Why Actors Make Great Improvisers

Most actors think they can't improvise. They are scared. They think can only act if they have a script in their hand. This is a lie. I have taught improv for over 30 years and some of the best improvisers are actors.

What an actor brings to improv is the ability to play something straight. They aren't wired to get the laugh, which means they are comfortable in playing the reality of the scene. In terms of the emotional commitment to the work, nobody is better than an actor.

If only actors realized that their acting experience can be a shortcut to learning to improvise. 

Plus, learning improv can make your acting better, too.

What an actor gains from improvising is a sense of playfulness that can be crucial in types of role you will get cast in. Playfulness gives an actor flexibility when working with a script, confidence to make stronger choices, and sense of fun, which is important even you are doing so-called serious roles.

But the number one thing that improv can help an actor with is taking direction. And sometimes that can make the difference between getting the part and getting sent home. 

True story… years ago I auditioned for NBC's medical drama, “ER.” The part was for Manny, a used car salesman. Like most of us, I rehearsed in the front of the mirror, as curt and a bit annoyed. When I got to the audition, I asked the director if there was anything I should know. He said: "This guy loves his job." I did not get that from the script, and I am sure the other actors who just auditioned didn't either. This was a gift. In a split second I made the adjustment, throwing out my version with a new friendlier one. I simply improvised with the script. And guess what? I got the part, because I could think on my feet, which was because of my improv training.

In fact, most of my TV and film credits have not been comedic. They have been more serious roles, and I can tell you I got those parts because of my improv training. Even when I am so supposed to scared out of my mind or frustrated, underneath there is a sense of playfulness and fun. That is from my improv training. 

I have gone to many auditions with really accomplished actors who often leave the room after a bad audition, lamenting that they need to take an improv class, but they never do. Who knows how many parts they have lost out on because of it? And here's the thing: You don't have to go through a two-year program to learn how to improvise. Unless you are loving it, you can usually take a handful of improv classes to get what you need. 

Are you an actor who'd like to learn how to improvise? Don't miss Jimmy's next Improv for Actors workshop on Nov. 11!