Instructors
Kerstin Caldwell
Instructor and Owner of The YES! Lab
Kerstin explains why improv is important for anyone.
Kerstin has been performing and studying the art of improvisation since she was first introduced to it in high school. She received much of her education in Chicago at Second City and iO, where she studied the theories and teachings of the late Del Close while performing with various Harold teams. She has also performed in Denver with Bovine Metropolis, Rattlebrain, Second City Denver, and in 2005 Kerstin was a founding member of the Denver Improv Festival and the GroupMind Foundation. Since 2003, Kerstin has taught packed workshops at the Colorado Thespian Conference and created the conference's first improv showcase called Improv Frenzy. Most recently, she has had the pleasure of experiencing the work of Viola Spolin and Paul Sills through the Wisconsin Theater Games Center and is deeply honored to have also been a student of Alan Arkin.
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What was your first experience with improvisation?
"When I was in high school, I wanted to be Gilda Radner when I grew up. I would tease my theater teacher, telling her to bag the Shakespeare and teach us how to write sketch comedy or stand-up. I must have had some kind of influence because she brought in one of her former students who played in ComedySportz to teach us improv. At that time, the heavens opened, and I knew what I was supposed to be doing."
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Do you ever see yourself not doing improvisation?
"Never. Improv has been such an important part of my life. Next to being alive, it’s the only thing I’ve ever stuck with for a long period of time. I will never stop being involved with it either as an actor or a teacher. The idea of letting go of playing and settling into some kind of regular adult-like existence just isn’t in the cards for me."
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Which improv instructors have really spoken to you?
"I think you always find one or two teachers who really speak to you depending on the phase of your development as an improviser. In my early days in Chicago, Susan Messing was the first to really speak in a language I understood, while conveying the deeply profound need for a group to remain engaged and supportive of one another. Bob Dassie was the teacher who gave me a really strong understanding of playing solidly from an emotional space and the musicality of a scene. More recently, Sparky Johnson took me back in time through the work of Viola Spolin at the Wisconsin Theater Game Center, really engaging the childhood aspect of play as a necessity for being in the moment. Also going backward toward fundamental beginning lessons of improv, Alan Arkin really showed the simplicity of agreement and intention as a basis for all scene work and reaffirmed my view of the parallels between living life and living in an improv scene."
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Why do you teach improvisation?
"I love giving others the keys to the joy I feel when I play. There is nothing like reawakening the inner child and allowing all of the adulthood garbage to rest for a while. I also enjoy watching students find that sweet spot, or the zone, where they don’t have to work to make it happen, they simply allow everything to be as it is and get out of their own way to be fully connected to and engaged in the moment so that play is in charge."
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What do you try to focus on while you are on stage?
"First, I focus on what is going on inside of me emotionally/physically/mentally so that I can put that into action as a character. Secondly, I focus on my scene partner(s) and how my current state of being is changed because of them. Once that is all in action, I play within the parameters of the emotional responses I have to my partner’s reactions to mine. At that point, it’s a lovely game of tennis."
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What improv skills have helped shape you as a person?
"Improv has been a real catalyst in my development as a human in so many ways. It’s helped me to be a clearer communicator, a better listener, and to be more patient with others as well as with myself. It’s helped me to slow down and enjoy the tiniest of moments, which is where life really takes place. Improv has made me more flexible in terms of things not happening the way I’ve envisioned them. Life, much like an improv scene, can take you anywhere, so when it’s seen through the eyes of improvisation, it’s more of a fun ride than what feels like a hijacking."
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What are some myths about improv you would like to dispel?
"Where do I begin?... That it’s all about being funny. That the only improv in the world is Whose Line Is It Anyway? That the only reason to take an improv workshop is because you want to be funny or on Whose Line… That you’ll suck at it. No one sucks at honestly being themselves."
"Kerstin teaches from every cell of her body. She's not just teaching you how to be an 'actor,' she's watching your deepest intentions for all of your actions, recording them in her mind, and sharing them with you so that you can grow as a human being. She remembers the tiniest little flickers in a scene and always wants to know WHY you do them, so that you can learn from clearly seeing your habitual patterns. It's wizardry!"~Hollie Laudal, Improv Actor
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Michael Collins
Instructor
What's Michael's takeaway for students?
Michael has studied acting and improv in Chicago, Los Angeles and Denver. After graduating from The Second City Training Center in Chicago, he went on to perform in over 200 shows with groups such as Hot Pants and Plain Cake Donuts at iO Chicago and the Playground, respectively. He was fortunate enough to study with Del Close while at iO, and has also studied with Mick Napier, Joe Bill and Susan Messing among others. While in Los Angeles, Michael continued performing improv and sketch comedy at iO West, while also acting in numerous independent films. His last sketch show, 1985, was directed by Todd Milliner of HazyMills Productions (Bravo's Situation: Comedy), and he can currently be seen hosting the Buzz for Resort Sports Network.
What was your first experience with improvisation?
“My first experience with improv was in Los Angeles in 1992. It was a horrible class, but I didn't know any better. My first performing experience was with TheatreSports in Denver in 1995. I later took a workshop with Keith Johnstone, author of Impro and the inspiration for TheatreSports.”
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Do you ever see yourself not doing improvisation?
“I see myself always being conscious of the philosophy of improv, i.e., the group mind, yes and..., and exploring. I see myself always incorporating the things I've learned in improv in all my creative endeavors.”
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Which improv instructors have really spoken to you?
“All of the instructors spoke to me in one way or another. You never know when a breakthrough moment is going to happen. It could be the tenth time you've heard something, and then all of a sudden it clicks. All instructors have their own spin on teaching improv, but each of them stays true to the essence of improv. That said, some of the coolest experiences were just sitting there listening to Del tell stories at the beginning of class. It made you proud to be part of such an amazing art form.”
Why do you teach improvisation?
“It's an amazing thing watching something unfold out of nothing, watching people break out of their comfort zone, and find new confidence and awareness in themselves. I'm rooting for everyone and want all of them to do well. It's also a tremendous learning experience, to watch improv objectively.”
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What do you try to focus on while you are on stage?
“Listening. Being present. Reacting. If you try to think about every single thing you've learned, it will take you out of the scene.”
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What improv skills have helped shape you as a person?
“I just listen to people differently. My communication is more effective because I’m not just waiting for my turn to talk. It also allows me to brainstorm more effectively, to consider other options, more creative options of how to maneuver within a situation.”
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What are some myths about improv you would like to dispel?
“That it's not stand-up comedy... which is starting to happen. Or that there are other formats besides Whose Line Is It Anyway?
."Michael Collins taught an improv class for my students and the results were incredible. Michael's ability to get each actor to come into their own as artists is unparalleled and truly commendable. If you're looking to take an improv class, Michael's should be on the top of your list." ~ Benjy Dobrin, Benjy Dobrin Studio
Jason Knauf
Instructor
Jason shares what is rewarding about teaching.
Jason's first experience with improvisation was during his senior year in high school. He didn’t think he could do anything with it at the time, but he knew he enjoyed it. Once he was in college (Colorado State University), he joined their TheatreSports ensemble and focused on short-form improv. After graduating from CSU, he moved to Chicago. The Armando Diaz Experience, TJ and Dave, and all the Harold teams at ImprovOlympic (iO) blew his mind away and he realized his improvisational education was just beginning. Jason eagerly studied at iO, The Second City Conservatory, and Annoyance Theater. He became a member of Cowlick and the Playground Theater teams, and played with the Big Yellow Bus and Hogwash: An Improvised Children’s Tale. He performed in many sketch shows at Second City’s Student Theater through their writing and directing programs.
What was your first experience with improvisation?
"My first experience with improv was in high school. I pulled my hamstring snowboarding and I couldn’t run track and field, so my theater friends invited me to do some improvisation after school. I didn’t know what to expect and was timid at first but once I realized there was no script and it was being made up on the spot, I freaked out! I felt like that Bee Girl from the Blind Melon video No Rain. It was an art form I’ve been searching for all my life (all 18 years). I could act without worrying about scripted lines. I was free!"
Do you ever see yourself not doing improv?
“Nope... Unless I was in a coma or dead. I really hope there’s improv in the afterlife… or I’ll be pissed.”
Which improv instructors have really spoken to you?
“I loved all of my instructors from iO (Nick Kanel, Peter Gwinn, Al Samuels, TJ Jagodowski, Paul Grondy, and Noah Gregoropoulos). I was four years too late to be taught by Del Close, but Susan Messing has to be the most giving, amazing instructor I have ever been taught by. Her love for improvisation is intoxicating and her skill as an instructor is unbeatable… I’m also super intimidated by her which only adds to her mystique.”
Why do you teach improvisation?
“I’ve always wanted to share the amazing lessons I learned in Chicago! I love helping performers connect with each other on stage and guide them to make discoveries. To watch a performer make a breakthrough, on stage, is very rewarding.”
What do you try to focus on while you are on stage?
“First, I always check in with myself (Emotions/Physical/Mental Focus) right before I walk on stage. If I can’t connect with myself, there’s no way I can connect with my fellow performers on stage. Once I’m on stage, I focus on whomever I’m with. Period. The audience is dead to me, but only in a way that makes it so I'm not making moves just so they will love me. I listen and react, listen and react, listen and react… We’re creating a story and we are the characters no matter where it starts… and I use the term ‘starts’ loosely because every scene begins in the middle.”
What improv skills have helped shape you as a person?
“Improvisation helped me gain confidence with myself. I was insecure while growing up and I really didn’t know how to express myself through day-to-day routines. I always knew I wanted to make people laugh but I really didn’t know how to. Role playing and status allowed me to portray myself and others without actually hurting anyone’s feelings. It is truly therapy for me. Also, the ever important “Yes and...” golden rule will always be a part of me. It helps keep me from reacting with fear versus no fear. No fear is the closest thing to being a superhero and I want to be a superhero... I prefer Spider-Man but I’m probably more like a Wonder Twin.”
What are some myths about improv you would like to dispel?
“That improvisers are stand-up comedians. I’m not saying improvisers can’t be stand-up comedians, but I am saying improvisation is not funny, it’s an ART FORM! Some of the best improvisers I know are socially awkward and not 'funny' people. The audience chooses when to laugh, or love and hate improvisation. Good improvisation will make you laugh, great improvisation will make you think, and amazing improvisation will make you cry… sometimes, hopefully, all three.”
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Sam Gordon
Instructor
Sam discusses letting students discover improv.
Sam first discovered improv at Miami University in Ohio with his troupe, the Tower Players where he studied with the likes of Charna Halpern (owner of iO & iO West) and the late Martin de Maat (the original artistic director of The Second City Training Center in Chicago). Sam moved to Colorado in 2000 and took classes at the Bovine Metropolis Theater, and has more recently enjoyed workshops with Joe Bill and David Razowsky. For five years, Sam was a cast member of On The Spot, and also performed in My Story and on the long-form house team SanScript at the Bovine, as well as with Denver super group Plays Well With Others at the Avenue Theater. Sam has been teaching improv and coaching groups for eight years and has directed the last two sold-out runs of Boulder Improv Collaborative's Improv Sampler.
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What was your first experience with improvisation?
“I started improv with my college troupe, the Tower Players at Miami University in Ohio. We performed every Friday under the water tower.”
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Do you ever see yourself not doing improvisation?
“No way!”
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Which improv instructors have really spoken to you?
“I really loved when Gaining Perspective brought out Dave Razowsky for a Vantage Point series. He taught me to throw out cleverness and plot and just focus on the moment and the tension inherit in the scene. I also remember a workshop with Martin de Maat where he told us to imagine if you and your scene partner walked through that door and found yourselves in India, what's the first thing you will grab onto once you get there? I was really young and full of myself then; he taught me that we were doing a scene, not me and some other person.”
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Why do you teach improvisation?
"I have devoted my life to teaching. During the day I teach 8th grade math which can kind of be a grind at times. But even the toughest day of teaching middle school is forgotten after an evening of improv instruction. I feel like teaching a good improv class can be just as satisfying as a good improv show. It’s just as much fun as a performance high."
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What do you try to focus on while you are on stage?
“I am focused on my fellow players. How can I help them? What are they going to do next? This is so cool that we are creating this together. I love those players who display a fierce, fearless acceptance of the reality that others are offering and I try to emulate that in my play.”
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What improv skills have helped shape you as a person?
“Connecting to others. We all just want to be heard. Even when people are really mad at you, all they really want is for you to shut up and listen.”
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What are some myths about improv you would like to dispel?
“Be funny. Be clever. Be a star. Try to 'win' improv. You can't win at playing make-believe.”
."Sam's four-week workshop absolutely was the deepest and most helpful I've ever taken. (Believe me, I know. What I've spent on improv classes and workshops would have bailed out Greece.) This one shone. What worked so well for me was his insistence that good work can come only through an excellent foundation. There was no talk of 'where do your characters come from?' or 'here's a trick when a scene is tanking...' just great direction. I also appreciated his ability to hone in on what a player needed to concentrate on and then being able to tell them without condescension." ~Keith Rains, Improv Actor
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Matt Need
Instructor
Matt says improv has been a lifesaver.
A graduate of Purdue University, Matt wrote user's manuals for computer hardware and software, and was the marketing director for a gourmet whole-bean coffee company in Chicago. While living in Chicago, he began performing improvisational comedy with iO under the direction of the legendary Del Close, and was soon teaching and managing shows for the troupe, which at various times included Andy Richter, Chris Farley, David Koechner, Mike Meyers, Andy Dick, Jon Favreau, and numerous others.
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What was your first experience with improvisation?
“Friends always told me I was funny and should do stand-up. I never really wanted to try it. I moved to Chicago because I love live entertainment, and one night I happened upon the ImprovOlympic (iO) at a place called CrossCurrents. Saw a Harold, had my mind blown, signed up for classes and never regretted a minute.”
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Do you ever see yourself not doing improvisation?
“Improvisation permeates life, so as long as I’m alive, I will be improvising. If I’d never learned improv, I’d probably be an extremely frustrated white-collar, mid-level manager. At every step in my career, improvisation has been key–how do you treat people, how do you get what you want, how do you find happiness in an assignment you’d rather not take on.”
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Which improv instructors have really spoken to you?
“Del Close was a genius. He would say things like, 'If you treat people as poets and geniuses, they respond as poets and geniuses.' His ability to get anyone to try anything on stage was uncanny, and his methods covered everything from logic to witchcraft.”
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Why do you teach improvisation?
“There is nothing better than helping someone reach that 'Aha!' moment, where the world locks together and everything makes sense and you are, indeed, a god.”
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What do you try to focus on while you are on stage?
“Opening the door to the mind without going inside and slamming it behind me.”
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What improv skills have helped shape you as a person?
“I toured for 17 years with rock bands, every day in a different city, every venue different, staffed by different people. Improvisation is thinking on your feet, getting people to do what you need them to do, being flexible enough to make it all happen without pissing anyone off, and at the same time have a couple of grins yourself.”
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What myths about improv would you like to dispel?
“That improvisation has to be funny. It's completely possible to perform an improvisational set that is interesting, compelling, and perhaps even emotionally moving, that never gets a laugh, and yet the audience remains rapt.”
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"Matt Need was not only one of the original disciples of Del Close for many years, but he performed the Harold professionally on iO's house team Tequila Mockingbirds for three years. He has a great love and understanding for the work and will take you beyond trying to make jokes, but rather give you an understanding of where the laughs come from. Learn the value of the group mind and how to make each other look good. Learn the joy of connecting each other’s ideas and creating brilliance on stage. If you want to learn how to be supported when you take a risk on stage-don't risk going to the wrong place. If you're in Chicago, come to me. If you're in Denver, definitely study with Matt Need." ~Charna Halpern, Owner of iO & iO West, Home of the Harold