I am... THE QUIZMASTER

More like sweat master. You may or may not know that I sweat PROFUSELY. But I'm getting ahead of myself! Tonight was my first night training to become a quiz master with Geeks Who Drink, a bar trivia company (but we don't call it trivia, it's a quiz, whatever) new to Boston establishing QUIZ nights in several bars, including my eventual bar, which will be Tommy Doyle's in Kendall Square. I was going to start last week, but due to Mousetrap and other stuff, someone had to cover for me last week, and this week I went to train under them, and learn the rhythms of THE QUIZMASTER. And it's all about rhythm, I found, and making the eight rounds of questions an enjoyable two hours while getting in all the requisite information, plugging the bar staff, etc and did I mention setting up and breaking down the equipment? I also have to maintain a blog.

I had been kind of nervous about this. This is, actually, like my first real... job ever in my life, which is sort of pathetic I know but don't judge me. Anyway it's the first time I've ever had real responsibility, and it seemed a little overwhelming at first but after seeing it done for the first time tonight, I think I'll be able to handle it, and handle it well. Indeed, I'm quite looking forward to it! The job consists of delivering questions to the audience, encouraging to eat and drink, and being witty and charming and engaging as you do it. Basically, I'm looking at it as an opportunity to kind of work on my "schtick", my persona as a performer from the less fine-arts side of my craft, the part I've been engaging with in my blog. I see two sides to the actor, especially the comic character actor type, like myself. The artist, and the comic, the classically trained actor and the vaudevillian. It's fun getting in touch with my inner comic, the entertainer, I hope to subsidize my art through that practice for a while, and then beyond. I think this will be good fun, and an opportunity to hone my hosting chops for future gigs.

If anyone is reading and is curious, you can see my sink or swim at my first hosting gig next week at Tommy Doyle's in Kendall Square at 6:30 PM. The dude who I shadowed tonight will be there as a chaperone to keep me from train wrecking. Tomorrow is my second night of training, I'll actually read some questions this time, I think.