Suddenly, it’s warm in Amsterdam. And I have assumed the voice of a traveling journal-ista. The Leidseplein is cluttered with tables, chairs, and unfurled Coca Cola umbrellas. The wind no longer cuts through clothes – instead, its a cool and welcome draft that breezes lazily along the canals in time with newly untied paddle boats.
The new show posters are up. Boom Chicago Saves the World. I’m guessing that the opening of the show is the official start of Spring. Regardless, it’s creeping in nicely.
And last week, while our Singapore crew reclaimed the rehearsal process, five of us went to Seville to teach millionaires how to improvise. For four days, I was in Spain with Brendan, Jordan, Jim and Ken. Now, Seville was supposed to be the sun’s city, but we fearless Boom actors found it only cold and grey. Only on Monday was it sunny at all, or nearly sunny at least. I had Tapas for the first time, and Sangaria – all on the first evening, at a café hidden down some cobblestone side street.
The second day in Sevilla was begun with a show at eight in the morning, for a room of Basell employees. We won them over, as we always do, and then met in the lobby to walk the city. We saw the 3rd largest Cathedral in the world. We got lost in alleys that were closely framed with the most vibrant, yellow buildings. I took 6 pictures before my camera ran out of batteries. Jordan bought a Dungeons and Dragons game at a tiny comic book store, and learned how to play it while the rest of us took naps and showers. We closed off the evening with a game of Dragonlance – because all improvisers are dorks – and then went to bed early.
The next day was the Bus. My favorite part of the entire week. We drove for an hour and a half into the Spanish countryside, and Jordan and I talked about Action Movies and Anime as orange orchards passed by in thick clouds of green. We stopped at a Bull farm (complete with small arena), and taught the aforementioned employees how to do Word-At-A-Time stories. Our boots got muddy – I don’t think Boom teaches classes outside often … Pheasants walked around while Italian men did scenework. The Improv Championship show was held in a farmhouse, and then we took taxis back to Seville and Brendan listened to the Aresenals game on Spanish radio.
This weekend, I walked Amsterdam with Sophie Michel, and found a new café along the Prinsengracht. Strange to find myself 2 hours away from her – it will be very nice to carve out a new friendship with an old friend.
Every day is wonderful, emotional, exhausting, and above all, critical.
And the new show is going to be pretty funny.