Sometimes, improvisers get so focused on trying to learn a cool, slick form that they forget that they need to have good scene work. The truth is, if you can do compelling two-person scenes, you can do anything. Jimmy is excited to announce his new Two-Person Scene Tune-Up workshop, which will be held at Stage […]
Lincoln's birthday was yesterday. It made me think about how great Lincoln was for this country. Sure, he grew up in a log cabin, hailed from Illinois, and ended slavery. But I’ve also heard he was a founding father of improv. The way I’ve heard it told, Lincoln never intended to go into politics. Being […]
I love my Monday night Art of Slow Comedy improv class and I am going to miss them. They have taught me so much and last night was no exception. In this level, we typically warm up with a series of two-person scenes. This week, after they finished, I asked the class, "How did you feel about what you just did?" One […]
What do you do if you are taking multiple improv classes at multiple improv schools and your head is filled like a piñata full of improv? Last week in my Art of Slow Comedy class, after we had warmed up with a series of two-person scenes, one of my students opened up and said since he is studying at The Annoyance, […]
Improv can be a lot like being on the playground in 3rd grade waiting to be picked for the kick ball team. Today it is much the same: When you audition to get on a Harold team at one of the many improv theaters or hope to be asked by a classmate who is forming […]
Last Sunday was the three-year anniversary of the death of Mary Scruggs. Mary was head of the writing program at Second City. She was a brilliant improv teacher and a gifted writer. I remember when I heard that she had died, I was floored. I was in the suburbs about to teach a workshop for […]
The first couple of seconds at the top of any improv scene is crucial, and if you don't panic you will be able to increase your chances of doing some great improvisation. Here are the top five most common mistakes: 1. Starting with a Problem Nothing will stop a scene faster than starting with a […]
We all criticize others, mostly behind people’s backs. We rarely get caught, and the best part is it makes us feel better for about 90 seconds. Smoking crack lasts longer. When I am ripping on a show or a movie or actor I just saw, though the words may be different, the premise is always […]
I used to think when I auditioned for parts on TV shows and films that I could tell right away if I got them. Thank God, I've lost that the superpower (though I never really had in the first place). First of all, sometimes you will have killer auditions, and for circumstances beyond your control, you will not […]
A friend called me recently and said he had just had one of the "worst improvisational shows" of his short career. His group was doing a Harold, and before the show the director had specifically instructed them to let the first beat be only two-person scenes, no walk-ons. Guess what? It was a cluster fuck. […]