Backstage Expert Article
As a kids and teens improv instructor, one of the most common responses I get from befuddled parents when I tell them that their child is a little reserved and shy, is: “But you should see her at home! She does skits in the living room, sing, dance… She’s a rock star when she’s at home!” In fact, they have inadvertently captured the spirit and attitude one must keep in mind when learning improv: We’re all rock stars when we’re at home.
As cheesy and cliché as it may sound, there is great validity, on many levels, to the expression “Sing like nobody’s listening. Dance like nobody’s watching.” It is, indeed, most exhilarating to sing and dance when we’re by ourselves, because there’s nobody to see us potentially embarrass ourselves. It’s like a more wholesome version of living in a world without consequences. Suddenly you’re not aware of your awkward limbs, or your squeaky voice; there’s no pressure to be witty, or funny, or “cool”; there’s nobody to make you feel self-conscious, there’s nobody to impress or to compete against. No more of the self-imposed restrictions about what you can or cannot do. There’s no doing; there’s just being. And then you’re asked to perform the same act –whatever it may be– in front of a camera or an audience, and the walls instantly come up, the creative aspects of yourself start shutting down, and the defense mechanisms are in full swing, ready to protect you from the elements that are out of your control (so, pretty much everything!). And now, you’re not yourself; you’re a safe version of yourself. Because people are watching.
At the core of improv, is the acceptance that we have to explore our instincts in order to find ourselves, we do have a voice that deserves to be heard, and we are comfortable enough to be real with our scene partner. The obstacle here is that being real often means being flawed, and we associate being flawed with being weak. In fact, being flawed is being human. Most improv games and activities actually encourage the students (intentionally or subliminally) to be flawed, and awkward, and uncomfortable, through truth-centered, go-with-your-gut dialogue and expression. The objective is not to turn away from the awkwardness by “folding” and shutting down. The objective is to embrace the awkwardness like a human being: by feeling. So if you’re in a boyfriend-girlfriend scene that’s making you blush (you’re not the first or the last…), or a goodbye-forever scene that’s making you uncomfortable (interesting… Why??!), or a bully scene that’s making you frustrated (it doesn’t always have to be funny), allow yourself to BE in that moment. Notice your voice trembling, or your hands fidgeting, or your heart racing, or a playful smirk slowly making its way through. That’s you feeling something real! That’s you being human! And these very real emotions can guide you towards reacting truthfully in your own unique way. No script necessary.
We place so much significance on our scripted words, that if the script is taken away from us, we feel lost and helpless. Feeling comfortable in front of the camera is “half the battle.” But what happens when the director says “Now put the script down, and get the message across in your own words”? When we lose the script, we lose our safety net, and we instinctively try to speak from memory, than speak from the heart. And so before embodying characters and roles, and getting into someone else’s skin, we first must become comfortable with being in our own skin; as we explore, discover and embrace the random quirks, shticks, and insecurities that make us the unique and powerful individuals (and actors!) that we are.
And as in many cases where art imitates life and vice versa, it’s not just an improv lesson; it’s a life lesson. How many times have we found ourselves in some kind of a confrontation or tense exchange, and only once the moment is over and the adrenalin rush is gone, do we come up with the disarming comments and winning arguments that we should have said? How many times have we practiced asking someone out in front of the mirror, but when the moment presents itself to actually ask, we freeze. As teenagers (and adults), how many times have we tried to sound cool rather than honest?
So why are students encouraged to play their improvised characters “to the top of their intelligence”? Why is improv based on true emotions and true reactions? Because if you’re honest, then you have nothing to hide. If you have nothing to hide then you’re not afraid. And if you’re not afraid, then you’re free. So the next time you’re in a scene, if you live that moment truthfully and bring yourself to a point where you’re feeling fearless and free, then you have arrived. Now you are, truly, a rock star.
