Because Quiting Improv Can Be Hard

I love improv, I love comedy, I love the community, I love all the hard work, I love the great shows, I love the shows that made me want to quit on the spot (Hotel Nowhere, Steelstacks Improv Festival, 201X). I’ve been doing this since 2006. I’m not making this site to get people to quit improv, I’m making this site to let people quit improv.

I’ve taught and coached and evangelized. With the banner of “Yes, and” and low barrier to entry it is an artform that welcomes everyone and honors individuals’ talents. Fundamentally, improv is a positive, inclusive space.

Until it isn’t.

Like anything social improv carries with it the baggage of unequal power dynamics, misogyny, racial and economic structural issues, and just plain mean-girls/guys cliques. This I do not love. I’ve seen gross mistreatment of community members from shunning, bullying, and much much much worse.

Fact is, your improv community can be very damaging to people. And it can be hard to see until it gets hard to ignore.

I’ve seen people who are really getting abused but they keep coming back. Improv’s core philosophy of Yes-ing, support, and commitment creates tremendous psychological friction for people trying to disengage. The theater system adds another level of stress with its emphasis on production and an inflated concept of “we’re in this together”. Not to mention many improvisers end up making improv the thing they do outside of work and walking away would mean an empty calendar and potentially losing friends.

But improv, specifically the improv scene, can hurt you. You’re not in the wrong if you feel hurt. Leave if you’re hurt, leave if you’re being taken advantage of, leave if you’re creeped out.

Quit, or take a break. You should take breaks in fact. Burnout is a real thing.

Some people are pens and some people are pencils. You can only sharpen a pencil so many times before you’re tearing the paper with the nub. No shame in walking when you’re done.

You can come back. You can not! Maybe the next thing for you is rock climbing or knitting. Live your life!

Also I Have Thoughts About Improv

Ask anyone in the Pittsburgh scene, I’m a straight up blowhard. So I’m going to put that stuff here.

I have a particular approach to teaching workshops and you’ll find some ready-to-go lesson plans.

Caveats

First, about me. I’m white, cis male, non-disabled, “nuerotypical”, straight, born in the 80s, upper-middle class, college educated. So, typical improviser (unfortunately). I’m likely going to write something that hits one of my many blindspots and I want to know about it.

Second, I have done this for a long time and had a ton of great teachers. I’ve internalized a bunch of lessons and exercises and will no doubt use that in my advice. I don’t claim exclusive ownership of those ideas and exercises unless I say so.

Third, I wouldn’t be here doing this without the support of all of my fellow teammates across all the teams I’ve been on. Special shout out to Brian Gray who got me into this mess and continues to inspire me with his work.