Mischief Improv David Escobedo

I talk about my failures, and specific ones in the last few weeks. “Struggle” has always been a part of improv – either as the scene on stage or off stage as part of the company/team. We don’t talk about it too much because we avoid vulnerability and we want “brand trust.”  If I run a team, I want people to trust we are going to be successful every show. If run an improv company, I want students/audience members to trust my product and talking about failure *may* challenge that.


I talk about “armchair consultants” and the specific things I’ve tried! And have lost money and time on….

… but that doesn’t mean I won’t try again.

We’re back for Season 3.  I’ll tell you how my non-auditions went, a little bit about our 4 new players and how we’re diving into Short Form as a way to learn more about Long Form.
We learned how to “sell it” by playing New Choice, Pillars, Hesitation and Sentence Fragments. All of these games require the players to sell and justify an idea that isn’t theirs.  That’s what makes it funny for the audience and fun for the players!  So then we lean into that philosophy in a Long Form set. Take your scene partner’s ideas and sell them and justify them! 
We also did 185 where the suggestion was “blah blah blah.” Too many teams have internal competition – it really damages the community of improv. 185 with “blah blah blah” is a great demonstration for how support can bring the entire show to the next level!

Lukas Kirkby guest coached us, and then we had a rehearsal where I introduced the Mischief Managed format to the new players.  I go over some incredible moves the players did in supporting one another.
We did the warm up I learned from Jay Sukow which is called The Handshake where the team invents a handshake. Moves within that handshake have to be representative of the people who are doing the handshake, then they have to teach that handshake to everyone else.

First of all, the moves made to emphasize the brilliance of another player’s moves were great!

Second the ensemble of multiple people coming together to merge together to make one owl!  AMAZING!
And I loved how they re-used ideas from the beginning of the set so that everything had a purpose.

I made a blanket fort!  In the best interest to mitigate echo.  I talk a bit about “lying” during improv scenes and when character try to change each other. 

“Initials” is a game I invented for our team, and it works really well for any genre team! It can teach the tropes associated with that genre but also to deliver concepts as if they are real and without apology.
“When I hear a good improv tip I TELT it everybody I know!” Let’s talk about TELT!

This episode I talk about something very vulnerable to me personally.
First off, we talk about conflict in improv teams. I give the three pronged advice of Sarcasm, Emotion and Take the High Road.
Don’t use sarcasm Don’t use emotion – except for happiness and genuine sympathy Do take the high road I fail at this. I am only human.
I also convey what my greatest fear is with regards to being the leader of Mischief Managed Improv.
Please like, share … and recommend this podcast to all your improv friends.

I was in San Diego, and I was fortunate enough to get to interview Vanessa Anton, again!  Vanessa Anton is a teacher and performer with Cornerstone Improv in San Diego.  She also travels around the world teaching workshops.
This was recorded as we drove through San Diego.
Vanessa a gem.

#improv