EXiT 185 Improv Comedy

I am an eighth grade English teacher. In the past year, I attended two different conferences on two different subjects in which the presenter recommended the book Mindset by Carol Dweck. It was available at my local library, so I thought I’d give it a try.

I started reading with an educator’s eye, but the further I got, the more my mind started drawing comparisons to my interest in improvisation. The author explains that there are two basic mindsets—fixed and growth. If you have a fixed mindset, you see your skills and intelligence as things you can’t change. If you have a growth mindset, you believe you can improve your skills and intelligence, and you see criticism is an opportunity to better yourself.

How does this apply to improv? I completed a four-course improvisational theater program through The Torch Theatre in Phoenix. After graduation I joined several troupes, with whom I rehearse and perform regularly. I’ve had some awful shows and some great ones, but I feel that ever since I took my final Torch class my skills have steadily declined. I need feedback to know that I am learning and growing as an improviser.

Will there ever be a point at which I can’t learn anything more from an improv class? Maybe, but I have a growth mindset, so the more classes I take and the more feedback I get, the more I learn about life. Taking these classes improved my acting, public speaking, and job skills; how can I ever have too much of that?

My suggestions to you are: One, read this book. Two, take an(other) improv class. At the very least, you’ll learn some things about yourself. At the most, you’ll fall in love with it and become a life-long student of improv.

What a journey this has been.  From trying to offer a kid’s improv class 4 years ago through parks and recreation, to taking days off from work to teach middle school drama students, workshops offered at the Paramount, then classes, etc.

It has been a wonderful experience but like many worthwhile endeavors it has been rough going at times.

Over a year ago my classes reached a height that demanded the formation of an improv troupe.

EXiT 185 Improv Comedy Troupe’s name stems from a couple things.

1.  I have had a comedy central sketch show in my memory from many years ago called “EXIT 57″.  Turns out years later I discovered that some of the cast and the director would be improvisors that I would admire and respect.

2.  Having so many talented friends who volunteered in nearly every case to come down and perform over the last few years I was constantly giving directions from Phoenix and repeatedly gave directions to take “Exit 185″.

That is how the name came to be. It wasn’t until afterwords that I was reminded that there is a short form improv comedy game called “185″.  It is more of a warm up and quick thinking, jokey game…e.g. 185 doctors walk in a bar and ask for a glass of water. The bartender says “we don’t have any water” and the 185 doctors says “that’s okay, we don’t believe in giving anything away for free either”….ba da bing…rim shot and thank you Cleveland.

Having performed for a number of years it has been difficult to simply direct the troupe.  After performing in the Phoenix Improv Festival at the Herberger West Stage I knew that it was time to start thinking of new directions.

At the same time some of the troupe members were going through different life events and losing interest in improv.  Sometimes that happens, people go through cycles.  So we lost a few players.

In an effort to re-invigorate our troupe I started sharing some of the directing duties with cast members and joining the players on stage.  What a blast that has been.  I never intended to be solely in control of all directing but it just took time to get there.  Starting with virtually brand new improvisors (except for Stacey Seaman) I felt it necessary to stay in that role until the right time.

Well, now is the time.  The core of EXiT 185 are improvisors who have stuck with me for 1 to 3 years and I couldn’t be more grateful.

Now I am performing more regularly with EXiT 185 Improv Comedy, Valley Fever Improv, and The Remainders….whew.  That doesn’t count all the various one off shows I do when I can with friends.

Two weeks ago we held our very first open auditions for the troupe and what a treat that has been.  It is a new process and I still have a lot to learn BUT we have 6 new players who have started to practice with us.

My goal is to continue to keep things fresh and will invite respected friends to workshop with the troupe and keep bringing their own unique take on improv as an art form.

EXiT 185 exists and yet it is a place I will always be on my way too.  It is a great journey and I am glad to be on it.