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March 7, 2013
3 Ways to Empower Your Improv

3 Ways To Empower Your Improv Do you ever get discouraged in your improv and want to quit? Have you tried out for a team and not made it, or watched as other people from your level move up and you don't? If so, you're not alone. I've felt like giving up so many times […]

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February 22, 2013
Acting as if I'm a success

Acting As If I'm A Success I am leaving this Sunday to go to LA with my wife. I’m going to be doing three live Improv Nerd shows with three amazing guests: Andy Richter, Matt Besser and Beer Shark Mice. I am also teaching a workshop next Saturday, which shockingly sold out in about 24 […]

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February 6, 2013
Bad shows still suck

Bad Shows Still Suck After more than 25 years of doing improv shows, the one thing I can tell you is a bad show still sucks, almost as bad as when I first started. Oh boy, I had one on Sunday, working with two really talented improvisers I respect, John Hildreth and Rachael Mason, which […]

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January 23, 2013
Making a Commitment

Making a Commitment to your Improv Group Long-form improvisation has been booming in the last ten years, but for some reason, there still only seem to be a handful of improv groups that are truly great. We all know them. We all inspire to be like them. Then why aren't there more? The answer is […]

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January 9, 2013
Answers To Your Improv Questions

Answers to Your Improv Questions Thank you to all of you Improv Nerds for sending in questions. We were originally going to answer these questions on the Improv Nerd podcast, but I was so excited to answer them, I couldn’t wait, so I decided to answer some in today's blog. Feel free to keep sending […]

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December 12, 2012
There's no right way to improvise

SNL's Tim Robinson and Jimmy Carrane THERE'S NO RIGHT WAY TO IMPROVISE Last month Eric Voss of Splitsider wrote an excellent article about the importance of finding "the game" in an improv scene, quoting some of the biggest names in improv, including myself. Then a couple of days later, Sally Smallwood of People and Chairs […]

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November 28, 2012
10 Off-Stage Tips to Becoming a Better Improviser

10 Off-Stage Tips To Becoming a Better Improviser Students ask me all the time, “What can I work on during the week between improv classes to become a better improviser?” My answer is work on your life. Improv is a very transparent art form, and the more you have a rich, full life, the more […]

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November 14, 2012
Go ahead, promote yourself

Go Ahead, Promote Yourself One of the hardest things for me to do is to ask people to come to my improv shows. I have been performing on a regular basis for more than 20 years and it’s still difficult. I tell myself “Oh, they don’t really care,” or “Why would they come see me?” […]

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October 31, 2012
It's not about being funnny

It's Not About Being Funny If improv is not about being funny, then what is it? You’ve heard it a million times: Improv is not about being funny. But what does that mean? If it’s not supposed to be funny, what’s it supposed to be? I have students pull me aside all the time after […]

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October 19, 2012
My wife thinks I'm not a good actor

10/19/12: My Wife ThinkS I'm NOT A Good Actor I recently had an audition for NBC's “Chicago Fire.” A security guard, a couple of lines. Pretty easy… or so I thought. But, whenever I have an audition, I put so much pressure on myself that it’s no longer about getting the job, it’s about my self-worth. […]

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