The more real it is to you, the more real it will be to other people…
Alyssa McGillvery is an actor and stand-up comedian. We met in an improv class through Squirrel Comedy Theater (@TheSquirrelNYC).
In this conversation, Alyssa and I talk all things improv, including:
-How character starts with breath and then feeling and then posture.
-Object work (What color is the tablecloth?)
-How working with a scene partner is like playing hot potato.
-The cult of UCB and how Squirrel rose from the ashes of UCB. BTW, Squirrel just celebrated their one-year anniversary. If you’re in NYC and interested in improv, Squirrel is a great place to take classes.
-And then Alyssa and I improv two scenes :-)
-Shoutout to the Jedi-level improv group Raaaatscraps (@RAAAATSCRAPS), who currently perform every Sunday evening at Caveat (@caveatnyc), led by Shannon O’Neil (@spotastic), who shares unintentionally hilarious texts from her mother after each show and Connor Ratliff (@connorratliff), whose support work in improv scenes Alyssa and I touch on and is an inspiration. And check out Season Three of Connor’s fantastic podcast, Dead Eyes (@DeadEyespodcast) where Connor “sets out to solve the mystery of why Tom Hanks fired him from a small speaking role in Band Of Brothers.”
54. Improv is similar to daydreaming. It all sort of falls into place...