Week 2: The Music Man 
A lot of the initial nerves that were in place for week one of improv class were not there for week two. I knew my classmates, and it was easy to see that everybody was starting with a higher level of comfort. It was a good thing too…this week’s exercises were all musical.
A lot of people have trouble with public speaking…even more have trouble with public singing. On top of that…the exercises were all a cappella, and for the most part we were singing without backup. Instructor Ed Trout made a point to put us all at ease from the beginning. He said musical improv, above all else, is a lot of fun. I found that to absolutely be the case.
Nobody expected Grammy-nominated performances, but Ed started us off with some basic tips on how to make our voices sound a little better. The exercises began with us all working together on a musical “jam session” and whittled down to us all doing improvised solos. Just like last week the games were challenging. But, as promised, they were also a lot of fun. We all found things we need to work on. For me…it’s trying not to over think what I’m singing about. Said the wise Ed Trout: “The fact that you are singing doo-wop about muskrats is funny on its own.”
To me, the progress we all showed was very encouraging. During the first week, it took us all a while to get out of our shells. For the second week, we all started off with a higher level of energy and confidence, and we were able to build off of that. I wrote last week that it’s not worth taking a class unless it can make you better, and in just one week I think we’re all showing noticeable success. It’s fun to see.
And, as a side note…if the market ever calls for a rock opera about muskrats, bar mitzvahs, Jar Jar Binks, and Alexander the Great’s hair weave (often neglected by history), we’re ready.
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