I can't count how many kids show up to an improv meeting for their first time thinking they're going to be the funniest guy or girl in the room. And the troupe has to break it to them gently (or sometimes, not so gently) that it's not about being funny. I can recall one meeting where a new guy eagerly jumped up to join a scene - and spent the entire time cracking one-liners and jokes, going for the laugh often at the expense of his compatriots' hard work on stage.

Needless to say, he didn't get picked for a scene again, not for several weeks.

Improv is often funny, and there are people who are naturally funny and also good at improvisation. But that's not the point. Improvisation isn't inherently funny - some of my troupe's most memorable scenes were drop-dead serious. (Literally - one was about the death of a character's mother, reflecting the improviser's own current struggle with a parent's major illness.) The funny scenes in improv arise out of naturally occurring situations that don't quite fit. When we listen to our scene partners on stage and try to add the next logical step, that's where it often gets funny - because the first "logical" thing that comes to mind might not be expected or normal or even logical. But when improvisers accept it as the truth of the scene, and play it forward with 100% honesty, that's when the magic happens.

Sometimes that honesty will get us in trouble, so to speak. While as a person, I might not really want to slip on a banana peel for fear of embarrassment or injury, as an improviser that's exactly what I want to do because it's far more interesting. Dynamic aspects of a scene like status changes, or getting knocked down so the audience can root for you to climb back up, make much more enjoyable scenes and give the players so much more material to work with.

Unless your scene happens to be in a fruit-peeling facility where banana peels on the floor are commonplace, that banana peel is there for a specific reason. A good improviser will choose to be that reason.

About half of my improv students are in the mainstream drama program as well, and every year I have one newbie who remarks how different improv rehearsals are than drama rehearsals. The range of comments runs from "They're more fun" to "They're totally chaotic!" I actually see this as a good thing - the nature of improv rehearsals is supposed to be very different, because the process and the product are quite different. So why do we rehearse in improv?

​Simple Mechanics
Probably the reason most similar to straight-up drama rehearsals, players simply need to learn what to do when. Whether it's learning basic stagecraft for newbies, learning introductory improv skills, understanding the rules, gimmicks and flow of stage games, students need to learn the mechanics of what they're performing on stage. For some games that require special roles - like playing the Bachelor/Bachelorette in Dating Game, or serving as the Host for a show - playing those games again and again will give those players a better sense of how to "lead" those games in their role.

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Troupe members need to know what their strengths and weaknesses are, and what they need to improve upon. Improv rehearsals focus on just that - targeting a specific skill for improvement. This one often falls to the coach of the troupe to decide what skills need to be practiced, and to give some guidance as to what games and exercises to play to develop them. Some advanced improvisers might be self-aware enough to know their own strengths and weaknesses, but often the guiding hand of a third party - not only a coach, but their fellow players in a supportive atmosphere - can bring about improvement.

Everyone's A (Constructive) Critic
One of the best tools during an improv rehearsal is the breakdown - after playing a scene or performing an exercise, everyone in the group (with the guidance of the coach) breaks down what worked and what didn't. During rehearsals, those troupe members who are the audience members for a game or exercise have the job of watching what goes well and what could be improved - both for the performers' benefits and their own. Newbies get a chance to see what "works" in a scene (or, sometimes more informatively, what doesn't), and then they need a chance to get up and do it. Of course, vets need the same...

Smells Like Team Spirit
The single biggest reason is to work with the group. Chemistry in a drama ensemble is often very important, but a lack of chemistry can be worked around. Chemistry in an improv troupe is vital - without it, scenes are almost impossible to do well. Rehearsal allows all members of the troupe to figure out how to play with each other - which pairings work well, what each member's strengths and weaknesses are, etc. A shared knowledge base is something that everyone in the ensemble can draw from in any scene - if they're practiced enough, the other ensemble members can often tap into that knowledge base at the same time and bring synergy to the scene. That only happens with practice and experience, though.

​The late great Chicago-area improv teacher Jason Chin posted on his blog,

I've seen time and time again where students who are over-committed to both improv and drama forsake the improv rehearsals for the drama rehearsals - because of the need for more structured rehearsal for drama but also the perceived lesser need for improv rehearsal. (After all, isn't improv supposed to be made up spontaneously, anyway?) Every single time, I've seen the chemistry of the group suffer because of that particular player - they weren't in sync with the rest of the group and either steamrolled through a scene, or trainwrecked it.

Don't underestimate the importance of rehearsal - regular, well-structured rehearsal - for the life and ability of your improv troupe.

Jordan Klepper - yes, that Jordan Klepper - has been both with iO Chicago and UCB, and gives some great advice for those learning to do improv. It's often tempting to lurk in the wings (or "the back line" as Jordan mentions) where it's safe. But if you can manage your fear and get out on stage, it really is more fun out there. After all, that's why we do it in the first place.

This is also why it's so important to set up an encouraging and supportive rehearsal environment - so new improvisers feel comfortable "getting off the back line" and trying. It's the only way to get better.

BONUS: You can find Jordan on YouTube talking about stand-up, improv, and working with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show.

It's a new year, and with it comes the list of arbitrary resolutions. Lose weight, read more, get off electronics, learn how to cook, blah blah blah... But maybe it would be nice to improve this year, huh? I mean, in one area. We here at improv high can't do much to help you shed those last five pounds. But we can give a hand in making you a stronger improviser in 2016. So, without further ado, I present your improv resolutions for 2016!

Return to the basics and refresh your understanding of them. In 2015 you may have noticed you said 'no' a lot. Maybe you've been neglecting to make a character, or trying too hard to be funny. You've been relying really hard on gimmicks and your craft has subsequently suffered from it, possibly. This year, you are going to review the basics, doing some simple scene work to remind yourself how to say 'yes, and' with interesting choices. Learning, studying, and understanding the very basic rules of improv allows you to expand upon their principle, creating a better quality of advanced performance. Study up!
​
Be brave enough to be a li'l dull. 2015 saw a lot of wild shots in the dark that bore no fruit. In 2016, dare to let comedy and material flow naturally, instead of forcing elaborate jokes and gags. Comedy comes from the truth (the Truth in Comedy, if you will), and starting off simple leaves room for the stakes of the scene to escalate to entertaining heights. You are good enough, and should worry less on stage.

Be a better story teller. A good scene needs a story, and that seemed to trip you up last year. This year you're going to do much better. The whole "point" of improv is seeing a suggestion come to actuality, and it is rewarding for the audience maybe as much as it should be for you. In 2016, develop and fine tune your story telling skills.

Create great characters. You've forgotten to be big, maybe. Sure, theatre mimics real life, but nothing is too fun about playing another generic young adult. Strive for bigger, better characters this year! Bigger characters open the door to better improv with bold choices.  A character at the very least needs a quirk!

Love your scene partners. The best advice for the new year and the new you is to treat your scene partners a little better. It has been said time and time again that the better you make your partner look, the greater you will look, too. Feed them plenty of material, avoid denial and open ended questions, and try to stray from pitting yourself against them in a battle (improv is a group effort!).

Connect - with the scene, your partner, and the audience. Have fun and connect with what you're doing. Feel exhilaration every moment, and be in tune with your partner, your audience, and the scene. Learn some more about group mind here.

Be responsibly reckless and just make a choice already. You hesitated a bit too much last year. We forgive you! This year, stop biding your time and make a choice already! It doesn't matter what, that's the beauty of improv! Don't let your scene die, and don't become a mumbling mess. When words fail, think of something off the top of your head. That's kind of what improv is all about.

Think higher of yourself. Come on! You're great. Confidence will only help you. You wouldn't be in improv if you weren't capable, now would you? The harder you work and the better you feel, the easier it will be to unleash the awesome improviser inside of you. Now get out there and make 2016 your year!

We sometimes have trouble with pop culture references in our troupe. Not every high school student has the same breadth of knowledge as everyone else, much less adult improvisers. The wider the knowledge base of the improviser, the more they have to draw upon in a scene.

Study and observe, folks. File away the minutia into the improv part of your brain.

My improv troupe has been in session with new members for about two weeks now, and last week we were doing some basic open scenes in improv. Normally when we do scenes like this, my veteran players are the ones who run the scenes - picking the players and giving the suggestions. And as a learning exercise, we always deconstruct scenes at the end to find out what went right and wrong.

We had so many new players that I had to break them into two groups, with vets splitting up and running each group. As I floated between the two groups, I discovered that my vets were doing what I myself was trying to diminish in me - overcoaching.

Once a scene was over, the vets launched into critiquing the scene. They did it very well - gave positive feedback first, and then suggestions about what could've been improved upon. They picked up on basic improv tenets that needed work within the scene and brought those to light. But I realized it was always them doing the talking - occasionally they'd get other troupe members input to specific questions, but it was still very...managed.

It got me thinking about how best to include the whole troupe when coaching one scene.

Open it up to the group first.
Let the general populace share their observations first. Most likely, they'll have picked up on the same issues that the coaches will have, and they are the ones who need practice articulating them. They may also have a different take on it that can be instructive.

Make sure the scene players give their own feedback.
They were in there doing it - no doubt they have their own opinions about how well (or not) a scene went. Having them focus on their own performance can make them view themselves with a more critical eye; having them comment on each other's performance in a positive sense can help them build trust and rapport.

Have coaches focus the discussion.
Whether by design or happy accident, a scene can usually serve to instruct a small subset of improv skills or rules. Have the coaches focus on those - ask directed questions to the group or the performers, point out examples of those skills/rules from the scene, etc.

Shut up.
As I've said before, don't say it. Do it - or, perhaps, have the performers do it again to illustrate the point. Get in there and do it with them. At the very least, say what you need to say in the least number of words so you can move on to someone else's thoughts - or even to doing some more improv.

Those four ideas cover most of the problems I and my veteran performers have. Coaches, anything to add? Share it in the comments below.

Whether you're a teacher interested in being a sponsor of an improv club or a student who's interested in more opportunities to do improv, this post may give you some tips about how to get one started at your school.

Get administration on board.
Most schools have a policy that new student organizations need the permission of an administrator (perhaps a specific one). You might find that your administration is a little nervous about permitting an improv troupe - the unscripted nature of teens on stage can be a little...unsettling. Let the administration know that there's a lot more structure to it than it might seem. 


Establish clear standards and expectations.
It can be very easy for improvisers to simply go where their performance impulse takes them - but at the high school level, there are certain lines about sex, drugs, behavior and so forth that just might not be appropriate. Depending on where your school is located, those lines might be more or less strict. Get all your interested kids on board with the notion that these aren't flexible. Determine what type of show best suits your local audience, and then emphasize that in rehearsals.


Decide what kind of improv you want to perform.
The easiest entrance into performing improv is short form: improv games and scenes very much like Whose Line is it Anyway? It tends to be easiest for teens to get their heads into, and they contain fairly easy gimmicks to make them funny. Some improv purists argue that doing short form improv makes you actually a bad improviser, but that's debatable.
Another option is to establish a troupe dedicated to long form: scenes which run much longer - even up to a completely improvised two-act play - in which characterization and storytelling are much more important and integral. Starting a long form troupe from scratch - with students who don't have any improv background - can be more difficult. If you have a group of solid drama students who have inclinations towards improvisation, you might be able to pull it off; long form tends to rely much more on acting ability, group memory, and storytelling ability.


Decide who the coach will be.
There's no reason why a drama teacher with improv experience couldn't be the coach of a school's improv troupe - but some teachers would rather bring in outside help. If you have any local improv troupes, either professionally or at nearby colleges, you might consider bringing them in to coach the troupe. Make sure that the coach you choose can commit to it regularly - if you have a professional who can help but can't commit long-term, then perhaps a better choice would be to have a drama teacher serve as the coach/sponsor, and bring the professional in early to do a number of workshops.


Set a clear rehearsal schedule and structure.
What day of the week will fit with the extracurricular schedule? Some schools stagger how their clubs meet, some leave it wide open for clubs to choose - but in that case, you'll need to consider conflicts with other organizations. Once you know the day - and how long your troupe will meet on that day - figure out what rehearsals will look like. How long will warm-ups take? Will the coach talk a bit at the troupe, or just jump right into scenes or games?
Unlike normal drama rehearsals - which is structured specifically towards scripted material performing on a certain date - improv rehearsals tend to be more skill-based: pick a particular type of improv skill, and work on that for one rehearsal.
One final important note about rehearsals: you absolutely must allow time/opportunities for coaching - breaking down what worked/didn't work in a scene, critiquing player's performances, etc. Without it, rehearsals just won't be effective.


Find your rehearsal space.
Ideally, if schedules accommodate it, you can rehearse in your school's performing arts facility. The nice thing about improv, however, is that with a lack of sets or props, rehearsals can take place almost anywhere. The best option is to find a space that is easy to reconfigure to give you plenty of space to play, a clear delineation of stage and seating, and somewhere you might be able to get loud. Classrooms are just fine, as long as there's room to get desks out of the way. If possible, make it a consistent rehearsal space, so that troupe members have a familiar, comfortable space in which to open up.


Generate interest.
You can't have a troupe without performers. Advertise auditions in the school theater, in drama classes, and around school. Don't just stick to the drama kids - you might find that students who have a talent for improv might not do well or fit in with regular stage performing, so they may be "hiding" elsewhere.


It may take a while before your troupe (or you) feel ready to perform on stage in front of an audience. As your troupe gets to that point, you may want to take a look at our tips for improv shows.

If something is worth doing on stage, it's worth doing right - make a difference, make a commitment, make a statement, make a bold choice.

There are lots of things that can make or break how well an improv show goes. Here are some things to think about. (NOTE: this post focuses mostly on short form shows.)

The Name of the Show
Do you have a type of show that happens pretty regularly, and needs a unifying name? Are your shows few and far between, and each have a unique sense to them? How you schedule and perform your shows has some bearing on how you name your shows. If your show title has a theme (or, shall we say, endows your show with a theme), what is it in the show that reflects that theme - the types of games, performer costumes, intro and outro music? Consider whether you want your names to be "throw-away" or have some integration into the performance.

The Host of the Show
One of the most important jobs in an improv show is often the one that's not tied to playing games. Having an effective host keeps the show moving along, allows for effective and efficient audience participation, and can help to end or save southbound scenes. Not necessarily every improviser can act as the host. The host requires a good knowledge of how every game works, but that can also introduce the games in a manner that's easy for the audience to understand. They also have to be able to command the audience - go to the audience for suggestions, and then shut them up when one is found.

It's possible to have multiple improvisers serve as host, by trading off duties as the games change. Multiple hosts must have a report that allows them to easily play off of one another, and to jump in and keep the show moving. They must be organized to the point where they know exactly which games each one is hosting and when they happen in the show.

The Flow of the Show
As you put together your list of games for a show, keep in mind that the types of games and even their order can dictate the pace of the show. Starting out each act with a strong crowd-pleasing game gets everyone in the audience on your side from the start. Games with similar mechanics, such as guessing games or gibberish games, might want to have one or two other games between them or spread out between the two acts - unless you want to specifically lump them together and feature them at a particular point in the show. (Maybe they fit with the theme or title of your show...)
After any show, always debrief and figure out what games worked and why/why not. It could be that a good game was played in a bad slot - remember that and account for it in your next show.

What else needs to be considered to make a good show? Share it with us in the comments below.

In my experience in high school improv, walk-ons - players entering/adding to a scene already in progress, sometimes known as secondary support - can either go really well or really poorly. They tend to have a very different purpose than do the players/characters who begin a scene, but often that purpose is lost in the need for the walk-on players to add to their stage time.

On his Improv Nerd blog, Jimmy Carrane posted an article about how to decide if you need to walk-on into a scene. I'm going to use it as a starting point for my students, and so I thought I'd share his tips with you here in their entirety (bold-italic emphasis is my own). Additional commentary, however, is shared below the tips, so keep reading.

1. Do the players need an environment?
This is usually easy to determine and can be of maximum service to the players in the scene. If two players come out and have no idea where they are after a few minutes, it is the perfect opportunity for a walk-on. Come in and place them in a specific environment, such as in a restaurant, in a hotel room, on an airplane – anywhere but “vagueland.” Then quietly leave the scene, because your job is done.

2. Is a character being called for?
Sometimes, two players will start a scene and they’ll reference another character, such as, “Your mother and I are really upset you didn’t come home last night.” We don’t have a mother in the scene, so this is your opportunity to be the mother. It doesn’t matter if a woman or a man plays the mother, we need a mother. You want to avoid where the players are desperately calling out for another character to join them three or four times before some one is brave enough to step up. I have also seen the opposite where players are trigger happy and think every time a character’s name is mentioned is an opportunity for a walk on. Be aware that is some cases they will be referring to character and a walk on is not necessary.

3. Does something need to be heightened?
This is by far the trickiest one to do. Ask yourself if there is a game, premise or emotion in a scene that needs to be heightened. Can you do it gracefully, by adding a piece of information that will up the stakes? If so, it might be time for a walk-on. However, remember that you don’t have to jump into every scene. Sometimes a scene may not need heightening by you; they may be able to handle it themselves.

4. What is my motive?
I am guilty of this. Sometimes my confidence is low and I feel safe walking into a scene than initiating one myself. If you feel you are doing this, instead of looking for an opportunity to walk into a scene, how about following the fear and starting a scene yourself?

5. Does the scene need an edit?
I wish I could take credit for this advice: “Sometimes your best walk-ons are edits.” This is true, especially if the scene has been going on for a while. If the scene feels like it’s dragging and you have an instinct to walk on to change the energy, probably it would work better as an edit.

One thing that makes these tips tricky to employ is that they have a lot of "sometimes." These are not definite or universal rules for walking on - often a situation in one scene is desperate for a walk-on, and the same(-ish) situation in another scene is being totally handled by the on-stage players and needs no walk-on. Here are some factors to consider:

1. Group Mind
How well does your troupe play together? Do they (or the players currently involved) sync well together on stage - and if so, does that make it more likely that they'll be able to get themselves out of a bind? Are the players that are planning to walk-on naturally in tune with what's going on in the scene, and in tune with the other players?

2. Experience
Are the players currently in the scene newbies or vets? If they're vets, it's more likely that they'll be able pull themselves out of a jam - or make it more apparent when they're explicitly calling for a walk-on. Watch and listen carefully for cues they're giving to their offstage scene partners.

3. Habits
Certain players will tend towards certain types of behaviors in scenes - use those tendencies to govern where you think the scene will go. Does a scene player always refer to a third character with the expectation of them suddenly walking-on? If so, there's your cue - let them endow you with that character, and walk-on when needed. Does a scene player start out really strong scenes, but tends to forget to clearly define their environment? Walk-on quickly, give them a bit of definition, and then move on your merry way.

Walk-ons can add so much to a scene - or seriously derail it, if not treated with care and respect. Work on it with your troupe - it can become a great tool in your improv arsenal.