Working in the theater has a lot in common with unemployment. Somebody said that once, and actors have quoted it ever since.
October has been the opposite of that for Tim Stoltenberg. A veteran of Dad's Garage, where he's improv director, Stoltenberg was one of two Atlanta-area actors picked to perform with Chicago's famed Second City comedy troupe for its Atlanta-themed revue at the Alliance Theatre. "Too Busy to Hate ... Too Hard to Commute" runs through Oct. 26.
But Stoltenberg still works at Dad's. So on Saturdays this month, he teaches an improv class there in the morning, heads to matinee and evening performances with Second City at the Alliance, then sprints to make a 10:30 improv show at Dad's. His day doesn't end until after midnight.
"In my experience," said Stoltenberg, 30, "it happens all at once or there's nothing at all."
A Saturday in the life of a madly employed actor:
9:45 a.m.: Breakfast sandwich at Burger King during drive from Midtown apartment to Dad's Garage in Inman Park. Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg playing inside. Conclusion: "Coolest BK ever."
10:03: Begins improv class for 14 people, ranging from young actors to a 60-year-old woman. Stoltenberg's first rule: "No judgments, no consequences."
10:26: Exercises begin. In one, students are told to form, without talking or touching, shapes and concepts: circle, square, plus sign. Washington crossing the Delaware. A quiet day at the library. The color blue. There's a point. Stoltenberg: "Inside all of us is a need to connect. But we put up walls. In improv, we break down those walls. People freak out when there are no rules. As you go along, see if you can relieve yourself of that crutch. If it goes down in flames, what happens? No consequences. Now when you walk out that door, there are consequences."
12:20 p.m.: Runs into actor doing kids show at Dad's. Actor is dressed to look like he's been beaten up. Stoltenberg asks who he is. Actor: "Dow Jones. I'm teaching the kids about the market." Stoltenberg: "I love Dad's Garage."
12:45: Home. TV. Fifteen-minute nap.
1-ish: Wakes up. Eats cold pizza in front of the fridge. Walks to Alliance.
1:40: Arrives. Slips out of "Ghostbusters" T-shirt and into black suit. Drops pomegranate white tea bag into water bottle. Sips throughout show.
2:05: Brushes teeth. Limbers up. Does vocal warm-ups. Sounds insane.
2:30: Opens show. Audience laughs at everything. Guy sitting stage right is either laughing or choking to death. Or both.
Intermission: "You know it's a good audience when something doesn't go as best as it could and they still enjoy watching you try to do it."
4:09: Portrays Rebel soldier in Civil War exchanging letters with wife he left behind. Crowd calls out suggestions for actors to improvise: dental floss, Bob Saget, pole dancing.
4:32: Lights come up. About 20 audience members stay to ask cast questions on stage.
5:30-6:30: Brisket dinner with cast at Fox Bros. Bar-B-Q. Slow-roasted meat makes Stoltenberg pine for a nap.
6:30-7: Heads home, checks in with girlfriend. The self-proclaimed king of the power-nappers grabs 15-minute snooze.
7: Bikes to Alliance. Heckled by skateboarders for wearing a helmet. Avoids oncoming firetruck.
7:26: Gets dressed. On why he went into improv: "There's nothing more fulfilling than seeing an audience erupt into laughter. And to do it with a group of people when you have no idea about what's going to happen. ..."
Quotes Chaplin: "All I need to make a comedy is a park, a policeman and a pretty girl."
Quotes Freud: "Delight in nonsense."
8:28: Audience suggestions during improvisation with another actor: fear, Shakespeare, SpongeBob SquarePants.
Intermission: "There's something about an 8 o'clock audience on a Saturday night."
9:38: Audience suggestions for tonight's Civil War letter-reading: Krystal hamburgers, prostitutes, jazz.
9:54: Show ends.
9:59: Back in "Ghostbusters" T-shirt, rolls bike through backstage hallways and out back door.
10:09: Arrives at apartment, stashes bike, smooches girlfriend, jumps in car.
10:25: Walks through door at Dad's just as stage manager calls, "Ten minutes!" Cast is already warming up in dressing room. He's home.
10:35: Beer.
10:41: Show begins. There are two teams of competing improvisers. Categories tossed out by rowdy late-night crowd: rain forest animals, pickup lines, a cannibal.
Intermission: "Not everything works. But what's great is it's done in 2 1/2 minutes."
11:34: Second half. Scenario from audience: 50 Cent chopping onions on MARTA.
12:21 a.m.: Lights come up. Beer bottles tossed in garbage cans as crowd shuffles out.
12:30: Drives home, assesses day: "Nothing blew up. The audiences were pleased. I'd say that's a pretty good day. And the cool thing is, I get to do it again tomorrow."
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