Dear Friends,
Sometimes when I perform on stage I will post a notice for my fellow cast members:
When I go into "Free-Form Jazz Mode", I follow the structure of the script. However, I'll feed off of the energy of the audience and throw in my own creative whims. The result is a performance tailor made to each audience.
Of course this is an approach that only lends itself to certain styles of pieces. One can't very well go free-form while doing Shakespeare. The whole beauty of Shakespeare lies in the structured iambic pentameter of the language. But, free-form is a style that can add to the flow of modern comedic pieces. That's why improvisation has gone from being something done within the confines of a play to an art form all its own embraced and popularized by Second City in Chicago, The Groundlings in LA, and in the environmental theatre piece Tony n' Tina's Wedding running Off-Broadway in New York.
I'm proud to say that I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. Proud of having made mistakes? Of course. In order to succeed you have to take chances. When you take chances you open yourself up for the possibility of either success or failure. People who never make mistakes are those who never take chances. Sure I may make mistakes, but only because I take chances. That's also the reason I've had my successes.
"Free-Form Jazz Mode" is all about taking chances. Instead of hoping the audience will catch on to the rehearsed bits of a show, it involves taking a chance that I can latch on to their particular vibe and hand-deliver the type of performance they want to see. Sometimes that means going way out on a limb, embracing the off-the-wall sense of humor of a rowdy, late night audience. Other times it involves pulling back and catering to the subdued tastes of a reserved matinee crowd.
Whether or not to take a chance on trying something new isn't a decision reserved for actors. It's something we all face in everyday life: at work, at school, and in relationships.
Try something new - a new route home, a new approach to a problem, a new way of communicating with your partner. Maybe it will work. Maybe it won't. But you don't know if you don't try.
As always, I am your fan. You serve as my inspiration to try new things, to risk failure, and to celebrate success.
Peace Love Trust
rikki lee travolta
Review other RLT commentary
It's All Relative
Stand Against Racism
Writing About Life
Crazy Pants Travolta
Gregory Hines
Everwood
Book Excerpt: Bus Fare
Learning to Stand
A Time of War
Country Charm
Talking Frankly About Family (& Christmas)
My Fractured Life
Forever Love
Good and Evil
Man Behind the Wheel
The Little Engine that Could: A Memorial
Perceptions of Perfection
Personal Decisions
Responsibility in Communication
You Done Good
Duality of Man
Evolution of a Hero
Reason to Quit - Stop Smoking
Beware of Stalkers
Dare to Dream
Do The Right Thing
Dealing with Abuse
Mother's Day
Right to Choose
Support the Cause
Just Try
Virtue of One
Martin Luther King Jr
Free Form Jazz
Creating the News
Great Expectations
Story of a Life
Acting 101
Why I Cried
Personal Values vs. Monetary Value
Broken Hearts
Dignity over Jealousy
Community Responsibility
Life, Honesty, and Integrity
Drug Withdrawal
Christmas Spirit
Rikki Lee Travolta's debut album!
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