Jimmy Carrane, one of the leading improv teachers in the United States, is pleased to announce that he will be expanding his online improv class offerings this year. Beginning this February, Carrane will now be offering two sections of his Art of Slow Comedy comedy classes — one on Wednesdays from 7-9 p.m. Central and […]
We have all been there. We’re in the middle of an improv scene and it is going nowhere. We are dying up there because the scene has stopped going forward. In most cases, an improv scene stalls out because we are being tentative with each other. We don’t need to give up, or even panic, […]
With 2020 coming to an end, you are probably coming up with a list of resolutions for the upcoming year. If you haven't yet, don't. Resolutions don't work — at least not for me. When I used to set them, I would always get the same results, which was by January 3rd, I ended up hating myself […]
This year sucked, and we all know why — Covid. But it hasn't all been a shit sandwich. Although I have certainly missed seeing my friends, going to restaurants, and performing in live theaters, Covid has brought me many blessings as well. I learned to adapt and teach improv online, thanks to the generosity of […]
With the holidays upon on us — boy, did they come on fast! — I wanted to give you a list of some books I highly recommend to add to your gift-giving or gift-getting list this year. Since I covered some comedy books in the summer, this time I wanted to branch out to some other […]
The greatest gift you can give this holiday season is something you give to yourself, and to others — and that is the gift of self-expression. That is what we do in the arts. I don’t care if you work a 9-to-5 job and you write your novel at night. I don’t care if you […]
Chicago has a great history of rebuilding itself, going back to The Great Chicago Fire of 1871, which destroyed 17,450 buildings in a three-mile radius. Out of the ashes, the city came up with a new vision for itself and new style of architecture. It was a Renaissance. I’m hoping the same will be true after this […]
In baseball, the most elite athletes are called “5 Tool Players.” These all-stars specialize in five different categories: hitting for average, hitting for power, running the bases, fielding, and throwing. Because improvisers and professional athletes are so often compared (due to our similar income levels), I thought it’d be interesting to see what traits would […]
This month it's been nine years since I started writing this blog. It was not my idea. It was Lauren's. She thought it would help with marketing my improv classes and workshops. Like most of the good ideas I get from Lauren, or anyone else, my first reaction was to resist. So the first blog I […]
This year, my 4-year-old daughter, Betsy, was really into going trick or treating. She was out of her mind excited about it. Me, not so much. I was just the parent taking her. When she woke up on Halloween morning at 7:14 a.m. the first thing out of her mouth was "When is it going to […]