Capturing Laughter with 'I Mostly Blame Myself' at The Players Theatre
It was my first time stepping into The Players Theatre, a historic venue nestled between West 3rd and Bleecker Streets in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan. The theatre, which was once a carriage house for police horses, radiated an old-world charm that only added to the anticipation of the evening.
The main event was a tech rehearsal of the off-Broadway sketch comedy group, 'I Mostly Blame Myself'. Having run shows in NYC and LA for almost two years, they're known for their dark, weird, hilarious sketches that can range from Disney parodies to historical musicals, and sometimes even touch on slightly controversial topics.
As the sole photographer for the event, I was tasked with capturing the essence of this wildly creative group and their unique sketches. While this might sound like a dream job (and it is), it also comes with its own set of challenges.
Given the unique nature of sketch comedy, there's a lot of unpredictability involved - the lighting, the performer's movements, even the props used can change drastically from one sketch to another. To prepare, I watched numerous videos of their previous shows to get a sense of what to expect.
On the day of the rehearsal, I made my way through the 50-seat black box theatre, my cameras ready and my senses on high alert. Without a dedicated photographer's pit, I had to constantly adapt and find the best angles to capture the essence of each sketch, sometimes even having to avoid the phone being used to record the rehearsal. This required a delicate balance of skill, anticipation, and sometimes, just a little bit of luck.
Once the rehearsal was over, my job was far from done. Normally I would spent hours sorting and editing the images, eliminating the less than perfect shots and selecting the ones that truly captured the unique, hilarious, and slightly absurd essence of 'I Mostly Blame Myself', however this job was done in mere minutes thanks to Aftershoot. These images were then shared with the group and the venue, as well as published on my own platforms to give the performance the spotlight it deserved.
In the end, the entire experience was more than just a photography gig. It was an opportunity to be part of something creative, something unique, and something incredibly funny. And while the challenges were many, the rewards - in the form of laughter, appreciation, and some truly unforgettable images - were well worth it.
