Following my 2.5 years wait to finally audition with the Pirates of Tokyo Bay, I was filled with excitement. Of course, passing would be lovely, but as someone without actual improv experience, just attending and surviving the auditions themselves would be a victory, and getting selected would be a massive bonus.
Opening the door to the audition venue, the waiting area was jam-packed. Around 30 people were there, gathered, all wanting to become a part of the Pirates.
That was the moment when I realized that this group is the real deal. You do not randomly have 30 people of different age groups and ethnicities travelling on a Sunday afternoon if you did not have somewhat of a reputation. At the same time, the diversity of the auditionees was really cool. It showed that comedy and performing is for anyone with skills and passion.
Trying to hide my nervousness, right after I got my nametag, I tried to start a conversation with the person standing next to me.
“Hi, is it your first time auditioning?”
“Yea…”
“Have you done improv before?”
“No….”
“My name is Jackson, by the way.”
“Okay...”
I am not sure if I was just not good at conversations or if there was a sense of competitiveness in the air, but the talk went nowhere. (Spoilers: this person did not pass the audition) It didn’t mean I should stop though. A part of improv is to go beyond our comfort zone, so I talked to another auditionee who was a lot friendlier, and another person joined our chat. We were starting to feel relaxed in midst of the excitement. We were getting to know each other until our conversation was stopped abruptly.
“Thanks for coming, everyone. Come on in!”
The door between the audition area and the waiting area opened, and one of the Pirates welcomed us in.
The e-mail from the Pirates instructed us to wear comfortable clothes and bring water, so we knew we will be doing improv games in front of each other and the pros (aka. The Pirates). However, seeing the Pirates spread across the room with clipboards in their hands as we entered the room, I felt like a sheep being hoarded inside, not 100% what to expect.
“Welcome everyone. Thank you for making time to attend the open auditions. We are the Pirates of Tokyo Bay. Today, we will go through some simple improv games and activities together. While it is an audition, we believe that it will also be a lot of fun for everyone.”
Mike then gave us all a brief history of the Pirates and its activities, and he continued.
“To be honest, even we don’t know how many people will pass. It could be 10. It could be 0. It will depend on you. Let’s get started.”
Just like that, the auditions started. My knees were weak. Arms were heavy. But I was ready for this one opportunity.
We started with some warm-up games, such as Zip Zap Zop, a game with everyone standing in a circle and it tested our ability to listen to each other and communicate through eye contact. Then we moved on to one called Monkey Fridge sth sth (I forgot the name), another activity that required us to use our voices and watch each others’ cues carefully.
I realized that these activities, while fun, were also picked to emphasize the skills of the attendees. They were not games to play on a stage in front of an audience, but at an audition, they showcased each person's ability to work with others.
The Pirates would occasionally take some time to teach us basic concepts of improv. That was excellent because we all got to learn something new and go home with new knowledge, regardless of the outcome of the auditions.
“We are now going to split into a Japanese group and an English group. Please choose the one you want to challenge yourself with.”
As the auditions continued, we moved from warm-up games to more proper improv games like Freeze Tag (I think we played that), a staple in improv. Some games involved everyone equally, but others required individuals to take the initiative to step up. We would also break into smaller groups for games like Dubstep Ballet/Bad Date. Although it was the first time the group of attendees had met, we were working together to put on a show for the other attendees, making each other laugh.
Then, it hit me. Sure, the room of 30 people was in a sense competing with each other. That is what auditions are. However, that way of thinking was in conflict with the spirit of improv. Improv performers should not be competing for attention on stage. Rather, it should be collaborative. Performers should be supportive. I believe those were also traits the Pirates were looking for. Someone who they can trust standing next to on the stage.
The two-three hours of auditions flew by, and the last game we played was Tinder Rap, with everyone attendee involved. I had never rapped. I had never danced in front of others. However, at this audition, we were given so many new things to try. I truly felt that this audition was the new experience I had been looking for.
“We will inform you of the results by next week.”
Leaving the venue, I was not sure how I did in front of the Pirates, but I was satisfied that I gave my best. Regardless of the results, this fun and challenging experience was something I could be proud of, and I reviewed the memories in my mind as I slurped down some delicious ramen in Shibuya.
“I guess I will have to wait until next Sunday to hear back”, or so I thought……
What happened next? Did Jackson get in? To be continued in the finale!
(Well, I guess the fact that he has a blog post here spoiled the ending, but check out the next post anyway!)