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Continue reading →: Matt Besser’s Master ClassDo yourself a favor and watch this video – an insider’s look at the first day of UCB’s Master Class. For your convenience, here are links to the rest of the videos in the series: Inside the Master Class “Changing Names” Inside the Master Class “Pure Gibberish” Inside the Master…
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Continue reading →: Yes, And – Part IMost people come into improv with misconceptions about what it is going to be like. It’s not just making up stuff as you go without any structure or guidelines; it’s not hopping on stage and acting zany; and it’s not trying to come up with clever puns or witty one-liners.…
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Continue reading →: TEDxVictoria – Dave Morris: The Way of ImprovisationDo yourself a favor and watch this video.
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Continue reading →: Lessons from Community: You’re Accepted!Pierce: It’s a sickness, I admit it. But this place has always accepted me, sickness and all. This place accepted all of you, sickness and all. It’s worth thinking about. (Season 2, Episode 24) Pierce is addressing the request of the study group, telling them that Greendale has accepted each…
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Continue reading →: Games – DeathboxAlias: Four Square Four people start on stage, standing in a square. Each side of the square will be a different scene, but only the scene that is currently on the front side is performing. The host can control which scene is “on” by making the deathbox rotate forward or…
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Continue reading →: Smoking As a High Status Character
In my first grad show, after just 8 weeks of classes, our last scene was a group All In. The setup was that we were having a dance competition at a truck stop. I was the fourth character to enter the scene (out of 5), and was waiting in the…
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Continue reading →: Lessons from Community: No Means YesBritta: Don’t talk to Vaughn.Pierce: You know, I’m telling you, your hormones are clouding your j…Britta: DON’T. TALK. TO. VAUGHN.(walks off)Pierce: That is girl for “Talk to Vaughn.” (Seaons 1, Episode 8) That is also improv for “Talk to Vaughn.” In almost any scene, insisting that someone not do something…
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Continue reading →: Creative Performance
I used to think the skill in performing was learning to play the same piece exactly the same every time. Now I realize the genius is in being able to play it differently every time. Even with scripted performance, there is a lot of freedom in how you play it,…
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Continue reading →: Games – Zip Zap Zop
With everyone standing in a circle, the first improviser begins the pattern of “Zip, Zap, Zop” by clapping their hands at someone and saying “Zip.” The person that they indicated will then clap at someone and say “Zap.” Then the third person will do the same but say “Zop.” After…
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Continue reading →: Games – Layers
Played with 5-7 improvisers, typically everyone that is in the show. If playing with 6 people, for example, number off from 1 to 6. The person that is #1 will receive a suggestion and start a scene by himself or herself, with everyone else offstage. After he/she has had a…
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