Last week, I shared five tips on how you can be a better improv teacher. This week, I wanted to share some more pieces of advice on how you can make teaching improv easier, more effective and more fun. Enjoy!
Improv teachers are like magicians. When you’re doing it right, it's pulling a rabbit out of a hat. While magicians never give away their secrets, improv teachers do, because they know they can't keep their skills if they don't give them away. Recently I've been doing some reflecting on my career and what I've learned […]
For the last 30 years, one of my passions has been slow improv. I have taught thousands of improvisers from everywhere from Omaha to Poland how to do it. I’ve used the term in my marketing for years, but lately I’ve realized that not everyone knows what I mean when I say it. So, if […]
Last Sunday night, Saturday Night Live celebrated 50 years on TV with a three-and-a-half hour special. I watched all of it all, including some of the red carpet beforehand. I have a long history with the show, starting when I was 12. It was the first show on TV that made me laugh out loud. […]
If you’re a storyteller and you want to make your story unforgettable, make it funny. Laughter is one of the best ways to connect with your audience. Unfortunately, some storytellers don't think they are funny and are afraid to even try, but it’s easier than you think. Once you follow these five easy ways to […]
One of my favorite books on long form improv is The Complete Improviser by Bill Arnett. Bill is an incredible teacher, director and improviser from Chicago whom I first met at IO-Chicago back in the late ’90s. The other day I needed some inspiration for upcoming class, so I took Bill's book off my shelf, […]
Students often want to know when they will know they are getting good at improv. The simple answer might be, “When you are getting more laughs,” but I actually think it's the opposite. When people are starting out in improv, the way they usually measure their success is by how many laughs they get in […]
Season's greetings to all of you who are reading this. I hope you have a happy and joyous holiday.As we come to the end of another year, I always like to take some time to come up with a list of 5 things I would like to do more of in improv in the coming […]
There is one common improv habit that keeps coming up in my online and in-person improv classes and workshops. It usually happens in a very simple agreement scene. Let’s say the scene is about two teenagers sitting outside the principal’s office, laughing at the prank they pulled that got them in trouble. The players are […]
Thanksgiving is about being grateful, and this year, I'm feeling especially grateful for the changes that I've made as an improv teacher over the years. If you read this blog, chances are you have worked with me in an improv workshop or class, or you have listened to the podcast Improv Nerd, or you just […]