I know by now some of you have already come up with your New Year’s resolutions. Had I made any this year, I would have broke them already. They never seem to work for me. If resolutions work for you, God Bless, keep it up. I am envious of you. Of course, I would like to […]
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Sam Wasson is the author of the new book, Improv Nation: How We Made A Great American Art. Jimmy talks to Sam about the history of improv, from beginning of improv with The Compass Players to Del Close and The Harold, Bill Murray, the Chicago improv scene in the '90s and more. If you want to […]
We are about to start a new year very shorty, and before we get there, I wanted to share with you my 10 wishes for you in 2018. To not take yourself so seriously. Being able to make fun of yourself is sign you have a real sense of humor. To not care as much […]
This past year was a big year for me personally and professionally, and when I was not running around trying to catch Betsy as she learned how to walk, I actually had some time to watch some TV shows and movies, read some non-improv-related books, catch some live shows and perform myself. That being said, […]
To the older people starting out in improv: You belong. This is for you. If you are an older person and you are just starting out doing improv, stand-up, storytelling or acting, I want to say to you are in the right place. You did not wait too long. You are not wasting your time. […]
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Mark Sutton is an improv teacher and a founding member of The Annoyance Theater, where he was part of the cast that created Co-ed Prison Sluts. He has toured around the country with Joe Bill doing Bassprov. We talk to him about the early days of The Annoyance, why the first 15 seconds of an […]
Looking for something to get an improviser this holiday season besides a Chipotle gift card or a 12-pack of beer? Well, how about something to read, like a book? Every year, I put together a list of my favorite books from the previous year, and this year is no exception. Whether you are planning to […]
Happy Thanksgiving, improvisers! All week long, I have been looking forward to today. When it comes to holidays, Thanksgiving is definitely my favorite on the list. It’s pure. It’s simple. I’m going to go out on a limb and say it is the best holiday of all time. How is that? My wife Lauren, on […]
As an improviser, there's nothing worse than being in the middle of a scene and calling your scene partner by the wrong character name. Or saying that you are in Paris when it was already established you are in California. Ouch. To be a good improviser, you need to not only listen to the last […]
I hear this all the time from my students who are just starting out in improv: "Be Hard on Me." "Don't Hold Back." "I don't need all these positive notes like I am doing nothing wrong up there." I get it. I was totally the same way. I think some of us come from parents […]