Coaching Improv

I’ve been getting this question a lot recently:
When is a good time to start coaching improv?

Answer:
When people start asking you to coach.

If you want to start seeking out coaching gigs, I would advise that you can start coaching after you’ve been doing improv steadily for at least 2 to 3 years (ideally 3 years). Meaning, consistently in class and performing. If your goal is to become a coach, I would take a TON of notes in classes and rehearsals to see how your teachers/coaches are setting up rehearsal time and breaking down each session. Think about what it takes to be a coach and not to show off you’re improvisor skills. Keep in mind what the goal of the group is as a coach.

I personally love it when coaches come in with a game plan for the team. This, to me, means that the coach is investing time and energy to figure out what is best for the team and the individual players. A coach needs to think about group mind and how each member can grow with that group. Each person learns improv differently and a coach should take each individual player into consideration and find what style of notes work for each person. I think a coach needs to be more specific with each team and the members than a teacher, because teacher should focus on classes that contain lesson plans for a given class.

Again. Broken down into bullets (because I like them):

• start coaching after doing improv consistently for 3 years
• take tons of notes in classes/rehearsals
• coaches focus on group mind; aka-what works best for each team
• coaches think about individuals and how each person learns improv within a team
• come in with a game plan for each rehearsal

Valentine’s day gifts for Jodi

Valentine’s day is just around the corner and I wanted to give my secret admirers a heads up on the things I like:

• Sushi.
• Chocolate.
• Chocolate truffles.
• Chocolate with caramel.
• Mint and chocolate.
• Roses, any color.
• Lilies.
• Let’s just say any kind of flowers.
• A bottle of Donna Karan Cashmere Mist.
• Down comforters.
• Cashmere, like anything in cashmere (socks, scarves, tops…I’m a small).
• Chai tea latte.
• Massages done by a professional.
• Italian food.
• Fruit.

I’m not the biggest fan of

• Hallmark valentine’s day cards. It’s way cooler if you make your own card.
• Dark chocolate, though I will accept this. Especially if hazelnuts are involved.
• A ticket to a comedy show. (I do comedy. I see comedy all the time. Learn about me dude.)
• Liquor/Beer. It’s fun to have a drink every now and then but I’m not a big drinker.
• Ice cream. I’m more of a Yogurtland, with lots of fruit toppings, lady.
• Lotion.
• Balloons. They just deflate and create a mess.
• Sweatpants. I seriously got this as a gift from a boyfriend once.

If a man is into me and asks me out on a date, that’s gift enough. Not to be cheesy, but doesn’t happen much. So that would be really cool too.

Or be completely different and donate. As long it’s for something cool.

Improv Community

“Look at those people. They’re dancing and they mean it. They’re friends with you and they mean it. These people mean everything they say and I’m lucky enough to be with them.” - a friend’s words I’ve paraphrased (cuz I was happy and tired and it was loud) at the UCB 2012 NYE party

Being a part of the growing UCB community in 2004 was pretty dirty. No really. The classes were in a super dirty room in NY with cockroaches and grossness. The people, however, were awesome. No one in my class had the ambition to be an actor. It was actually rare to find an actor in an improv class at that time. Most of the people in my class were lawyers or really shy and wanted to get better at public speaking. I did it because it was fun and I love making people laugh.

As the years went by and Anthony King became the artist director, the community exploded. I kept hearing about Armando Diaz and his eventé class and took that class with him while still studying at UCB. Then Armando opened up a new theater called The Magnet Theater. There were so many people that were trickling into the community, and when Magnet opened their doors, some of the “old school” improvisors started coming back to the stage (or at least becoming prominent on stage again).

I became spoiled by 2 NYE parties and Christmas parties and Harold nights. UCB and Magnet improvisors floated easily between the two theaters, plus they were only a few blocks away from each other.

I noticed of the strength and support of the community when I was hit by a car and thrown through a store window. (I feel like I tell this story every 2 minutes, please go here to read more about it or watch my music video.) My first visitor was my supervisor from work. My second visitor was one of my improv coaches/directors. She came alone, came back several times, went to my house, and gave me a couch to lay on because my other one had to be trashed. My next visitors was a couple more improvisors, then a couple more, then a group, then a couple more. Some brought gifts, all of them supported me just by being there and saying “you can do this!” “you’re so strong!” “I can’t believe you didn’t die!” The ER nurse said she had never seen so many visitors come through. After I was released from the hospital, improvisor friends continued to visit me at my apartment. I then learned that the night after the accident, they sent around a bucket after a show for donations to pay for cab rides to my doctor appointments.

My heart fills up every time I think of it, every time I see someone who visited me, who took the time to help out, who came up to me after and said “I know I didn’t visit because hospitals scare the crap out of me, but I’m really glad you’re ok.” These people are amazing. I may not still talk to all of them (or remember exactly who came to visit due to my concussion) but they all have a very special place in my heart. I knew I had friends at these theater, but I never really knew how much we really did mean to each other.

Now that I’m in L.A., it’s such a gift when N.Y. folks move out here and I run into them. And the L.A. improvisors from both UCB and iO West are so loving and filled with joy. It’s like they have smacked me in the head and said, “This is improv! It’s fun! Chill the eff out!” It’s another healthy, supportive community. I’ve been to a potluck improv party and SOOOO many indie shows, it’s awesome.

I’m grateful for all of you, even when I’m grumpy. Just tap me and remind me how awesome we are.

Jodi’s intro to improv

My first exposure to improv was not conventional at all. I didn’t take a class. I didn’t do theater improv sports. Nada. I was a cheerleader.

I started doing cheerleading when I was in 4th grade. I actually wanted to be a dancer, but this was the closest I could get without paying for dance classes. I ended up becoming a hard core cheerleader who did a lot of dance choreography for cheer routines.

After I graduated high school, I worked as a cheer instructor (& was head dance instructor) for CWCC (Central Wisconsin Cheerleading Camps) during the summer for 3 years. The camps were typically 3 days long and on the last day we awarded Spirit Sticks. These Spirit Sticks were given to the most spirited teams. We awarded these Spirit Sticks via improv sketches. We would come up with loose sketch ideas, improvise them, and incorporate the winning team’s name at the very end of the sketch/improv scene.

I ended up getting really good at these improvised sketches in my first year of teaching the camps and within my second and third year I started creating premises and ideas for new improv/sketch scenes.

I will never ever forget….

We had this one HUGH camp. There were at least 300 cheerleaders at this camp. The high school was gigantic and the gym had balcony seating. On awards night, the gym was packed with friends and family. We had an awesome time with each team performing their cheer routines and the instructors performing our stunts and then finally handing out the Spirit Sticks. Overall, it was a great show. It seemed no different than any other show to me until I was saying goodbye to the audience and this woman came up to me. She was beat red, wiping tears from her face, and grabbed my hand saying, “You are the funniest person I have ever seen. Thank you so much. Please keep doing this.” I thanked her and gave her a big hug. I, on the other hand was floored. What did I do? I know I’m funny but how can I do more of this? I didn’t even know it was the beginning of my long term improv career.

Improv Teachers and Coaches

Every improv school has their set roster of teachers. A lot of performers at the theaters/schools do teach at the respected school or coach independently. Most of these teacher/coaches do not have a teaching degree. Most of these teachers/coaches attained their teaching/coaching work because they became known as a good improvisor. A good number of teachers/coaches have not been teaching/coaching for very long. I am pointing these things out because it is rarely discussed and it is something to think about when training with folks.

Again. In bullet point form. Things to think about when looking to train with people:

• Are they known for being a good performer?
• Does them performing great consistently make them a good teacher?
• If the improvisor is known for their great skills, which skills do they excel at specifically and how will that help you in your improv training? (if they are well versed in passing on that skill effectively)
• Do they have a teaching degree?
• How long have they been teaching?
• What other classes/teams do they teach?
• How many other classes/teams do they teach?

The best way to get this info on teachers/coaches is to ask around. Talk to your pals who are taking classes or are rehearsing with practice or performance groups. These are questions to think about, not standards. I’ve had coaches/teacher who has not been coaching or performing long without a teaching degree and is a great teacher/coach…I’ve also had a teacher/coach who is a seasoned a performers who does have a teaching degree and is a great teacher/coach. I think it’s really about who you gel with and what you’re looking to work on at a given moment.

I have noticed that there are many different styles teachers/coaches use to teach and guide improvisors. Some teachers/coaches focus on only one of these things, some flip flop and use these tools as they see necessary:

• Give examples: what they would do in a scene
• Ask you questions: see if you’re understanding the game/scene/form
• Ask questions to the group: group answers/brainstorming
• Ask questions and they give their answer with an example
• Give individual attention: tell you specifically what is working or not working for you in a scene
• Give group attention: overall summary if they feel the group is working
• Some teachers/coaches come in with a game plan: they know exactly what they want the class/group to focus on. They have exercises/forms/etc ready to go.
• Some teachers/coaches fly by the seat of their pants and see what happens in the group organically
• **They just want you to have fun (this really should be the goal for every teacher/coach/improvisor)**

These are a lot of things to think about when teaching and I’m sure I left some things out. I think it’s good for you, as a student, to know which styles are/are not working for you. If they’re not working for you ask Why? Maybe you need to take a teacher’s note and sit on it or ask for clarification. Improv is a very organic creature and can sometimes get tricky in your brain. Don’t be afraid to ask questions.

Questions to think about for yourself when looking for a teacher/coach/class:

• What are you looking for in a teacher?
• What tools/skills are you looking to enhance?
• Why are you studying improv?
• Are you looking to strengthen your scene work?
• Are you looking to get on a performance team within the theater?
• Are you looking for an outlet to have fun in life?
• Are you looking for an outlet to have fun in acting?
• Are you looking to improv specific skills for yourself or to work better in a group?

Improv Training/Schools

I have studied improv in improv schools since 2003. The schools I have studied at are:

Comedy Sportz
Upright Citizens’ Brigade Theater (UCB) - (NY and L.A.)
People’s Improv Theater (P.I.T. — writing only)
Magnet Theater
iO West

There are 2 basic styles of improv: short and long form. Comedy Sportz taught me short form, the others taught me long form. Of the 3 I have taken improv, here’s the BASIC breakdown of what I’ve heard each school is known for.

UCB: game
Magnet Theater: relationship
iO West: have fun, take risks
Groundlings: characters (I haven’t studied there…this is what I ‘hear’ they’re known for)

Please remember, this what I’ve heard, that doesn’t necessarily mean that is what’s true. I have to say that those “titles” are sort of accurate to how the shows are performed, not to what is taught. I have taken classes at the same time at different schools and heard the same school of thought (UCB/Magnet/iO West/PIT coaches).

The structure of the levels in each school are different. I’ve picked up each of the schools’ summary so you can see it in one spot. The schools I picked are the one’s I’m most familiar with. There are many more schools out there in different locations, I just don’t know enough about them. If you want more details, please go to their respected websites:

Comedy Sportz (L.A. – but this group is all over the country)
Short Form Improv Classes
Underclassmen: Beginner Improv — basic skills
Juniors: Intermediate — narrative driven improv with characters
Seniors: Advanced — advanced narrative and characters
Long Form Improv Class — occasionally offer these to expand your horizon

UCB (NY & LA)
101: Improv Basics — fundamentals of long for improv
201: Game of the Scene — identify and heighten the game, second beats
301: Harold Structure — group games, learning the Harold form
401: Harold Workshop — fine tuning the Harold, scenes, and games
Advanced Study: There seem to be different kinds of advanced study. Please refer to their website and see what is available.

Magnet Theater (NY)
Level 1: Improv Fundamentals — principles of improv
Level 2: Improv Fundamentals — intro to long form: scenes, group games, second beats
Level 3: Improv Core — learning the Harold structure
Level 4: Improv Core — learning advanced forms
Level 5: Improv Conservatory — advanced training, learning advanced forms
Level 6: Improv Conservatory — member of an improv team with 8 wk run

PIT (NY)
Level 0: a class for absolute beginners
Level 1: getting confident on stage, scene work, fundamentals
Level 2: scene work
Level 3: relationship-based scene work, long form technique
Level 4: long form technique, openings, group work
Level 5: scene work, develop own long form structure

iO West (L.A. – iO Chicago: similar format — please refer to website)
Level 1: Intro to Improv — fundamentals of improv
Level 2: Character & Game — building off of ideas, breaking down elements of game
Level 3: You — find your comedic point of view and instincts
Level 4: Advanced Scene Work — creating stand alone scenes
Level 5: Harold — learning the Harold structure
Level 6: Advanced Harold — getting creative with the Harold structure
Level 7: Graduate/Create Own Show — create own improv form

Groundlings (L.A.)
Beginners:
Improv Workshop A — fundamentals of improv
Improv Workshop B — builds on fundamentals of improv
Intro to Sketch Writing — learn different styles of sketches
Improv and Beyond — connect the improvisor to the actor
Professional Actor
Level One: Basic — fundamentals of improv
Level Two: Intermediate — scene work and character development
Level Three: Writing Lab — writing & performance of written material
Level Four: Advanced — work with a group to put up a show

Second City (L.A. – there is also one in Chicago and Toronto)
1: Improv Basics — reviewing agreements of improv and building an ensemble energy
2: Improv Characters — enhance improv skills and exploring characters
3: Improvising Scenes — structure, content, character wants

I do not endorse any one school. I think I’ve gotten some kick-ass training from all the places I’ve studied at. Yeah, I know this sounds “politically correct,” but it really is true. I’m pretty hard core about my research (as you can kind of see) and the right schools and teachers came to me at the right time. I do believe that UCB gave me my core training, which makes sense since this is where I started my long form training and this is where I’ve studied (and still study) improv the most. I’ve most recently been training with iO West and the experience I’ve had with my teachers (Shulie Cowan and Craig Cackowski) has been awesome. I will continue to train at UCB and iO West because I like and respect their teachers. I get what these people are saying and they give me the tools to get better as both an improvisor and actor (and also as human too).

If you’re interested in learning improv. I suggest you go to the theater, see shows, see which performers you like, see what styles you like, and then talk to students and get feedback about the school and teachers. Listen to your gut. There’s a lot of options out there and you really can’t go wrong. Just keep in mind about the pacing and how quick/slow you’re picking up the tools/forms of improv. Some schools might get into learning about “the game” too quick and some might be too slow for you. You’ll also find that there are some teachers you’ll learn better/easier than others…but that’s another topic.

Massaged

I love getting massages. Any kind of massage. My favorite style is cupping which I got done once in NY. I looked like I was attacked by an octopus.

I have a lot of questions that pop in my mind when I get a massage…

How long have you been a masseuse?
Where did you study?
What made you want to touch people all day?
How are you ok with touching strangers?
How are you ok with touching gross people?
Do you ever get grossed out mid-session?
Do you ever get a finger cramp?
Do you get massages?
Do you have a specific criteria for people who give you massages?
Have you ever gotten annoyed with someone mid-session?
Have you ever been creeped up (aka: hit on) mid-session?
Does lotion have a different meaning to you?
Have you become a lotion/oil expert?
Is there an “Ivy league” version of massage school?
Why do you have to keep going over that knot over and over again?
Do you not care if I bruise?
Yeah, I know that leg is tight. Why you gotta keep at it?
Ok. Head massages are the best. Do you ever get creeped out by hair?
What creeps you out?
Aren’t you tired?

Go read this: Improv

The first time I saw Will Hines perform was when he was on the team Monkeydick. I think he’s one of the smartest improvisors out there. He’s amazing at playing characters that are grounded in scenes while performing the game of the scene spot on, along with the game of the character (which is sometimes the same thing). He’s also one of those guys that is loaded with knowledge and trivia, like he would know who invented post-its.

I can’t remember which team I saw Chris Gethard perform on first but I remember him, about to jump off the back line like it was on fire. He had so much energy and looked like he was having the time of his life. Gethard takes a lot of physical risks (which is my favorite kind of comedy to watch) and can justify just about anything. I also love it when he plays a scene as just himself responding. It’s like you’re watching everything in the moment as it should be.

I consider both Will and Gethard to be respected, knowledged, bad-ass improvisors and teachers.

Will’s bio on UCB.
Gethard’s bio on UCB.

Go read Will’s one on one with Gethard.

Why I did, do, done improv

I made a list of my improv experience because I get asked the question a lot. Now, easy for me, I can just give people that link. That list can be taken a few ways and “Holy crap that’s a lot of training!” is pretty much the sum of it. I have many reasons why I started doing improv:

I started taking improv classes because it looked like a lot of fun.
I was doing improv because I loved being on stage.
I do improv because I love making people laugh.
I now do improv to hone my craft as an actor.

I think improv gives folks a lot of tools for public speaking, talking to strangers, talking to someone you have a crush on, and performing on the stage and on screen. I know I can get pretty wrapped up in the mechanics of improv which is both good and bad. Right now I’m using improv as a tool to strengthen my scene work as an actor. I’m also a member of 2 independent improv teams which allows me to have fun with improv.

There are a lot of topics I’d like to cover about improv:
Improv and Self
Improv Community
Improv Teams
Teaching Improv
Schools of Improv
Improv Forms
My Improv Heros

My improv on paper

I’ve been taking improv classes since 2003. I’ve been performing improv since before then. I didn’t have a class, I didn’t even know it was called improv. All I knew was that I could make an audience laugh to tears. People ask me a lot about my training and who I’ve taken classes with. Here are my lists. I may have forgotten a few coaches, but you’ll get the gist.

Theater training list:
ComedySportz (2003)
UCB-NY (2004-2009)
UCB-LA (2011)
Magnet Theater (2005-2009)
Peoples’ Improv Theater (sketch only: 2006)
iO West (2011-2012)

ComedySportz
Ed Herro (also previous UCB performer)

UCB Teachers: Improv (15/11)
Owen Burke
Jackie Clark
Michael Delaney
Christina Gauses
Chris Gethard (sub)
Peter Gwinn
Joe Hartzler (sub)
Brian Huskey (sub)
Anthony King
Mike Leffingwell
Billy Merritt
Kevin Mullaney
Shannon O’Neill (sub)
Eliza Skinner (musical)
Joe Wengert

UCB Improv Workshops (5)
Neil Campbell
Seth Morris
Rob Riggle
Ian Roberts
Matt Walsh

UCB Teachers: Writing (3)
Liz Cackowski
Michael Delaney
Chris Kula

UCB Coaches (17/14)
Susannah Becket
Neil Casey (sketch)
Toni Charline (sub)
Jon Daly
Todd Fasen
Christina Gauses
Jeff Hiller
Rebekka Johnson
Ryan Karels
Allen Loeb (sub)
Michael Martin (musical)
Porter Mason (sub)
Glennis McCarthy (musical)
Megan Neuringer
Lennon Parham
Eliza Skinner (improv and sketch)
Betsy Sodaro
Zach Woods

iO West (3)
Craig Cackowski
Shulie Cowan
Michael McCarthy (writing)

Other improv teachers/coaches/workshops (9)
Gary Austin (Second City-NY)
Christian Cappozoli (Magnet)
Armando Diaz (UCB/PIT/Magnet)
Ali Farahnakian (PIT: writing)
Louis Kornfeld (Magnet)
Peter McNerney (Magnet)
Mike Myers (Magnet)
David Razowsky (Magnet/Second City/iO West)
Pat Shay (PIT/Magnet)

Teams
Continental Drift (LA indie)
The Cellar (LA indie)
The Lloyd Consipracy (NY indie)
Twenty7 (NY indie)
Great Heights (NY indie)
Fightin’ Lobcats (The Project)
Trademark (The Project)
Project Improvisor
Jungle Adventure (Magnet)
Sweet/Crüde (Magnet)
Pax Romana (Magnet)
Moxie (Magnet)
Glengarry Glass Menagerie (UCB)
Holiday Spectacular (UCB)
Let it Snow! (Unscripted Theater-SF)
Hobofish (SF indie)