When people first work with me, especially after the first class, they say things like, "Your class is like therapy," or "That scene was not funny," or "Oh my God, in that exercise you made that person cry." Generally, people view this as a bad thing. I get it; emotions are scary and it’s not […]
(Who's the funniest one in the pic above? Hint: I'm the one with the sunglasses). When I started out in improv my goal was to be the funniest one on stage. In retrospect, that wasn’t a very noble one goal. At the time, it seemed important to me for many reasons — primarily, if I […]
In improv, we all want to get noticed and be liked by everyone at the same time. The problem is, it’s hard for those things to coexist. To get noticed, you are going to have to have a strong point of view, and that will piss some people off. And not only is that okay, […]
When I was little kid, the first thing I ever wanted to be was a stand-up comedian. I loved the idea of standing up in front of a crowd and making them laugh. Then when I was 18 years old, I took my first improv class, and I have been side tracked from my original […]
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 […]