Category: Link

As veteran improvisers, without realizing it, we become severely limited by our own “good” scenic choices, and we start making them all the time. It’s at this point that improv stops being improv, and turns into a party trick. Before making these moves on stage, you may as well turn to the audience and say, “Hey, look what I can do!” while also turning to your scene partner and saying, “Hey, no matter what you say, I’m still going to do this!”

“Del Close Notes”→

Some notes from Del about his improv philosophies and the Harold that I found with some digging. I love point five.

Some Notes and Tips for Monoscenes→

An interesting look at ways to execute monoscenes – think of them less as one long scene that’s played slowly and more of a series of scenes without sweep edits or tag outs.

The Zen of Improv: Improviser’s Mind Beginner’s Mind→

As I understand it, “beginner’s mind” is about staying open to new ideas, taking risks, living in a state of not-knowing, being curious, eager, and ready. With a beginner’s mind, everything is new and interesting and accepted. […] A lot of times, the more practice we have, the farther away we get from the honest curiosity and openness of our beginner’s mind. I remember a conversation I had with TJ once about how to figure out what was a truly honest response in a scene, and I mentioned using my “improviser instincts.” He castigated me, saying that if I’ve had so many improv classes that I had forgotten my natural, honest human instincts and react only according to my improviser training, then I’ve taken too many improv classes.