“Life is too short not to improv with goats.”
May 3, 2018 10:48 PM Subscribe
Is the new hot trend in theater...goats? The musical Once On This Island has two goats starring in it, and now there's goat improv. The latter was inspired by goat yoga.
From the Once On This Island article:
"The next step was to prepare them for the stage. DesRoche shared, “I went every day to the farm and played music from the show and danced with them. On the weekends, I would throw little goat parties and have my friends come hang out with them on the farm.”
"One of the things for me that is so important is that if I’m going to put an animal on stage, I want them to have a choice. I never force them; I just make it so fun for them that they’re dying to go on stage.” Sparky and Peapod actually compete for the pre-show position each night and are disappointed when one has to stay behind: “When one has to stay here, Keren [Dukes] (animal handler) and I have to comfort them by giving them an extra brushing or massage."
"As for the chickens -- Effie, Deena, Lorrell, and Michelle -- they themselves choose who will attend each performance: “The chickens come here by choice. We never know who will show up. The driver goes to get them and says, ‘Who wants to come?’ Whoever walks out of the barn and into the van is in the show that day. It’s 100 percent volunteer.”
From goat improv:
* “It is very likely that at some point they may go to the bathroom,” Silverman warned the class.
* “The great thing about goats is that because they’re vegetarian, their poops are cute. If they go to the bathroom near you, it’s a blessing.”
* "Goats were an unlikely choice for the class considering their lack of language skills, which makes abiding by the “Yes, and…” mandate—the first and maybe only rule of improv—incredibly difficult. And they’re not exactly known for their comedic timing, except when it comes to matters of the bowels and bladder."
* "She got the idea for the class when she found herself overcome with joy during a goat yoga class."
* “Life is too short not to improv with goats.”
* "As she looked around the room to gauge interest, Floyd started peeing. The class took it as a blessing."
Previously on Metafilter: King Lear with sheep.
From the Once On This Island article:
"The next step was to prepare them for the stage. DesRoche shared, “I went every day to the farm and played music from the show and danced with them. On the weekends, I would throw little goat parties and have my friends come hang out with them on the farm.”
"One of the things for me that is so important is that if I’m going to put an animal on stage, I want them to have a choice. I never force them; I just make it so fun for them that they’re dying to go on stage.” Sparky and Peapod actually compete for the pre-show position each night and are disappointed when one has to stay behind: “When one has to stay here, Keren [Dukes] (animal handler) and I have to comfort them by giving them an extra brushing or massage."
"As for the chickens -- Effie, Deena, Lorrell, and Michelle -- they themselves choose who will attend each performance: “The chickens come here by choice. We never know who will show up. The driver goes to get them and says, ‘Who wants to come?’ Whoever walks out of the barn and into the van is in the show that day. It’s 100 percent volunteer.”
From goat improv:
* “It is very likely that at some point they may go to the bathroom,” Silverman warned the class.
* “The great thing about goats is that because they’re vegetarian, their poops are cute. If they go to the bathroom near you, it’s a blessing.”
* "Goats were an unlikely choice for the class considering their lack of language skills, which makes abiding by the “Yes, and…” mandate—the first and maybe only rule of improv—incredibly difficult. And they’re not exactly known for their comedic timing, except when it comes to matters of the bowels and bladder."
* "She got the idea for the class when she found herself overcome with joy during a goat yoga class."
* “Life is too short not to improv with goats.”
* "As she looked around the room to gauge interest, Floyd started peeing. The class took it as a blessing."
Previously on Metafilter: King Lear with sheep.
Back in the 80's, when was a Nature CIT at summer camp, we had goats. I found it difficult to do construction work because when I went to fasten hardware cloth, the goats would have to get a look at what's going on.
I'm holding a hammer. They're trying to look at what I'm hitting.
I was a teen. They were -- to me -- UNINTENTIONAL assholes. I learned a lot about patience that year.
posted by mikelieman at 11:05 PM on May 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
I'm holding a hammer. They're trying to look at what I'm hitting.
I was a teen. They were -- to me -- UNINTENTIONAL assholes. I learned a lot about patience that year.
posted by mikelieman at 11:05 PM on May 3, 2018 [2 favorites]
As for the chickens -- Effie, Deena, Lorrell, and Michelle
The...the chickens are named after Dreamgirls characters? I'm very glad I didn't know that when I saw the show, as the temptation to shout "Sing It, Chicken Effie" would have been quite strong.
posted by zachlipton at 11:12 PM on May 3, 2018
The...the chickens are named after Dreamgirls characters? I'm very glad I didn't know that when I saw the show, as the temptation to shout "Sing It, Chicken Effie" would have been quite strong.
posted by zachlipton at 11:12 PM on May 3, 2018
Is the new hot trend in theater...goats?
Don't call it a comeback
We've been here for years
posted by ActingTheGoat at 11:40 PM on May 3, 2018 [24 favorites]
Don't call it a comeback
We've been here for years
posted by ActingTheGoat at 11:40 PM on May 3, 2018 [24 favorites]
Like Lieman, I've had to do carpentry among goats...they'll try to knock over what you're working on and they're always standing on whatever plank of wood you need...because it's 1.75 inches higher than the surrounding dirt.
posted by bonobothegreat at 5:54 AM on May 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
posted by bonobothegreat at 5:54 AM on May 4, 2018 [2 favorites]
Goats are the new bacon, the new ninjas. My friend has goats and I find them creepy as hell.
posted by jeff-o-matic at 6:25 AM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by jeff-o-matic at 6:25 AM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Mickey Kaus was into goats long before goats were cool.
posted by octobersurprise at 6:59 AM on May 4, 2018
posted by octobersurprise at 6:59 AM on May 4, 2018
Soooo much better than fidget spinners.
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:05 AM on May 4, 2018
posted by Tell Me No Lies at 7:05 AM on May 4, 2018
"As she looked around the room to gauge interest, Floyd started peeing. The class took it as a blessing."
I can relate....
posted by Floydd at 7:35 AM on May 4, 2018
I can relate....
posted by Floydd at 7:35 AM on May 4, 2018
Goats aren't so nice. When I was 7, a goat knocked me down and tried to fornicate with me at the petting Zoo at Santa's Workshop... (former NH amusement park, shut down for animal rights violations)
*On Edit*
Oh hey, apparently we covered goat trauma back in 2007.
posted by Nanukthedog at 8:35 AM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
*On Edit*
Oh hey, apparently we covered goat trauma back in 2007.
posted by Nanukthedog at 8:35 AM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
It's not goats, but I recently saw an opera that featured some sheep (WSJ Link).
posted by SansPoint at 8:52 AM on May 4, 2018
posted by SansPoint at 8:52 AM on May 4, 2018
Previously in popular goat memes:
Goats yelling like humans
Family of goats on wobbly metal sheet
Goat simulator
posted by kersplunk at 9:39 AM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Goats yelling like humans
Family of goats on wobbly metal sheet
Goat simulator
posted by kersplunk at 9:39 AM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
The next step was to prepare them for the stage. DesRoche shared, “I went every day to the farm and played music from the show and danced with them. On the weekends, I would throw little goat parties and have my friends come hang out with them on the farm.”
....Not until now had I considered that I maybe took up the wrong career path in theater.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:57 AM on May 4, 2018
....Not until now had I considered that I maybe took up the wrong career path in theater.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 10:57 AM on May 4, 2018
I assume they're only working with female goats.
Male goats are, often, not nice, as Nanukthedog observes.
posted by doctornemo at 12:06 PM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Male goats are, often, not nice, as Nanukthedog observes.
posted by doctornemo at 12:06 PM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
Sylvia?
posted by Going To Maine at 7:57 PM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
posted by Going To Maine at 7:57 PM on May 4, 2018 [1 favorite]
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