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 […]
This week is my 8-year-old daughter is taking her first improv camp. I was more excited than she was about it, even though her 20-something-year-old counselor didn’t know that I am “improv” famous when I dropped her off the first day. I was first exposed to improv when I was 18 years old, so to see my daughter […]
Taking in compliments has always been hard for me. I squirm a little bit, I want to deflect them. But as I grow as a person and as an artist, it’s important for me to try to take in the good things that people say about me and try to embrace them. Because it’s only […]
When you work with the same group of improvisers for a while you can get in rut. You get into roles, like "You’re the one who always edits” or “You’re the one who always does the first scene." You may not even be aware that it is happening. Recently, I was listening to Andy Richter's […]
My daughter Betsy turned 8 this week. She is truly my favorite person. My wife will say the same thing. I am proud of my daughter, and even more of myself. I made it. I did it. I am taking a victory lap. Parenting is like improv: You learn by doing, and it's the mistakes that makes you better, which […]
Recently, I’ve been thinking about my history of doing bad shows. After doing improv for more than 30 years, I never stop having them. The good news is the level of my bad shows rises. My bad shows today aren’t nearly as bad as my bad shows from 10 years ago. The other thing that […]