I started Holy Cow! when I moved to Kansas City seven years ago, and I ended it last Saturday at the championship round of Improv Thunderdome: Season 10 (We got third place, and our show kicked ass. That tells you the quality of Improv Thunderdome.)
Holy Cow started as a project of mine at Rockhurst University. I transferred in as a junior studying English with a minor in Theater. Rockhurst had a great theater department at that time but there was no improv troupe at the school so I decided to start one of my own.
I was naiive about how much work running a troupe is, but I was also fiercely motivated and improv is super fun, so it was easy at first. We did 2 shows a year - one each semester, and it was free admission. It became quite the hit on campus by the time I graduated in 2007. I thought, "I'm moving on, so should Holy Cow." But there were some younger classmen that really loved it and wanted to keep it going, and I am selfish and it's hard for me to let other people be in charge, so I just decided to keep doing Holy Cow.
There were many, many times when I wanted to quit - many weeks where I desperately wanted to cancel rehearsal and stay at home with nothing to do...But I really loved it and I hated letting other people down (also see above about how I am rather controlling about certain things) so I kept going.
Our membership changed throughout the years, but it was always so much fun to perform. We went from being a short-form college troupe that did free shows to a long-form troupe that got paid to perform (not much, but hey, getting paid to do improv is pretty freaking awesome). I was introduced to a whole community of amazing improvisers in KC. I got to perform in 2 big-time improv festivals, and meet some famous and not-so-famous comedians. I've made great friends.
But it has come time to let Holy Cow finally end. The number one reason is I am tired. It is hard work to run a troupe and plan rehearsals and book shows and keep the momentum going.
Also, I have sort of been married to Holy Cow...spending free time in rehearsals and shows and drinking sessions (there have been lots of drinking sessions). And now it is time to go get married to Michael and spend my free time with him. (It also helps that Mike Ferris and his wife are having a baby in February, and Mark Bruce moved back to St. Louis.)
It's not the end of my comedy "career". You can still see me perform many weekends at ComedyCity, and throughout the year with Pretty.Funny. And starting in two weeks, I'll be at ComedyCity every Sunday cheering on high schoolers participating in the nonprofit program I helped start: Seriously Playful's Operation: Show!
Endings are always weird. I sort of thought I would be more sad, but...mostly, I'm just excited about what's to come. Onward and upward.
1 comment:
I think I speak for cows, past and current, when I say from the bottom of my heart, thank you. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I'll miss Holy Cow! but am very excited for what comes next. You're a talented, funny, wonderful human being, and I'm lucky to have worked with you for as long as I did. Can't wait for the next drinking session.
Cows 4 Life!
Post a Comment