by Angie McMahon
I am the person who answers the office phone when an audience member calls. More often than not I am met with the question of “Can you tell me about the show?” or “What is Improv…is it like stand up?” My answers usually range from “Its like SNL but with a single theme or idea given by the audience and not scripted” to “Have you ever seen ‘Who’s Line is it Anyway’ or ‘Wild Out with Nick Cannon’ it is similar but longer.
Its always tough to try to explain it without trying to sound Scientific or confusing. So I turned the question over to a popular Improv Message Board where professionals and students come together to discuss the art form. I posed the same question “How do you explain Improv?” here is some of the answers:
I usually describe long form using any of the following:
-Performing a play/ acting without a script
-Creating a world out of nothing at all, then aspiring to live in it until someone destroys it or the lights are pulled, whichever come first
-A series of interconnected scenes made up on the spot which have never been seen before, nor will they be seen again.Yeah, I just use lines from people I’ve met in the improv world instead of making up those descriptions. I’m not on stage right this second, so it’s cool. –Former Hoosier
1. Live theater, which is something people in America used to enjoy patronizing and still do in certain social classes that are typefied by variably farcical delusions of creativity, extra cash, and cultural aspirations.
2. Live comedy, which is something many people occasionally enjoy watching as an event-based alternative to a traditional night of social drinking, and…
3. Live jazz, which is a largely self-indulgent yet still interesting to stoned people form of music that ceased to evolve sometime in the early 70’s.
If you have some extra cash, cultural aspirations, delusions of creativity, a desire to leave the house to drink alcohol with your friends, and/or are stoned, keep improv in mind as a possible entertainment option. –benjohnson
Improv (long form?) is a play being written, directed, and acted all at one in front of you!- Carr (Erin)
“Improv: It’s just like Zanies but less pure”- BlackDog
How would you describe Improv? And what do you think of the above explanations?