ImprovBoston Teaches Everyday Life Skills Through Improv

Jared Littlejohn is an improviser at New England's oldest and biggest comedy theater. At ImprovBoston, he's learned to apply crucial on-stage skills to his life outside the theater: discovering confidence, supporting others, and engaging in true collaboration.

"So many people tell me they struggle with confidence. Improv gives me the ability to manufacture confidence in any situation," explains Littlejohn, now an improviser in ImprovBoston's Saturday All Access Improv show. "Even when I don't have it, I can flip a switch and pretend I do. Improv has allowed me to fit in when I would have otherwise felt incredibly nervous."

Littlejohn caught the improv bug at Bowdoin College and decided to take his skills to the next level, enrolling in ImprovBoston's Comedy School. "Talk about a loving, accepting community. Other improvisers feel invested in my success and make me feel like I belong. Those are the people I want to be around," Littlejohn explains.

Everyday skills
Since taking improv classes, Littlejohn has built his confidence, learning to stand up for himself. "Improv has made me sharper and wittier, extremely quick on my toes. Improv's a tool for flipping scripts when responding to people. I've learned to suck the fun out of others' negativity. It feels fantastic," he says. "I want those who get bullied to have the improv skills to outsmart bullies."

Littlejohn has even used his improv skills to talk openly about race. "After my colleague made a comment, I quickly came up with a lesson that was neither condescending nor angry. My colleague got it. I phrased my response so I didn't have to say he was wrong but instead explained how the comment sounded. I simply processed the comment and responded with knowledge. I felt great."

Every year, thousands of students find their voice and their confidence both onstage and off at the renowned nonprofit arts institution, now celebrating its 35th year. ImprovBoston's National Touring Company Director Deana Criess points to five elements of improv that give improvisers life skills they can use everyday:

1. Say "Yes"
   Improvisation is rooted in the idea that no matter what your scene partner offers, you say "yes." Saying "yes" allows us to create something out of nothing on stage. "Yes" also allows us to build relationships and stay invested in each other. Saying "yes" doesn't mean you have to agree with your partner's opinions, just that you agree to have the dialog - that you respect his or her truth. Saying "no" builds a wall; saying "yes" opens the door to understanding.
   
2. Add "And"
   Now that we're saying "yes," we also want to add the "and." "Yes, And" is both the key to successful scene work and the key to building connections with others. What do you want to add to the scene? Let's build on those points of connection. "YES, I see why you feel that, AND l feel that way too sometimes, like when I accidentally took mom's wallet...." Now you are in a truly collaborative conversation. The "and" gives you ownership.
   
3. Support each other
   As improvisers, our job is to make our scene partner look good. The funniest scenes come from this simple principle. We serve the ensemble. The ensemble serves the show. And the show serves us in return. If my partner has an idea on stage, I support it and know that if I have an idea, it will be supported right back. In business and in relationships, we often get hung up on owning ideas or competing internally. Everyone will get farther faster if we all agree that a rising tide lifts all boats. The team's success is everyone's success, on stage, in business, and in relationships.
   
4. Make a choice
   Make a choice. Any choice. Take that risk. In improv as in life, be the person who gets things moving. You can always make a new choice later - in fact, great scenes are simply a series of committed choices and discoveries. When we refuse to make choices, it's often out of fear or the paralysis of too many options. Understanding that any choice can lead us to connection and collaboration, we open up our creativity. The more choices we make, the more discoveries we enjoy and the more momentum we build. Be the person with momentum.
   
5. Fail big
   In improvisation, failure is our friend. Fear is our only enemy. On stage, we dig down into every moment, every offer, every movement, and especially every "mistake." Some of the best moments on stage happen when we step out of our comfort zones. The funny way we tripped over that word becomes our character's hilarious speech pattern. The time we accidentally stepped into that imaginary car without opening the door first leads to the discovery of a beat-up old car without doors... what a creative gift! Fear of messing up leads to stagnation and closes us off from creativity. Some of the biggest innovations in history have come from "failures." Penicillin, the microwave, Velcro, and the Slinky all were born of "failed" experiments. Failure is simply another step to success.

ImprovBoston runs eight-week comedy classes in improv, sketch, and standup every two months. Registration is open now for classes starting the week of March 13th and is available at ImprovBoston.com/training.