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 […]

If you want a great shortcut to doing stronger scene work, make sure that you give a name to yourself and the other people in the scene near the top of the scene. That’s because making up a name for yourself or your partner is a fast and easy way to discover the relationship between […]

Do you ever find yourself doing an improv scene and you're not quite sure what should happen next? If so, one easy hack that I've found works well is to heighten your character's emotions. Emotions can make dialogue flow easily and sound natural, especially when they are coming from a real place. And sometimes all […]

Vulnerability is a great way to connect with your scene partner in a deeper way, and usually being vulnerable in a scene leads to unexpected choices because you are working from your heart instead of your head. Where being vulnerable can be the most effective is when your character is being blamed or baited into […]

Improvisers have all heard that we need to add specifics to our improv scenes. Specifics are the fuel that keeps scenes going. The more specifics we use, the easier it is to figure out what’s going on. Without specifics, we’re in “Vaugue-land” — not a good place to take our scene partners or the audience. Specifics […]

I love watching documentaries and reading biographies about artists because I always get a couple of nuggets of inspiration. That’s why I originally started doing the podcast Improv Nerd so I could learn from other successful improvisers. This summer I watched a lot of documentaries, and here are three that I wanted to share with you that I thought you would like as much […]

I have been teaching improv for a very, very, very long time. I never actually set out to be an improv teacher. I just started doing it to make ends meet while I waited for my big break, but over the years, I found that not only did I really enjoy it, but I was […]

The reason I think improv is so popular is the social connection it provides. We are in a time where social media has become a substitute for social connections. It has become like an artificial sweetener — we know it's not good for us, but we feel the benefits outweigh the dangers. Our dependency on social media as a […]

I will often say to students in my improv classes and workshops who are stuck in their heads, “Move your body and the words will follow.” As simple as it sounds, when they move their body, most of the time they end up saying something that surprises them. They go from being stuck to brilliance. All […]