Below are some questions to ask when setting goals for yourself as an improviser or considering a new improv project. I think it is important to be intentional about your growth as an improviser and to think about what projects to add to your plate. These questions may help you choose which projects you focus on and which projects might need to wait.

What are the expectations?

Does the team want to practice, just perform, or both? How much or how little? Does the team want to go to festivals? What is the expectation of financial contribution, if any?

When these goals or expectations do not line up, it can be a source of frustration for everyone. It is best to understand the expectations from the get-go and check in with the group frequently along the way to be sure you are on the same page.

Ask for clarity around these things before giving your yes.

Are you prepared to commit?

If the project rehearses or performs on the one night a week that you have free, what are the chances you will soon be calling out just to catch your breath? Saying no can sometimes be the best way to support a project in moving forward. You are not doing anybody any favors by being part of a project you do not have time for.

Improv trains us to say yes. Improv has a way of yes anding itself and before we know it we are taking 7 different classes, teaching 3 different classes, going to 5 different festivals over the span of the next 3 months, while doing 6 improv rehearsals a week, and 2 different shows on the same night.

If you keep needing to miss rehearsals or shows or don’t really enjoy being around the team that is ok, but it probably means you should reconsider if you should be on the team. If you need to walk away know that you are making space for other projects that are more worth your valuable time.

We need to be certain we are prepared to back our yes up with full-bodied commitment. We don’t make half-hearted choices on stage - don’t make half-hearted choices off stage either. Consider your yes carefully and do not give it lightly. You know this already. Now do it.

I recently re-read Hamlet. In so doing, I was struck by what the very first scene of the play revealed about the art of improvising. I think improvisers can learn a lot by looking closely at the opening of this masterful work.

Break The Rules

The very first line of Hamlet is a question.

BERNARDO

Who's there?

I venture to guess that you would be told that this is not a great initiation for a scene in a regular improv class. Generally, improvisers are cautioned to avoid questions. Following the rules will only get you so far - instead, pay attention to the moment and what it needs. Just remember, you have the power as a performer to make the things you want to make. Sometimes that involves breaking the rules.

Establish Mood

In the opening scene of Hamlet, there is such tension, trepidation, and fear evoked by the exchange between Bernardo and Francisco that we are immediately immersed into a world that has us on the edge of our seats.

Yes, the “who what where” can be essential tools for scene development; however, in Act 1 Scene 1 of Hamlet, the mood is what is made apparent first. I think this is even more important than establishing that you are at yet another laundromat. How we feel about where we are is just as vital.

Still, it is revealed relatively quickly where Bernardo and Francisco are and how they know one another. They talk about the king and the watch, the time of night, and - get this - they also name one another.

FRANCISCO

Bernardo?

BERNARDO

He.

FRANCISCO

You come most carefully upon your hour.

BERNARDO

'Tis now struck twelve; get thee to bed, Francisco.

Talk About How You Feel

It is clear how both Bernardo and Fransisco’s characters feel because of how they behave. Francisco also shares his feelings outright with his fellow guardsmen.

FRANCISCO

For this relief much thanks: 'tis bitter cold,

And I am sick at heart.

Saying how you feel in a scene can be a pathway to discovering your point of view. Naming your emotion can be a useful tool.

Remember when you were a child and you met up with friends in your neighborhood to play? Maybe your games were simple and silly, maybe they were complex and serious. Either way, play is an essential part of what it means to be human. Learning to create games and play is healthy. An improv class can feel a lot like playing with your friends - but it can also be soooo much more.

Improv is a valuable tool for building confidence, public speaking skills, empathy, communication, creative thinking, and teamwork. The general purpose of an introductory improv class is to familiarize a student with the foundational principles of improvisation through warm-ups, exercises, games, scenes, and discussion.

All kinds of folks take improv classes for different reasons: to connect with fun people, to have a creative outlet, to build professional skills, to hone their acting, comedy, or writing skills, or just to try something new. The long and short of it is you do not have to want to be a performer to take an improv class. There are many transferable skills improv can teach you that have useful applications across numerous professions (Teaching, Law, and Medicine to name just a few). Improv can also enrich your social and personal life by instilling confidence, helping you to practice deeper listening, and teaching positivity and support.

If your improv class is in person it will likely have anywhere from 6-14 people in it and may meet weekly for 6-8 weeks for anywhere from 1 hour and a half to 3 hours long (depending on the class). Many of the exercises you do will involve circling up as a group, working in pairs, or taking turns exploring scenes and exercises as the rest of the class watches and learns from your “mistakes” and your successes (there really are no mistakes in improv, more on that in another blog post).

If your improv class is online, as many are these days, you will all meet in a virtual room. It can take some getting used to interacting virtually but you will soon learn the mechanics. It is best to have a good wifi connection, a quiet space free from distraction, and ample lighting. It is also helpful if you have some space to move around. Even without all of these available to you, an improv class can be very enjoyable and successful - just check in with your improv instructor if you have any questions. I once had a student take a class from inside of their parked car! Though admittedly not ideal, it was fun! They did a lot of scenes about driving.

A few things to keep in mind: