, refining through performance.
I recently spoke with Paul Stein, who is a really perceptive theater and comedy director in LA, about my new show. We talked about the difference between solo performance and standup monology, and which art form this piece will fall under. It seems to be a perennial question for me. He said something I won't forget: (paraphrasing)
"The difference between a standup show and a solo show is that in standup, the character knows exactly what they're talking about and exactly what they think. And they're going to tell you. In a solo show, the character doesn't know. They're looking for something, they want something, and they're figuring it all out with you, on this ride, together. The hero has a conflict."
It's looking like my new show is taking the form of a standup show, but that it will have an arc, a through-line, through the jokes. He asked me to describe what is the one thing I most want to communicate in this show. And with that answer, he said, "Find a way to relate and further that communication in each moment, in each piece of your show. Ask yourself, bit by bit, if each segment fulfills that purpose. If not, you know what to cut."
So I'm now looking at each segment, with that central communication, that central "conflict" for my character (the fictionalized version of me that I'm presenting through my standup persona, which is sort of an exaggerated, fun-house version of me). I'm not going to cut anything yet. I put everything in chronological order for this show (at this point). And now I'm editing and strengthening each segment so that it's succinct, clear, pithy, and funny or highly poignant. It's going to take some time. I have noticed that I need my writing to be colloquial–I'm not writing a book here–and cut as many words as possible before even going on stage. When the work reaches the point where I'm happy with what I'm saying, (after many edits), I'll take it to the stage, piece by piece. I didn't do this with my last two shows, which leaned much closer to solo show than to standup.
Comedy that's already well-written and memorized benefits and grows greatly from reaching an audience. From working the material out in front of an audience, magic arises… nuanced moments, new tags, different perspectives, and an understanding of what bits are not well-communicated or just don't click. Plus, it's fun! Standup tip: Memorizing your material allows for greater confidence on stage and if you feel like riffing or deviating, you've always got a route back "home". It's a lot like jazz–learn the standards, and then you can do anything. But sit down at a keyboard with no musical knowledge, expecting to play like Miles Davis, it's just not going to happen.)
If you're not doing standup, there are many open mics that allow performers to showcase various art-forms. Storytelling nights, solo performance nights, alternative comedy shows, small gatherings at friends' houses. You can even gather a friend or two you trust to enjoy a piece from your show. Some people are really happy to hear what you're working on. They might feel honored that you'd like to read for them. In this case, you might even be able to convince them to sit for 10-20 minutes while you read from your script, drink some tea or wine, and give you their impressions.
Tips for friend-readings: don't ask "Did you like it?", but instead, ask "What did you feel I was communicating? Was it clear? How might I improve my clarity? Which parts were most engaging?" These questions guide people away from "good/bad" and toward what you really want, which is honest feedback about whether you're fulfilling the obligations you've set out for yourself. Take this as information and not judgment. And let it sit with you before you make more edits. Other people make great mirrors for us.
Continue with this refining process until you have worked through your whole piece at least twice. And stay tuned for part 6 of 7 on writing a one man show or a one woman show or a one human show…
So to recap, Part 1 of "So You Want to Write a One Person Show", I spoke about discovering the Central Moment that your show pivots on. You did free-writing about this pivotal moment and you held it close to your heart, a secret for yourself.
Part 2 of "So You Want to Write a One Person Show" we looked at the moments that lead up to the Central Moment of your revelation in your solo show. We explored possible turning points and after effects of the Central Moment, and we looked at possible through lines, the threads that sew your stories together into one cohesive piece.
Part 3, Write write write. It can be tempting in this phase to feel as if it's time to choose a topic and stick with it. It may feel like you're taking a new direction or things are "falling apart". Good. Stay committed. Create quantity now and worry about quality later. "It's all good in the end. If it's not good, it's not over."
Part 4, Take a break, play, and contact your muses. Whether it's closer to standup comedy or closer to melodramatic tragedy (not that I think you're being melodramatic), if you're following the process diligently, you'll find you may have become a little overwhlemed by looking at your life, or this fictional version of your life so intensely. Of course your show might not be about your life.. it's still going to be intense to sit with all the work that's come through you over the recent past.
This is a good time to take a little space from your project. At least three days if not a week. A good time to nap and write down your dreams, to spend time with friends who both relax and inspire you, who you tell the truth with, to read books that have nothing to do with your project. A good time to draw or paint something, to make an offering or gift to your muses and ask for their guidance. Make up a ritual or a ceremony! Light some candles! Invite that special puzzle piece, that something more into your work that you could not possibly have come up with on your own.
See a piece of theater or hear a piece of music that is truly brilliant, truly transportive. Unfocus your eyes, soften your ears. Understand how this art is specific and universal at the same time. Grok how some part of the person who created it bowed their small self to the something greater to come through them. Perhaps it was a deeper intelligence in their brain or perhaps it was divinity.. It was most certainly something that spoke softer and felt truer than their personality, their habitual way of being, their social conditioning. In Hindi, the word namastasay means to bow. Find a way to bow your small self and make way for something greater.
Ok, now. Keep a notepad (and pen!!) by your bed, keep one by the shower, keep one in the car. Before you go to sleep at night, ponder your show for at least ten minutes, as the last thing you do. When you wake up, first thing, write down your dreams or any ideas relating to your show. Do this for at least seven days in a row. Any moment you feel something coming through you, say yes to it. Write it down. Write everything down that comes, no matter how silly, how insignificant it seems.
Alternatively, you may find it helpful to create a time each day to allow this "transmission" to come through. In that case, chose a time and a place to write for one half hour or one hour each day. Light a candle or some incense at the start–whatever you need to do to mark this time and space as holy and invite that extra something in. When you complete your writing for the day, always thank your muses and "close the circle".
If it feels like things are backwards and confusing right now, this is good. Anyone can write from A to B. It's called a diary. What's happening with you now is that you are breaking some holes in the fabric of your normal understanding so the light can come in and illuminate it.
Ok, now take each incident or character or vignette in your show and put it on a 3 x 5 card. Mix them up. The sequence of your life is now like Dada poetry. Play around with it for a while. Scramble it up. Notice themes and threads you may not have noticed before. You may start to find an order you like. Make a note of it but keep scrambling.
Part 5 will be forthcoming. BTW, I am a real human and this is really being written now, so if you have questions or comments, please write to me and I'll do my best to answer them in future blogs. I am also a solo show coach and can help you work through blocks and bring what wants to be expressed into being. Keep up the good work!
Alicia Dattner