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 Afraid
Let’s just get this one out of the way. You may be afraid 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 due to 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 can learn to embrace the discomfort. There’s never any judgment 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 Play Games, Do 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 comedy 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 about the improv techniques & exercises that will become the cornerstone of your improv education.
Improv Warm-Ups
Then the real fun begins! Warm-ups for the body, mind and spirit will help you get comfortable and engaged. Classic warm-ups like “Five Things” help to break the ice where everyone takes turns listing five things that may be in a given location like a park or a bathroom.
Improv Games
Improv games are fun and easy ways to help build two of the essential characteristics of improv – confidence and quick thinking. Perhaps the most well-known improv game and one that hones these two important skills is “Yes, And” where a scene develops by having one player make a statement, while the other responds with “Yes, and…” to build upon the idea and propel the dialogue forward. It encourages players to stay open-minded, embrace mistakes, and practice saying “yes” to opportunities—both on stage and in everyday life.
Improv Exercises
While games are intended to be performed for an audience, improv exercises are more geared toward building and flexing your improv muscles. Improv exercises are designed to help encourage teamwork, active listening, and spontaneity. Two popular exercises are “counting” and “alphabet”. In “alphabet” all workshop participants are involved where a scenario is organically created by each student saying one word which comes in sequential order of the alphabet. An example might be “A Bad Cat Delegated Every French fry…” you get the idea.
In a highly interactive workshop, these games and exercises can lead to completely pressure-free improv scenes.
3. You Will Act Silly
As the name of our theater suggests, comedy is at the root of a great improv performance. This is no place for a standard dry delivery, and you will learn to embrace silliness 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. 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 creative and 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 often times leads to the funniest and most creative moments in a performance. 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, or in the case of “Debbie Downer”, a recurring sketch.
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. 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. This also supports your scene partners who can learn to respond and react to your tendencies. By utilizing the intention of “Yes, And” and working together with your scenemates, the humor will develop naturally 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. Our instructors work with each student to find their niche talent and weave it into improv narratives. 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 Chicago’s 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 an improv comedy workshop today!