Voice Registry Podcast-Tracy Pattin Talks Again to the Improv Roundtable with Bill Applebaum (part 3)
March 10, 2009 by: Tracy Pattin
Bill Applebaum worked and studied Improvisation in Chicago with Del Close and Paul Sills. He worked onstage as a writer/performer at The Second City Theater in Chicago. Bill founded the Actors Improv Studio in Los Angeles and has been teaching Improv for the last 15 years. The Actors Improv Studio has a unique approach to improv these days that focuses on how improv helps people become better actors (and voice actors) by tapping into their creativity and not by being clever. It comes directly from those he studied with. Improv classes are ongoing at Compost Productions . Students on the Improv Roundtable panel are, Jackie Baxter, Dan Dennis and Bill Miltenberger.
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Industry Mixer - Los Angeles
Tracy,
Great job! I enjoyed participating in the “Roundtable”.
I have told some of my VO colleagues about the podcast and some common responses were; “Improv, Oh I could never do that” or “I’m terrified of Improv” or “I’d just embarrass myself in front of everybody”.
So, I would like to reiterate what Bill Applebaum said about his classes.
You come to his classes to learn how to Improv. There are all levels of actors in his classes. It’s not a competition. We all learn from each other.
There’s no reason to be scared or embarrassed, everyone screws up. If you’re going to screw up, it’s much better to do it in class, which is a safe environment, than at an audition or on a job. Plus when you screw up, you learn something from it. After most exercises Bill will critique you as well as have you critique yourself. More than once I’ve come off stage and said “Wow, that sucked out loud”. Bill’s response is usually “Yes, but it was great up until this point, tell me why it went off the rails after that”. After some discussion you realize it is something simple, such as forgetting one of the basics of Improv like, not listening or forgetting to “yes and”. This is where the best lessons are, because you learn to recognize your own strengths and weaknesses.
And on top of that, it’s a lot of fun.
Once again, had fun participating in the “Roundtable” and look forward to future installments.
Best of luck.