Andy welcomes all questions and will answer whatever he can thoughtfully and respectfully.  Write him at improvandy@improvreview.com.

Read Past Andy's!

#1 - Andy tells you what to do with that guy who uses stock characters and how to make bad suggestions work.

#2 - Andy tells you where to study in NYC, and why warm-up exercises shouldn't be in your performances.

#3 - Andy explains how to deal with that perfectionist in your troupe and explores the validity of one person formats.

#4 - Andy tells you how to do musical improv and how to get someone other than improvisors to come to your show.

#5 - Andy weighs the pros and cons of pimping and weighs in on the value of performing in improv jams.

#6 - Andy tells a fat guy how to avoid the Chris Farley syndrome and gets in his licks on blue suggestions.

#7 - Andy opines on festivals and gives the skinny on how to combat improv burnout.

#8 - Andy shows his fascist side when it comes to mixing democracy and improv, and tells improvisors to call out suggestions at each others' shows.

#9 - Andy finds the reason in the Rhyming game, and shows you can't get around paying a musician.

#10 - Andy tells both those who want to work in styles and those who take their improv seriously the same thing: go find others who feel the same way, don't try to change other people.

#11 - Andy helps a successful troupe split the dough, and tells another how to get to Carnegie Hall.

Dearest Andy,

I co-founded a troupe hoping it would be an equal team effort. Now some members have expressed the feeling that there's an imbalance of power. I try to stand back more, but I often find myself the only one with something to say (notes, etc). How can I keep this growing divide from ruining the group?

-Democracy, New Orleans, LA

Dear Democracy,

This is a common problem among start-up troupes. Let me try to pin this one down.

A call was put out to improvisors of all levels, all personalities and from all walks of life. Once assembled, you stated that you wanted this to be a purely democratic troupe with all members having an equal voice. Immediately some of the stronger personalities began throwing their two, four and ten cents around. Some of these ideas were good, some of them downright sucked. The weaker personalities started complaining that they had no voice in the troupe, however, when you said, "OK, go ahead then," they replied, "Well, I have nothing specific to say right now, but so-and-so shouldn't be able to monopolize all the discussions." At this point you have dug your own grave and are now being forced to lie in it.

The democratic group is a fallacy unless you were unless that group is formed with equal intent, equal ability and equal force of character. Nearly impossible. But there are solutions, even if you might have to back up to square one.

1. Retool this group as a dictatorship or shared dictatorship. When you (or you and a few partners) formed the group you had a vision. There is no reason that this vision should not come to fruition. Properly express to the actors your vision, and tell them that all adherence to the vision will be by your will and your responsibility. This will not work if you don't trust your own vision. Oh, and dissenters will be fired.

2. Be the final word. Every democracy needs a president, and if you put people in charge of various aspects and then serve as the ultimate decision maker, your troupe will run more smoothly without you having to do all of the work. All suggestions should come to you and you alone. Dissenters, and those not doing their parts, will be fired.

3. Take turns. One performer runs this week's rehearsal and another the next. Everyone gets a turn. This way the group gets to experience different styles of directing and gets to see what is important to each member. One might value space work, and other might spend the time on strong initiations, etc. No one is allowed to skip their turn. Dissenters, and those not willing to take a turn or respect that week's director, will be fired.

4. Hire an outside director. Let them understand your vision then tell the troupe that what the director says goes. You can step back and be part of the gang and not have to be the "bad guy" when notes need to be given or problems arise. Let the director fire dissenters

These are just a few of the ways to handle this common but sticky situation. Bottom line: look at the way scripted theater handles it. Everyone has a job, everyone's job is well defined, and everyone comes together to create the production. I know I take a hard-line approach when it comes to dissenters, but many groups form as a group of buddies, and quickly forget that there is a great and wonderful job to be done. The idea of a democratic improv troupe is a nice one, but without a head, the body will die.

_____________________________

Dear Improv Andy,

I am a trained improviser and was recently in the audience of a jam. The jam was failing because the "civilian" audience was alternately giving really blue suggestions or no suggestions at all. I had to bite my tongue to keep from shouting out. Should improvisers EVER give suggestions from the seats?

-Quiet in the Seats, New York, NY

Dear Quiet,

I give improv advice. Should I ever take my own advice?

My point here is: of course! Once you enter the theater your role becomes that of "audience member," whether you spend the rest of your time as an improvisor, a truck driver, the CEO of a major banking firm or an Elvis
impersonator. (Although any show or troupe reserves the right to refuse admittance to folks in that latter profession.) From that point on you have all permissions that any other audience member has.

The problem often occurs (and your probable guilt begins) when improvisors give suggestions in order to harm the group they are seeing. Purposely yelling out difficult inputs, pimping troupe members you know to do things they will rue performing or playing "stump the troupe." Yes, the performers are asking for you to say what's on your mind, and, yes, they may handle that suggestion however they choose, but this just seems mean. Here it is best to follow the golden rule: do unto other improvisors as you would have done to you.

The advantage you have as an audience member is that you know what those performers are going through. You can certainly help them out if they are receiving bad or blue suggestions by giving them gifts you would want to get
yourself if you were performing. When they ask for a "life-changing event," and are only getting the banal and overdone "bris" and "prom," or even the ridiculous "ass monkey," you can be of great assistance by simply granting
them "first speeding ticket." When groups get appropriate, but often overlooked suggestions like this, part of the joy comes from watching their eyes light up as they prepare the scene.

An improv troupe should never let the audience be in control of the show, but as long as they asking for inputs, they do grant the audience at least some power. As a fellow improvisor you don't have to clam up, but you also
should resist abusing that power.