"Early on, I would ask myself in the middle of a show: “Is this is funny? Are we having fun?” I think the spirit behind these questions are so important to consider early on. I also think they can take up a lot of room in our head leading to choices driven more by judgement which might not always lead to the most supportive choices. Improv isn’t about nailing it every time or “fixing” a scene. It’s about staying in the moment, even when you don’t immediately see where things are going.One lesson I’ve learned is not to bail on an idea or offer just because it doesn’t hit right away. Our brains and our lived experiences are different. So take a breath. Take inventory of what’s already been offered. What do you feel or notice? Sharing that—honestly, simply—can lead us to something funny. Or at least something fun. Give space for your scene partner to do the same.
Sometimes what’s funny isn’t big or clever; it’s just real. And real is enough. And when you feel stuck, aim for fun. Maybe make a choice that’ll make you, your scene partner, or someone’s character smile. It doesn’t have to be perfect or witty; just something fun, you know? And maybe we’ll discover that that something is also in service of or builds on what we’ve already established.
Whatever happens, don’t panic. Or do. But stay in it and commit to facing the consequences together. Improv is a cake that fell on the floor and we all came here for cake and we will enjoy every last bite of that delicious floor cake so dig in."
