Improv!

Thinking on your feet is a challenge.  Making it entertaining?  Even more of a challenge.  Tonight I took part in an improv workshop with Talia Pura (pictured with me below).

It felt like a hometown version of "Whose Line is it Anyway?" with Talia acting as teacher/Drew Carey, and me, a much shorter Ryan Stiles (or a much paler Whoopi, I haven't decided).  There's a lot of thought that goes in to doing improv, but at the same time there's no time to think.  This makes it a fast-paced, fun dynamic that often goes in strange directions.  So what are the basics of Improv?

1. No Blocking - this is something I learned in radio school as well.  The basic idea is to go along with the scene the other players are trying to set.  Don't shut down what they've started, build on it.

2. Go with your first idea/instinct.  The cool thing about improv is there's no "right" and "wrong", you just go with the flow.  By not second guessing every thought you have, you don't stop your creativity and you bring new elements to the scene every time.

3. Expect the unexpected.  Is it oxymoronic in nature? yes.  Is oxymoronic a word? I'm not really sure.  However, I feel like this needed to be added because some scenes start in reality, and end up on an undiscovered planet.    It's almost impossible to know what the other players are thinking.

So why do improv?

For me, it's all about exploring different situations and staying sharp.  Oh, it's also ridiculously fun and entertaining.  Did I mention FUN?!! It's Fun.

If you ever get the opportunity to do an improv workshop or play theatre games, give it a try.  You may just find a quirky character you never knew lived inside of you.

And you may end up like these guys one day:

 (Though it would help to know someone like Drew Carey ahead of time)

I'd like to thank Theatre 53 and The Pas Regional Library for putting this on as it was - you guessed it - FUN! Also, a thank you to the talented Talia Pura for being our guide through the random!