I Get to Fail Tonight
I have a show tonight which means my brain is currently trying to plan for an improv show. It won't be successful. I get to thinking about the pattern game open to maybe the first beat I'll be a part of and then realize that I
Premise
Some stray thoughts on premise. In the UCB manual, premise is defined as: [T]he term used to describe a fully-formed comedic idea found in an opening that strongly suggests a Game. — Besser, Roberts, and Walsh, The Upright Citizens Brigade Comedy Improvisation Manual, p. 94 I don't
If, Then - Part 1
I am having ongoing technical woes this month, all unrelated to each other. Currently I've been without home internet for 14 hours, which makes pulling together a post challenging. I've been rewatching this set from The Smokes. I love how the game develops during the second
Heightening - Part 1
Using the excuse of my laptop being blown up and off at a repair site to continue my series on the building blocks of improv. I have been fortunate to be able to take some classes online and in person with Will Hines. During my first class, I asked a
What Improv Is Teaching Me About Writing
A Brief History of Writing I've been open about who I am on the internet, so I might as well say that this is me. This is the closest I've come to doing what I wanted to do for a living. In 2006, somehow TWENTY YEARS
Scene and Games
I had a thought that this scene in HBO's Chernobyl gets at something primal with improv. That, for how challenging it is, we're really just balancing two things as performers: Game and Scene. Something that's really clicked for me recently is Jim Wood—I&
Croissant Craft
I think craft is important. I think the audience is important. I think how I feel about my performance is important. I know some improvisers who don't care about the craft, and at least in some cases, winging it seems to work for them. I also know some
Online WGIS Class Reviews
I'm sure I've mentioned it, but I take a lot of classes online. I think now is the Golden Age of online improv classes. I can take classes with master-level teachers from the comfort of home. What a time to be alive! A Note on
Fast
A few weeks ago, in a practice group, a performer I admire got upset with herself for not being a "fast improviser." A main theatre teacher I had, Danny Hughes, talked about this, so I wanted to explore it in a build-my-own-lightsaber sort of way
Listening
Active Listeninglet yourself be changedImprov NonsenseWill Hines A few weeks ago, I emailed Will Hines. He emailed me back and asked if he could use it in a Substack (link above). Since I asked this question, I feel like it's fair to repost my words here, but also,
Kevin McDonald
I've had the opportunity to meet and talk to some pretty cool people in my life. I don't ask for pictures because of some combination of not wanting to bother them and also wanting to keep a professional relationship (as unlikely as whatever that might be)
DCM (22) '26
Preface: Feel free to skip this if you're just looking for a review. My very personal two-word review of the 22nd Del Close Marathon is: Still sober. Which can mean many things, but at the very least, I think they are all positive. When I am having