DCM
People are posting old and new pictures of the Del Close Marathon, and honestly, it’s a bit of a gut punch. It felt very special to be a part of such a giant monster that is the UCB. Not only as a teacher, but as a performer who worked really hard to rise through the ranks. I had an insane amount of luck and privilege to be able to have the opportunities that I had, but I also worked my ass off to get where I got.
People ask me if I plan on going again someday, and as of right now, I don’t ever plan on it. I think it would be hard for me to go there and feel like an outsider. It might be nice to go and just watch as a fan, but to go as a performer would feel off, and I don’t want that energy inside of me.
The UCB is also an ever changing beast and I absolutely do not want to be the old man saying “in my time the DCM was like THIS!” Move on gramps.
To be vulnerable for a second….sometimes it sucks to not be a part of that place anymore. Like it hurts if I think about it too much. It was like living in improv Disney World where everything is possible, and I was VERY lucky to be on the inside of that. My experience is unique and not many get to have it.
But here I am in Durham, and I get to be super proud of the growth, not only Mettlesome has had, but the triangle. More and more theaters keep popping up. New teams are being formed. I get to feel more like a Dad here, than just a member. All that work I put in up there is more useful here. The UCB doesn’t need me, just as much as I do not need the UCB. The itch I have is just ego driven, and not anything real.
But I can’t act like it’s not hard. I gave so much of my life to improv, and it’s hard to let go of that.
I’m about to have a son, and I’m going to funnel all this useless knowledge into him, and maybe someday he’ll say “I’m going to move to NYC to train at the greatest improv theater around! The PIT!” and then he’ll wink at me and I will know I made the right choice to move home.
I can't even imagine how that feels. I still reflect on really intense moments on past teams and in past projects where things just GELLED and we were yelling with joy and putting so much time and effort and exhaustion into making beautiful things happen.
And even if some of those things happened 10 to (cough) 17 years ago now, there is a different, exciting energy and passion at Mettlesome that I'm so happy to be a part of, where there's still that joy and excitement and hard times and exhaustion, all churning to make really cool creative things happen. Improv chapters! I hope the improv book of my life is a sci-fi rom-com thriller.
As a novice improvisor, at least I think I am, 4 months shy of 2 years, it is so great to hear April and you talk about things coming together and the desire to be a part of something. I am so greatful to live in Durham and have Mettlesome Theater and its community. The energy of finding like minding souls, returning to my theater roots and the opportunity to perform is so valuable to me. And I find it very exciting to be a part of entery and passion - not to mention the cool creative things that we have going on!