The next night we were a little more low key in our warmups, but there seemed to be an underlying confidence in our demeanor before the show. We won the RoShamBo again, but this time decided to go first. From that moment on, we had an amazing show from start to finish. Everyone was working so well together and continued to add layers with every scene that I didn't want it to end. It did, with us winning over team "Powerhouse", another team from IO West. In a way it felt being Wilt Chamberlin scoring 100 points in a game, you knew that something special was happening while you were doing it and that I'd remember for the rest of my life.
Strangely, now that we were one step away from taking it all, I really wanted to win the whole thing. Not that there's much that you could do about it other than performing, but it would really bring a validation for all that our theater, Bang Studio, has done for our group.
Unfortunately, the show before ours was running over and I could feel some of my energy fade a little. In the time inbetween, we got to meet some of the members of Ultimate Improv before the show and they were a really nice group, but I think both groups were anxious to finally get this thing started.
I didn't get the full rush of hitting the Main Stage because we entered second from a curtain downstage, tripping over a chair as I emerged. Fortunately, there was a mass in front of me, so I don't think anyone noticed, but I kicked the chair again anyways. Surely enough, we won our third straight RoShambo and elected to go first.
We started out with a bunch of energy and had a great few first scenes, but then I got a little caught up in the moment. I guess you would call it stopping to smell the roses. Just being able to take in the energy of the crowd, seeing the performance take shape and noticing that we were in the finals only a few months after forming as a group really made me feel a sense of accomplishing something. The rest of the show was a blur and before I knew it, it was over, which probably isn't the way you'd like to plan it.
It was tough to watch the next group, not because of their performance, but just because I wanted some closure. Both groups brought a lot of fans, but I knew that neither had a majority so the conclusion would rest on those that came unattached. As they were receiving the ballots, there were a couple of cries of "co-champs!" from the crowd and it made me think what a better show this would have been for both teams without the pressure. At that point, I wished they announced a split before the show and just let us perform so I wouldn't have to sit through the final decision.
When it came time for the announcement, I didn't want to be the one to go up front and thank god Ramsey decided to step forward. I was just happy to hear a name called, let alone it being us, because the time and energy put into this contest was starting to catch up to me. It was funny how over the course of the evening I had this massive sea change of being anxious to win to just being elated that it was over.
The trophy was huge(I didn't notice it at the start because of the chair situation), but being a hockey fan the first thing I noticed was that you couldn't drink out of it. There was also a $500 prize involved which had I known about even earlier, might have thrown me off even more. In the end, I was just happy to have the chance to bring some recognition to such a great team and to be able to carry a title with it as well.
Before I end, there are just a couple people who I'd like to thank. As I've heard before, would the World Series really mean anything if you had no one to play it in front of. Probably not. So this goes out to all that came to our shows, despite them falling on a weeknight, or in the AM with one of the worst parking situations in Los Angeles. Coming out to watch us took a huge commitment and there's no proper way that I can correctly convey my graditude to match the effort everyone made.
First, I have to thank the theater for having faith in Emerging Global Superpower. It's a tremendous honor to represent Bang and we hope we made everyone proud. Here's to the Bang Community that have played a hand in our group : Ezra Weisz, Sabrina Hill, Gretchen Enders, Mitchell Roche, Darrin Butters, Lorelei Butters, Tom Shannon, Nicole Marcks, Tom O'Connor, Marcus Alexander Hart, Evan Gore, and of course Aliza and Peter Murrieta.
Also, one final shout out to all that braved the elements to make it out. In alphabetical order : Paul O'Neil, his wife Annie Duke and their son Winston, my Stone Cold roommate Chinfoo, Veronica from the smartest University in our galaxy, Stacey with a tab in every bar Glazer, Stacey's bailbondsman Gretchen, Helen the proud mother of two Corgis, captain Dave and his third place hockey team, the bi-county hockey fan Matt, his better 99% Stacia, Nicole who's on one of my most watched youtube videos, the anti-Villarigossa LA Dave, mayor Daley's understudy Scott, Julie who would sacrifice her car to see our show, Nat's parents, Devil Rays fan Nick, Claire and her big smile, Vincent the reason for her smile, Rollo who has my old car, Troy who was born to root for USC, Akiko who's in school as much as Barbara, Jeff who already has Rose Bowl tickets for next year, the bi-polar working Raymond, Mitchell who didn't have a Big Gulp at our show, Marcus and his mind powers, poster inspiration Amanda, my baseball twin Matt, the amazing world of Steve, Laura "finger in many pies" Barbera, "Kevin Youkilis" Murrieta, Brian the Worm, the Ezra who'll be running while reading this, his many students, british conchord lover James, the Brian of twenty seven different improv groups, Ramsey's family and Simi entourage, Lisa and Matt and their 6k of their frequent flyer miles, Tom who doesn't carry cash Sage, Josephine and her attractive manfriend, Jim with the audible laugh Stevens, Zoya who must love subway sandwiches as well, Eddie who was happy they sold drinks, the only Anna I don't call "awnna", Vadim who was playing Breakout during the other team's show, my folks who normally fall asleep before the sun goes down, and to my most dedicated and lovely fan in the world Barbara.
