1. Tell us a little bit about yourself. For instance, are you from Austin? How old are you?
I’m fourteen, and I’ve lived in Austin all my life. I have a little brother and a dog, and they’re both annoying but I love them both. I will eat almost any kind of cheese and almost any kind of chocolate (just not at the same time). I really enjoy theater and acting, and I like to draw and write too. I really just like art in any form.
2. What brought you to Improv?
My mom says that Kristin Henn did a youth improv class at my school a long time ago, and I don’t doubt it, but I don’t really remember it. What I do remember is dozens of Move Your Tale camps every summer, meeting new people and making friends. I think that those camps were definitely what made me want to do improv more.
3. You have been involved in multiple classes and troupes. Can you tell us what the differences are in these experiences?
Classes are a lot more structured, in my opinion, than troupes, and even though that seems like a bad thing, it lets you learn new topics without a lot of distraction. I feel like the classes that I’ve taken have helped me get a solid improv base that let me move forward in my troupes. Troupes are really fun because you get to have a sense of group and camaraderie with the people in your troupe, who you (hopefully) play with for a long time.
4. Has Improv had an impact on your life outside of the theater?
I think improv has really thought me to be spontaneous, and that has definitely helped me in life. I like things to be laid out and organized, and so when they aren’t I get stressed. Improv has helped me roll with the punches that life throws at me, and not get frazzled when sudden things happen. I also think that being onstage in front of a bunch of people without any script or backup plan has helped me be more extroverted and fearless around people and crowds.
5. What advice would you give to someone considering improv?
Do it! Improv is such a fun art form, and all the people who do it are really nice. At first, it might be hard, and you may find yourself making the same mistakes over and over again, but eventually you’ll stop making those mistakes, and then you’ll feel really good. As long as you listen to your teachers and coaches, and have fun on stage, anyone can get really good at improv.
Excused Absence Comedy 