Congratulations! You’re considering signing up for your first improv workshop. Maybe you have a friend who recommended you sign up, or maybe you just want to get out of the house, or maybe you just want to have some fun and meet some like minded people. Whatever the reason, you likely have questions about what to expect during your first improv workshop.
Some nervousness or apprehension is normal and you may feel some of those familiar abdominal butterflies, like the first day of school. Playing into that feeling may be the old adage of public speaking being the thing people often fear the most. But fear not; an improv workshop is a safe space where nerves are eased and creativity flourishes. Let’s jump into eight things you can expect from an improv comedy workshop, the good, the perhaps less-good, and everything in between.
1. You Will Be Nervous
Let’s just get this one out of the way. You may be nervous the first time you set foot in the theater, but that’s OK! If you’re someone who doesn’t feel nervous about meeting new people or being the center of attention, feel free to take that main character energy into to section #2 of this blog. However, for those who get the jitters in social settings, know that this is 100% completely normal.
Even the most famous performers still get nervous before they perform. The great Irish crooner Van Morrison STILL suffers from crippling stage fright, and he has been a world-renowned performer for decades. He’s even cancelled appearances moments beforehand from the anxiety he’s felt. So, know that it’s OK and if you are having any difficulty powering through, simply address it with your improv instructor and they will help ease you in until you feel comfortable participating and begin to learn to embrace the discomfort. There’s never any judgement at The HOME Comedy Theater and we welcome people of all ages, genders, creeds, races and religions and any other societal differentiator you can think of.
2. You Will Do Playful Exercises, and Maybe Even Scenes
Your first improv workshop will be part feel-out session and part trial-by-fire; especially if you haven’t taken an improv class before. The good news is you will never be thrown to the wolves at the on-set. There will be an introduction where you get to know the instructor(s) and your classmates and where the workshop lesson plan will be laid out. Then, you’ll learn some improv techniques & exercises that will become the cornerstone of your improv education.
Improv Warm-Ups
Then the real fun begins! Like many people that do any type of exercise, we have specific ‘warm up’ exercises designed to get us into a playful, engaged, and comfortable mood with yourself and the group.
Improv ‘Games’ / Exercises
Part of any improv class or workshop includes improv exercises that are more playful, often referred to as ‘games’, and ‘exercises’ that are often designed to teach deeper fundamentals of improv and how they relate to necessary skills like listening, collaboration, and building self confidence, amongst other things.
In a highly interactive workshop, these games/exercises can lead to completely pressure-free improv scenes.
3. You Will Feel Silly
A big part of improvisation is taking risks and the goal of any workshop or class is to help get you out of your comfort zone in fun and playful ways. You will learn to embrace feeling silly as a cornerstone of your improv skill set. Any self-consciousness will melt away as you swap overthinking for thinking-on-your-feet and nimbly navigate your way through complex improv scenes and exercises. Laughter is at the root of a great comedy show, and it’s no different in an improv workshop. You’ll find yourself laughing with your fellow students in a supportive learning environment.
4. You Will “Fail” (and That’s OK)
In an improv class failure IS an option, but only as a tool to improve your skill set. Failing is necessary to grow and learn in this space, and while it may feel like backsliding, learning to laugh at your mistakes moves you forward.
Unlike how you may feel when you fail in an everyday situation (forgetting your keys, spilling coffee on your pants etc.) and may be able to find humor it, “failing” in improv is part of the process and often times leads to the funniest and most creative moments in scenes. Think about the most memorable sketches in Saturday Night Live where the improv performers break character with a giggle or start laughing.
Building resilience and confidence through your failures comes from trial and error.
5. There’s No Pressure To Be Funny
You may walk into your first improv workshop thinking you need to be on your most hilarious A-game. That belief could not be further from the truth. While our instructors do not intend to teach you HOW to be funny, they do give you the tools to evoke laughter through honesty. Improv is not just for established comedians, anyone can do it.
One of the cornerstones of being a successful improv performer is reacting honestly in the moment to give a genuine reaction instead of forcing it. This way the audience connects to the humanity in your performance and you may just end up being the funniest person in the room, without even trying.
6. You Don’t Have to Make Improv a Career
While there are many opportunities to make a respectable living in the world of improv, you don’t need to make it your primary goal. Improv workshops are literally for everyone (except maybe babies… the crying is distracting). Creatives, non-creatives, business professionals, and introverts alike can glean some real benefits from engaging in improv.
Some of the things we can find the most challenging about everyday life are wrapped neatly into the core of improv.
Public speaking is often feared and avoided in everyday life if at all possible; well that’s not the case with improv. Speaking in front of others is one fear you will overcome the quickest. As we become a more isolated society in the face of technology and convenience, social interactions diminish in everyday life. Spending time with your classmates and involving yourself in the Chicago improv community helps dispel this troubling trend of loneliness.
7. You’ll Compare Yourself to Others
It’s a wholly natural tendency to compare yourself to the others in your workshop. The way you may have assessed your standing in school or other classes you’ve taken, this is simply not a concern in an improv workshop. Like building any skill in life, improv is a journey of personal growth and development. It’s not a competition. Period.
8. You’ll Make Friends
We’ve saved the best one for last. With all of the fun and focus you’ll engage with in an improv workshop, you’ll have to actively try to not make friends with your fellow performers… and who would want to do that?
The collaborative nature of improv fosters strong connections between students and performers. Like any group of people who’ve shared a meaningful life experience, a bond is felt amongst them. It’s not uncommon for participants to find real friendships and even foster creative partnerships in an improv workshop, just like some of the improv comedy legends have in the past.
Give Improv a Chance!
If you still have reservations about signing up for an improv comedy class, we hope we’ve at least helped to quell some of your apprehension. Whether you want to make friends, plot your course into the professional world of improv, or simply be more active, The HOME Comedy Theater is your place. Step out of your comfort zone and sign up for a class or improv comedy workshop today!