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February 17, 2022
You Can't Overcome Your Fear By Yourself

I am not a very courageous person. It's weird to think that I teach people how to take risks, when in my own life I am pretty risk averse. Last weekend, I took Betsy to a skating birthday party for one of her friends, and the parents were invited to skate, too. I was excited to […]

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September 17, 2021
Learning I Don't Have to Prove Myself

Have you ever auditioned for something you wanted really badly and gotten it? It could be an improv group, a play, a movie, or a TV show. You were probably super excited when you first get the news, and then terrified when you showed up to the first day of rehearsal or when you got […]

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February 14, 2018
5 Things to Avoid in Your Improv Classes

I've been teaching improv classes for a long time, and over the years, I've seen students do the same things over and over again that get in their way. Here are the top 5 things that improvisers should avoid doing in class and suggestions about how you can do it differently. 1. Don’t apologize after […]

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November 5, 2013
Your Pain is Your Gold

We have all experienced a fair amount of pain in our lives -- from our parents getting divorced to being picked on in school or breaking up with someone. Most improvisers want to avoid thinking about their pain, thinking it's not appropriate because they're doing comedy. The problem is not that we have pain, it's […]

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October 22, 2013
Guess what? You're acting

This message is going out to all you talented, young improvisers out there: Good improv is good acting. I know what you are thinking: “I am doing comedy, I don't need to be a better actor.” Or maybe you’re you didn't even realize that what you are doing on stage when you’re improvising IS acting. […]

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August 21, 2013
Judging Your Idea

Do you ever judge your scene partners’ ideas? One of the basic tenets of improv is to accept everything that our scene partner says as a gift and go with it. I don’t know about you, but I know this concept is way harder than it sounds. I know I am guilty of judging my […]

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June 24, 2013
How to Deal with Fear Before a Show

How to Deal with Fear Before a Show Fear before a show is unpredictable. Sometimes I have it, and sometimes I don't. Last month, I had it before doing "Messing with A Friend" with Susan Messing. I love Susan as much as a person as I love playing with her. Having Susan ask me to play with her […]

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May 15, 2013
Going to the dark side

There’s been something coming up lately in my improv classes, The Art of Slow Comedy, that I call the dark side. Students will be doing a scene with a so-called dark subject matter -- pedophilia, racism, abortion -- and the scene will end up being more dramatic than funny. Afterwards, the students will look shaken […]

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May 15, 2013
Going to the dark side

There’s been something coming up lately in my improv classes, The Art of Slow Comedy, that I call the dark side. Students will be doing a scene with a so-called dark subject matter -- pedophilia, racism, abortion -- and the scene will end up being more dramatic than funny. Afterwards, the students will look shaken […]

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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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