Category Archives: Fundamentals

Wax On, Wax Off

Posted on June 18, 2012 by

A number of weeks back I wrote about the improv tool set AEIOU. I return to the topic now. After students have learned the basic pieces of AEIOU it is helpful to drill each of these tools individually and then … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentals, Improv Games, Improv Skills | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

How To Perform Improv

Posted on June 6, 2012 by

Reblogged from Thought Catalog: Have you ever wanted to perform comedy onstage, but then remembered you’re functionally illiterate and therefore cannot read or recite lines of dialogue? Have you ever said something funny to someone at any time in your … Continue reading →

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Who am I?

Posted on May 9, 2012 by

This is a small interlude from my current writing about AEIOU. I’ll get back to that… but this was important. I have a problem and I suspect most improvisers have the same problem as me. I want to be liked … Continue reading →

Posted in Attitude, Fear, Fundamentals, Improv Life Lessons, Parenting | Tagged , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Words, Words, Words

Posted on May 3, 2012 by

In any play, movie, story, or improv scene there are two kinds of dialog. One type of dialog forwards the story, the other is atmospheric or basically filler. Dialog that forwards the story is rich with information. The information doesn’t … Continue reading →

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Shut up already

Posted on April 28, 2012 by

Improv can be beautiful and elegant, but it can also be really damn loud. Improvisers are a wordy bunch. Go to almost any show in any city and you can pretty much “watch” whatever improv show with your eyes closed … Continue reading →

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Out with the CROW in with the AEIOU

Posted on April 17, 2012 by

For many years, I taught CROW (Character, Relationship, Objective, Where) to beginning improvisers. This was something that I was originally taught and it seemed good. Unfortunately, teaching CROW — while it sounds like a great way to get scenes off … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentals, Improv Games, Improv Skills, Longform vs Shortform | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Games for the sleep deprived

Posted on February 22, 2012 by

After my last post – World’s Worst Dad – I received a number of emails from people who were concerned that I was either: Crazy Neurotic Charlie Sheen Many of these messages contained pleasant reminders to relax and affirmations that … Continue reading →

Posted in Attitude, Improv Games, Parenting | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

It’s About The Skills

Posted on February 6, 2012 by

I am a teacher. I currently teach 3rd and 4th grade, although I have taught 5th, 7th, and a little High School. Here are two basic things you learn as a teacher about rules: Always state any rule in the … Continue reading →

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Rules Suck

Posted on January 30, 2012 by

I took my first improv class more than twenty years ago. I was taught the “rules” the same way you probably were. The “rules” were drilled into me and I followed them for years. The “rules” were what made improv … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentals, Improv Games, Improv Skills | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

A few words on “Yes And” including my conceited opinion

Posted on January 20, 2012 by

A number of blogs and podcasts have all fed into this post today. It seems like the universe or perhaps synchronicity (The phenomenon, not the great album by the Police – who buys albums anymore? Am I showing my age … Continue reading →

Posted in Fundamentals, Improv Games, Improv Skills | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments