Friday is my birthday. I will be 53 years old. In improv, that makes me ancient. Each year I have the same birthday ritual: I go into a major depression. It usually stems from thinking about how I wish I was more successful, more famous, and have more money — like my friends that I started […]
Alright, you have put together a great improv show and you are really excited about it. Now the important part: How do you get people to come and see it? If you’re like most improvisers, you will rely on people magically just showing up. Which in most cases doesn’t work. Some people are fortunate enough […]
In her wonderful book, Presence, author Amy Cuddy asks actor Julianne Moore what presence is for an actor. Moore answers: "The key to presence -- and this is one thing they tell you in school -- is relaxation." When I first starting out taking improv classes, I cannot tell you how frustrated I was that […]
If you've been in an improv group for a while, you’ve most likely hit a consistency level with your shows. This is a good thing. But it can also be a trap. When some groups get to the point where they’re consistently doing good shows, they’re usually happy with this and seem to go on auto pilot. […]
There is a saying I’ve heard that goes: "Don't quit before the miracle." But when you’re in the arts and creating shows, how do you know how long you have to wait? I have been doing the podcast Improv Nerd for over five years. I’ve had some really big name guests. I’ve toured with the show all […]
As you know, jealousy and self-defeating attitudes are something that has plagued me for my entire improv career. For years, whenever someone else got something I wanted, I judged them for it, and whenever a new opportunity presented itself to me, I would immediately assume that I wasn't good enough to get it. Oy. Courtney […]
When Betsy was born, people said stupid things to me like, "You are going to learn a lot from her." I was so annoyed by that, why, I can't tell you, but they were right. So far she has taught me about patience and unconditional love and how to survive on a minimal amount of […]
The other day I was on Facebook and read a post by one of my favorite improvisers: Stacey Smith. If you don't know her, she is a gifted performer, super positive and a hard worker. She lives in Chicago -- a city that has more opportunities than most for improvisers. Her post was brutally honest […]
Actors are often skeptical of taking an improv class. I can’t tell you how many actors tell me “I am a serious actor. Why do I need to take an improv class?” Or they say, “I’m not funny,” “It scares me,” or “I wouldn’t be any good at it.” Actors avoid taking improv classes for lots […]
I have known Bill Arnett for some time. I think I first became aware of him when I was teaching at iO Chicago. Bill has always been a thoughtful improviser, teacher and director with a stellar reputation. As a fan of his improv blog, I was excited to find out that he recently put together […]