"Improv doesn't ask that you be the most funny, clever, or quick-witted person in the room—it asks you to be the most honest." Of all the lessons I’ve learned, I keep returning to this one.
The moment we step on stage, we make a promise to our audience that we’ll take care of them and each other. The audience is trusting us to take them on a delightful adventure. They are accepting our invitation, and we must honor that by protecting their trust. It is fragile and difficult to rebuild once broken.
The audience is smart and, as improvisers, we are all the audience, too. They are put off when they sense insincerity, but they love the truth and will embrace a loser. While being clever and quick-witted can work, it's difficult to sustain and often devolves into meanness to your scene partner. The audience will root for you if you open yourself up and show them who you are, if you are patient and show them your character's emotional truth.
In the moment, when you're on stage under the bright lights, it's difficult to suppress the need to go for the easy joke, because we all live and die by that laughter. That laughter is why we all found our way here. But don't undo the work, don't sell out your scene partner, and don't undermine yourself. Be emotionally honest. Doggedly pursue earnestness. And challenge yourself to play with the most truth and love you have in you. You will be rewarded handsomely. "
