Student Blog: My Improv Journey

I have lived a life in fear of improv. 

No matter how comfortable I became in a theatrical environment, there was always something in me that was extremely anti-improv. I guess I always wanted to know exactly what to say. It was always an odd experience, I would always feel stupid for not knowing the funniest/best thing to say in the moment. I would envy the people who could do it freely and comedically. 

My roommate and I bonded over a love for improv. As much as I hated doing it, I really did enjoy watching it. I think the more you are comfortable joking around with friends the more it feels like you’re improvising/riffing off each other. It always feels special to reach that point with someone. It gave me the confidence to give improv another shot.

I went to an improv group meeting at my school and I was terrified going into it. I ended up doing one scene and I was extremely proud of myself! I played a rival baker. Cast me in any upcoming productions of Evil Waitress.

I was sad that it ended up being the only meeting I could make it to. Then I sort of introduced the idea to my roommate that we could start our own group over the summer. I contacted the owner of the local theater I grew up going to and she was completely on board. We quickly realized our mission was to make improv comfortable. Those awkward, high pressure environments where improv is forced can really affect the way you think about comedy and acting. We aimed to make it casual. We booked the theater for the summer and boom! We were having improv meetings every Wednesday at 6pm.

I dressed as a pickle for our singular attendee at our first meeting. It felt like an uphill battle getting people to come. We made flyers, stuck them up everywhere we could think of, posted on Instagram, contacted theater people we knew, and it still felt like we couldn’t get a solid reliable group. But we did have some really fun meetings. It’s so incredible that I did that. My younger self would be so impressed that I got up and chose to do improv despite my fear. Despite the crippling fear of it being bad, I put myself on stage and acted a fool. And there were days that I would go home and feel really disappointed in what I put out there, overthinking every line I said. I found it really difficult to put myself in the scenes. ME! Honest parts of myself hidden in strange character choices. But as the weeks went on, my confidence grew and I let myself show that. I get excited going into meetings now, it’s amazing how my nerves have dwindled. I’m thrilled for opportunities to embody random characters like a Spirit Halloween worker trying to summon the spirit of his deceased pet hamster or a pasta bake business owner trying to get customers. Or a bank robber who forgot to fill the sacks with cash.

We had enough momentum to continue meetings into the fall and it has been a really fun flow to get into. It’s such a cool thing to have people come in, completely new to improv (and sometimes theater as a whole), and just kill it. Creating an environment that is so low stakes really helps to make people comfortable to say whatever they want, therefore making it the funniest it can be. I always know a meeting went well when everyone’s laughing. It’s also awesome when everyone participates in at least one game. We’re pretty accustomed to having a smaller group so when the number reaches above 10 we really have to focus on ensuring everyone who wants to has a chance to try it.

One of my favorite feelings in improv is playing the game “freeze” when I’m in a scene and someone taps in as my partner, beginning a brand new scene with brand new choices. I’m on deck, my only job is to “yes and” the scene and carry the vibe wherever it may go. It’s honestly thrilling and it feels like a sport. Like my teammate is throwing the ball to me and I get to catch it. 

Improv is something I’ve always admired and feared. Something that felt impossible for me to get “good” at. My outlook has completely turned around since I’ve had the privilege of running “The Diddly Squats.” I only hope that I was able to open the minds of others as well through the power of a pickle costume and a welcoming environment. 

It's really annoying to love something that really scares you. It's really important to not let fear stop you from pursuing something you’re passionate about. There’s a difference between fear out of a genuine danger or fear from a place of self-consciousness. Lean into the things that scare you! It’s so hard but it pays off. Give improv a chance!