Yes, And... How Improv Comedy Enhanced My Life

I was out to dinner with friends last night when our conversation turned to hobbies. For the past year, I've been on a deliberate journey to get the most out of my life. I realized I needed new challenges to keep my brain nimble and I also wanted to be around a more diverse circle of people so as to expand my worldview. When searching for activities, improv came up – and the thought terrified me. I'm an introvert at heart and didn't (still don't) relish the idea of performing for a crowd. But I signed up anyway, knowing I would learn something about myself, stretch my brain, and hopefully make some friends along the way.

Those first few lessons? My palms were sweating as I worried about "doing improv wrong." While the extroverts and theater veterans seemed immediately at ease, the rest of us needed time to find our footing. What helped was discovering that the games are designed to be mistake-proof (unless you're being unkind or unsupportive). Each scene is brief, so if you haven't found your groove, it doesn't matter – they're over quickly. In fact, some of the funniest moments come when someone can't find the words or offers an unexpectedly bizarre answer to a straightforward question.

After more than a year of classes, improv has become an integral part of my life.? It’s brought play back into my life.? I’ve found the environment to be inclusive and psychologically safe. The interplay of people from a wide variety of backgrounds is so fun as they each bring their own view of the world into the games we play that can lead to some really funny and unexpected scenarios.? Improv is inherently a team sport where we are continually building on top of other’s ideas, allowing all players to expand and enrich the stories we co-create.? And many of us have found it a great way to shake off a bad day.? I've found that after being totally engrossed in play for two hours, the worries of our day have either fallen away or found a new perspective.? And many of the people I’ve met are social so after improv drinks are pretty fun too.

I’m so grateful for what improv has taught me and I’ve brought a lot of the lessons back into my life.? I know I can do hard things and walk into environments without preparation and be ok (or better than ok), which has been a nice bump to my confidence.? I’m more playful and fun with others, which I like about myself.? I’m now more conscious of adding and enhancing conversations (yes, and … ), trying to build on what others say rather than rejecting what someone has been vulnerable enough to share (yukking someones yum ) or diverting the conversation towards myself.?If this all sounds good to you, I encourage you to give improv a try.

A Quick Guide to Seattle's Improv Scene?

For people in Seattle interested in exploring improv, here's my insider's guide. Each group offers eight-week introductory classes throughout the year and have “pro” teams whose performances are worth watching to get a feel for their styles. Many of us move between different groups to broaden our experiences.

Comedy Sport Seattle (CSz Seattle) Specializing in short-form improv games (think 3-minute scenes with 2-6 players), CSz Seattle is where I started and spent most of my time (four classes and counting). It's an ideal entry point, weaving techniques and approaches into playful sessions. A major plus: they have their own dedicated space in Fremont.

Bandit Theater When I wanted to develop my storytelling and character-building skills, I turned to Bandit's long-form classes on friends' recommendations. Now in my second class, I'm seeing real growth. If you prefer extended narratives over quick games, long-form is your path. Bonus: they're female-founded and led, with classes in both Fremont (West of Lenin) and Seattle Center (Armory).

Jet City Improv While I haven't taken classes here yet, their long-form productions are consistently impressive. Their shows alone make them worth checking out.

Unexpected Productions Based in Pike Place Market (and yes, they're responsible for the famous gum wall ), this well-established group offers various classes, including couples improv – perfect for a unique date night.

If you don’t want to commit to an eight week class, there are drop in sessions.? CSz has Jams ; Jet City has Dojos (for everyone), coven (women), and prism (LGBTQ+).