{"id":2591,"date":"2017-02-24T17:13:33","date_gmt":"2017-02-24T17:13:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/?p=2591"},"modified":"2018-08-30T20:23:14","modified_gmt":"2018-08-30T20:23:14","slug":"theatre-in-film-dont-think-twice-2016","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-dont-think-twice-2016\/","title":{"rendered":"Theatre in Film: Don\u2019t Think Twice (2016)"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"fusion-one-full fusion-layout-column fusion-column-last fusion-spacing-yes section-header-post\" style=\"margin-top:;margin-bottom:;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper\"><h3>Theatre in Film: <i>Don\u2019t Think Twice<\/i> (2016)<\/h3>\n<font size=\"2\" color=\"grey\"><span style=\"border:1px solid ;-webkit-border-radius:50%;-moz-border-radius:50%;border-radius:50%;-moz-box-shadow: 0 0 3px rgba(0,0,0,.3);-webkit-box-shadow: 0 0 3px rgba(0,0,0,.3);box-shadow: 0 0 3px rgba(0,0,0,.3);margin-right:25px;float:left;\" class=\"fusion-imageframe imageframe-glow imageframe-1 hover-type-none author-image\"><a class=\"fusion-no-lightbox\" href=\"http:\/\/performerstuff.com\" target=\"_self\"> <img src=\"http:\/\/mgs.performerstuff.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/06\/authorimage.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"img-responsive\" style=\"-webkit-border-radius:50%;-moz-border-radius:50%;border-radius:50%;\"\/><\/a><\/span><p>Written by Ashleigh Gardner<\/p>\n<p>February 21, 2017<\/p>\n<\/font><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><div class=\"fusion-one-full fusion-layout-column fusion-column-last fusion-spacing-yes section-body-post\" style=\"margin-top:;margin-bottom:;\"><div class=\"fusion-column-wrapper\"><p style=\"text-align: left;\">Welcome to Part VII of Theatre in Film, our weekly feature on a film that depicts a life in the theatre. In Part VII, we examine films with biting humor, fantastical plots, and theatre family values. This week, we feature\u00a0the recent 2016\u00a0comedy film\u00a0<em>Don&#8217;t Think Twice\u00a0<\/em>about an up-and-coming improv troupe on the brink of success&#8230;and collapse from within.<\/p>\n<h4><i>Don\u2019t Think Twice<\/i>\u00a0(2016)<\/h4>\n<br><div align=\"center\"><div class=\"fusion-video fusion-youtube\" style=\"max-width:600px;max-height:350px;\"><div class=\"video-shortcode\"><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/9RFTpObS95U?wmode=transparent&autoplay=0\" width=\"600\" height=\"350\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/div><br><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><b>Director: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Mike Birbiglia<br \/>\n<\/span><b>Starring: <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Keegan-Michael Key, Gillian Jacobs, Mike Birbiglia, Kate Micucci, Chris Gethard, and Tami Sagher<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\">What happens:<\/h4>\n<br><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are three basic rules to improv. One: Say yes. Two: It\u2019s not about you, it\u2019s about the group. Three: Don\u2019t think. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The Commune, a group of six improv performers and best friends, perform a weekly improv show in their New York City theatre while also trying to make it big. They all hope to score auditions with directors and producers from <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weekend LIVE<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, a weekend sketch comedy show<\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">On the night that two producers attend the show, Jack (Keegan-Michael Key) \u201cshowboats\u201d, a serious improv taboo. Later, Jack and his girlfriend Sam (Gillian Jacobs) earn audition slots; Jack attends, but Sam does not, fearing a world without the troupe. After Jack tells everyone that he\u2019s been cast in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weekend LIVE<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, every member begins to question the solidity of the group. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">While Jack tries to get <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weekend LIVE <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">showrunners to read scripts from Bill (Chris Gethard), Allison (Kate Micucci), Miles (Mike Birbiglia), and Lindsay (Tami Sagher), he encounters pushback from other actors and the producer, solidifying his fears that he can\u2019t help his friends after he\u2019s earned success. The group finds that their friendships are only held together when the second rule of improv is applied to real life, and as each member encounters new opportunities outside of performing, they must choose whether to pursue them, or hang on to a dream expired.<\/span><\/p>\n<h4 style=\"text-align: left;\">Why it matters:<\/h4>\n<br><p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Comedic improv is, predominantly, an American art form. From John Dewey\u2019s use of improv in 1916 as acting exercises for children to the popular American series <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Whose Line is it Anyway?,<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> improv has become the type of theatre that audiences associate with clever stories, interesting characters, and humorous outcomes &#8212; all having been created spontaneously by a group of people attempting to achieve a common goal. If you\u2019ve ever seen an improv performance, you\u2019ll remember the anticipation and excitement you felt while watching a handful of actors <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">working together<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> to create something out of nothing in real time.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t Think Twice <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">focuses on one of the most vital aspects of improvisational theatre: making decisions that benefit the group, not the self. \u201cShowboating\u201d, a term that refers to an actor stealing focus from others in order to showcase their individual talent, is a huge party foul in every improv scenario, and it makes it very difficult for the actors involved to achieve their goal of creating a collaborative scene. Keegan-Michael Key said in <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=iWNr9AlI4Bg\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">an interview with Stephen Colbert<\/span><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, \u201cEvery rule of improv is the opposite of show business. Every rule of improv &#8212; got your back, I\u2019m there for my partner, serve the other person, you\u2019re more important than I am &#8212; the <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">opposite <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">of show business.\u201d In show business, you must make your own way, pushing ahead of others instead of marching on together.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Jack not only showboats the performance that <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weekend LIVE <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">producers attend, he showboats his friendship with Sam, Miles, Allison, Bill, and Lindsay, putting his own dreams ahead of those of the group; he forgets where he comes from and who helped him get there. Even though Sam, Miles, Bill, Allison, and Lindsay have their own struggles (Allison\u2019s unfinished children\u2019s book, Bill\u2019s struggle to gain the approval of his dying father), Jack\u2019s decision to leave causes an irreparable schism between him and everyone else, making the magnitude of each person\u2019s individual strife increase ten fold. <\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">What\u2019s worse, the theatre where The Commune performs is in the middle of shutting down. During an afternoon of cleaning out closets and packing up boxes, Bill lounges in an old armchair while the girls rummage through old costumes and props. \u201cWithout improv, I\u2019m a loser,\u201d says Bill. Perspectives begin to shift toward fear, inadequacy, and defeat. During the funeral of Bill\u2019s father, we see friendly exchanges and smiles, and though the troupe remains close after Jack\u2019s jump to <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Weekend LIVE<\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, things are different, maybe even good, but are they better? <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t Think Twice <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">is a film about improv, but it\u2019s also a film that examines how the decisions of one affect the lives of many.<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below is a scene from <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t Think Twice <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">where The Commune performs an improv scene based on an audience suggestion, working together to create a scene and characters. Its success lies in its collaborative nature.<\/span><\/p>\n<br><div class=\"fusion-video fusion-youtube\" style=\"max-width:600px;max-height:350px;\"><div class=\"video-shortcode\"><iframe title=\"YouTube video player\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/SMLUYhC9ikU?wmode=transparent&autoplay=0\" width=\"600\" height=\"350\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><br><br><p style=\"text-align: left;\">This film is the\u00a0third\u00a0film in\u00a0Part VII. See below for the other films\u00a0in Part VII.<\/p>\n<ul style=\"text-align: left;\">\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-synecdoche-new-york-2008\/\"><em>Synecdoche, New York<\/em>\u00a0(2008)<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-hamlet-2-2008\/\"><em>Hamlet 2\u00a0<\/em>(2008)<\/a><\/span><\/li>\n<li><em><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-the-imaginarium-of-doctor-parnassus-2009\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus\u00a0<\/span><\/a><\/em><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-the-imaginarium-of-doctor-parnassus-2009\/\"><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">(2009)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-phoebe-in-wonderland-2008\/\"><em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">Phoebe in Wonderland\u00a0<\/span><\/em><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\">(2009)<\/span><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\">Want to start with\u00a0<strong>Part I<\/strong>? Begin with\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><em><a href=\"http:\/\/mgs.performerstuff.com\/?p=133\">42nd Street\u00a0<\/a><\/em>(1933)<\/strong><\/span>.<br \/>\nMiss\u00a0<strong>Part II<\/strong>?\u00a0Check out\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-series-the-band-wagon-1953\/\"><strong><em>The Band Wagon<\/em><\/strong>\u00a0<strong>(1953)<\/strong><\/a><\/span>.<br \/>\nNeed a refresh for\u00a0<strong>Part III<\/strong>? Start with\u00a0our feature on\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><strong><em><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-series-all-that-jazz-1979\/\">All That Jazz\u00a0<\/a><\/em><\/strong><strong>(1979)<\/strong><\/span>.<br \/>\nHow about a recap from\u00a0<strong>Part IV<\/strong>? Jump into\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-a-chorus-of-disapproval-1989\/\"><strong><em>A Chorus of Disapproval\u00a0<\/em><\/strong><\/a><strong>(1989)<\/strong><\/span>.<br \/>\nCheck out\u00a0<strong>Part V<\/strong><em>,\u00a0<\/em>and start with\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-an-awfully-big-adventure-1995\/\"><em><strong>An Awfully Big Adventure\u00a0<\/strong><\/em><strong>(1995)<\/strong><\/a><\/span>.<br \/>\nStart reading\u00a0<strong>Part VI<\/strong>\u00a0with\u00a0<span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><em><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/theatre-in-film-camp-2003\/\">Camp\u00a0<\/a><\/strong><\/em><strong>(2003)<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><\/div><\/div><div class=\"fusion-clearfix\"><\/div><hr \/>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\"><em><strong>Ashleigh Gardner<\/strong>\u00a0received her AA in Theatre\/Drama\/Dramatic Arts\u00a0from Valencia College and\u00a0her Bachelors Degree in English Literature and\u00a0Masters Degree in Literary, Cultural, and Textual Studies from\u00a0the University of Central Florida. She is a playwright, an actor, and PerformerStuff.com\u2019s Editor.\u00a0<\/em><\/h5>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: left;\">Thumbnail image from\u00a0<em>Don&#8217;t Think Twice<\/em>. Copyright The Film Arcade, 2016.<\/h5>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" [...]","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":2592,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[259,265],"tags":[6,25,52,24,105],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2591"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2591"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2591\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2592"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2591"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2591"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/performerstuff.com\/mgs\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2591"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}