Have you ever thought about why Chicago is the mecca of improv? Well, I recently had the chance to explore this question in depth when WBEZ, the public radio station in Chicago, contacted me about doing a story about it for their Curious City show. If you ask me, Chicago really has all the right […]
Is ok to say ‘no’ in an improv scene? The answer is yes. Improvisers have struggled with this one for years. They feel if they don't say "yes and..." to everything, they are betraying their scene partner. But if they always avoid saying “no,” they’re usually just betraying themselves. I cannot tell you how many […]
I was looking over some my old blogs recently and came across one I had written in 2013 about tips for doing a great long-form improv show. As I re-read it, I had two reactions. One was, “Hey! I’m a pretty good writer! This is some good information.” And the second one was, “Hmm, I […]
Dear Betsy, This is your Daddy. I know you are too young to read this, but I wanted to write this because your Daddy needs a blog this week and I love writing about you. I pretty much love you, except for last Sunday when you were really whiney. It was one of those days […]
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 […]
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. […]
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 […]
Anger is funny. Think about all of the great scenes you’ve watched in movies and sitcoms where the character keeps getting more and more frustrated as a situation gets heightened. Ed Helms losing his shit in The Hangover, George Costanza yelling at people in a movie theater, Steve Martin going crazy in Planes, Trains and Automobiles. These […]