Billy Merritt is one of UCB's most respected improv teachers and performers and a member of the legendary improv team The Stepfathers. I was fortunate enough to get to improvise with him for an episode of Improv Nerd at The Omaha Improv Festival a couple of years ago. I love how he improvises and his philosophy […]
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Peter Grosz is best known as one of the two guys in the Sonic commercials, but he has also written for The Colbert Report and Late Night with Seth Meyers. He has performed at The Second City etc., the UCB, Boom Chicago, and iO Chicago. Jimmy talks to him about why he still loves improvising, […]
I first met Will Hines when he contacted me after an episode of Improv Nerd that he particularly liked. I was floored. I had been aware of his reputation as a teacher and improviser at The UCB in New York, and of course of his terrific blog Improv Nonsense. Whenever one of my peers likes […]
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Miles Stroth is the founder of the Pack Theater in Los Angeles. He is also an incredible improviser, teacher and director who was part of the legendary improv group The Family at iO Chicago in the '90s. Jimmy talked to him at his theater in Los Angeles about being a hit by car, what he's […]
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Billy Merritt has been a performer, teacher and director since the UCB opened in New York. He was founding member of The Swarm and The Stepfathers in New York, and The Smokes in LA. We talk to Billy about how he classifies improvisers as pirates, robots, and ninjas, and what the game in the scene […]
One of the fun things about writing an improv blog is that I often get questions from people all over the world asking for my advice. They often want to know what their next step should be in their career, whether they should move to New York or Los Angeles, or how to deal with […]
What do you do if you are taking multiple improv classes at multiple improv schools and your head is filled like a piñata full of improv? Last week in my Art of Slow Comedy class, after we had warmed up with a series of two-person scenes, one of my students opened up and said since he is studying at The Annoyance, […]
3 Ways To Empower Your Improv Do you ever get discouraged in your improv and want to quit? Have you tried out for a team and not made it, or watched as other people from your level move up and you don't? If so, you're not alone. I've felt like giving up so many times […]
Making a Commitment to your Improv Group Long-form improvisation has been booming in the last ten years, but for some reason, there still only seem to be a handful of improv groups that are truly great. We all know them. We all inspire to be like them. Then why aren't there more? The answer is […]