Improv can sometimes be a heated, sexually charged community. And sometimes hook-ups evolve into something more...
This weekend I get to participate in the culmination of a five-year improv romance; a WEDDING! My friends Jason Adams and Heather Connelly are getting married this weekend and I'm honored to be their guest. My old college friend, John Ostendorf, is a groomsman and is primarily responsible for them meeting. But enough of me... here's the bride:
Jason and I were both iO kids. We were a few
classes away from each other. Probably six or so. I was placed on a new team
that became Home Run Kids in February of '04. Jason was in the same class as John
Ostendorf and was part of his independent Joy Blue group. Ostendorf joined HRK
out of 5B, I had never met John before but really liked him as soon as I met
him. John was a good friend to Jason as well. Jason's team, Vega$, was cut
after 2 or 3 schedules and HRK was cut right before Christmas of that year. I
still kept in touch with John, as did Jason. Independently we both gravitated
to John as a valuable friend who lacked the self-promoting nature that one
encounters in the community.
We met in 2006 (over a get-together planned by Mr.
Ostendorf at Yak-zies) and while we were dating, phrases like "I'm just
yes-and-ing you", "bit" and "Callback!" were part of
our language of flirting. Having the same foundation of funny was definitely
the backbone of our early relationship. From our mutual iO training we have
always had our own secret language and understanding. We both wish we could
have seen each other perform in our respective teams, even though we both agree
that we probably sucked back then. I think we even figured out that Jason's
team may have opened for HRK at some point (although we were probably both
smoking in the back during each other's shows). Jason has since gotten to see
me perform with pH and his understanding as to how the shows unfolded has been
interesting and insightful to me. I can't imagine dating a muggle guy who would
be like "that was funny/that wasn't funny". Jason's able to be all
"Man, that player totally denied you when you gave them such a good
gift"!
think sharing an appreciation for the craft can lead to such delightful depths
of love. Jason is the funniest person I've ever met. He can paralyze me with
his words and I think he has developed a sick desire to make me laugh. Because
of our background in improv, I never second guess when I send him an
avant-garde humor text message or when I call him at work with his boss around
and all I say is "woogie-woogie-woogie" and he deadpans a side to his
"conversation". We even high-five each other when we go above and
beyond with a good one and will let the other one know that whatever bon mot
they ripped out the night before has us snickering the next day. These are our
love letters. We hug through giggles.
Filed under: classes, iO Theater
Tags: Heather Connelly, Jason Adams, John Ostendorf, love, pH improv, wedding, Yak-zies
