Category Archives: Improv Diary

The improv diary is a place to record ideas in classwork, practice, and performance. It is by no means a replacement for solid improv education. It is provided for discussion, not in leu of improv training.

Harold Night 1/29/08 Impressions

Wednesday, January 30, 2008 – 1:49 pm

I just wanted to take a minute out to congratulate the UCB Harold teams that performed last night. I was extremely impressed by the high quality of performance and energy all the players brought to the stage. In particular I wanted to spotlight the work of a few players that really made an impression on [...]

By Ben Whitehouse | Comments (0)

Archetypal Cake

Friday, September 28, 2007 – 11:46 am

I’m in week two of Michael Delaney’s eight week Improv 504 Acting for Improvisers class at UCBNY.
I was terrified of Michael when I first arrived in class, because of his reputation as a no punch pulling instructor. I had imagined him to swagger into class, shout at every scene that we were doing it all [...]

By Ben Whitehouse | Tagged , , , , | Comments (2)

2007 Del Close Marathon Wrap Up

Friday, August 10, 2007 – 6:33 pm

After watching 36 hours of a 56 hour improv marathon, improv stops looking so much like improv and more like a math equation. You can see patterns forming between performers and see differences in the way geographic locales play. After watching 36 hours of improv, you become a bit of a machine, analyzing each scene [...]

By Ben Whitehouse | Also posted in Del Close Marathon, Epiphany, Improv | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (1)

How You “And”

Tuesday, May 15, 2007 – 4:22 pm

Recently I had the oddest sensation about my improv – it just wasn’t working. Not working in the broader sense, that scenes were consistently turning problematic. I would go into scenes and for one reason or another they would fizzle out into a not so funny mess. My forward motion stalled and my scene partner [...]

By Ben Whitehouse | Also posted in Epiphany | Tagged | Comments (3)

Class Show, 4 Square, and an Improv Resolution

Saturday, April 28, 2007 – 9:52 pm

So, it’s been pretty quiet around the Improvoker parts of the globe, not for lack of news, but more for lack of time. I’ve gone from temporary improv hiatus, to full time improv employee. I now feel like improv is my second job. Let me explain.
Before I started my Billy Merritt 401 5 weeks back, [...]

By Ben Whitehouse | Comments (1)

From my 301 Notebook

Thursday, March 29, 2007 – 6:30 pm

On starting my 401 class last Saturday, I thought it was a good time to take a look through my improv notebook and post a recap of some of the lessons learned in my 301. My 301 was taught by Chris Gethard, who changed the way I view improv. Some of the notes are from [...]

By Ben Whitehouse | Also posted in Improv | Comments (1)