Improv at the Commonweal!

Hi all, below is an interview with Commonweal Company Member Jaclyn June Johnson. She’s staging several improv shows here at the Commonweal: 7:30 on Thursdays, April 24th, May 1st, and May 8th. The shows are free, but let us know you’re attending by calling the Box Office (800) 657-7025 or emailing tickets@commonwealtheatre.org.

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     I started doing improv in High School with a summer camp at Brave New Workshop, which turned into a three year stint on their youth improv team. In college I joined the improv team at Cornell. And then once out of school and working professionally, I studied at Brave New Workshop and was on several teams there.

     While working as the Artistic Director of St. Croix Festival Theatre, I coached and lead an improv team with a rotating cast through weekly shows each summer.

     I have also done some professional improv shows regionally including at Minneapolis’ HUGE Theatre and Brave New Workshop, and at Chicago’s Under The Gun Theatre.

     Who’s Line Is It Anyway is what is known as Short Form Improv. Short Form features games with rules and formats. And yes we will be doing some Short Form at our shows! In fact if you’re a Who’s Line Is It Anyway fan, you might recognize some of their games.

     There is also something known as Long Form Improv. Long Form has structures – and sometimes rules to the format – but is generally more versatile and free form. Long Form Improv sometimes explores more plot driven or theme driven narratives. We will be doing both Short and Long Form at our upcoming improv shows!

     Improv is exciting, fun, and explorative! There’s a mystery of exactly what is coming next and how to work with it as an element in each scene, but in the exploration there is great freedom. I also find it to be a stellar training tool for the craft of acting. Learning how to be present, accept gifts from scene partners, make bold choices, commit to bits, and endow the world of stage with reality, all those skills are strengthened and nurtured by doing improv.

Why do you love improv from an audience point of view? 

     It’s hilarious and magical to watch people create theatre from nothing into a whole scene or game or story before your very eyes. There is something beautiful about watching a cast work together, weaving a tapestry of suggestions, ideas, characters, structure, and pure explorative freedom. There’s something magical about witnessing it come together and knowing no one has ever seen that before and no one will ever see that again.

     The hardest thing about performing improv is that when you’re in the moment on stage, by the time you get off stage you can’t remember anything that you said! But you always remember the feelings. And there is nothing better than the feeling of something just clicking on stage and hearing the audience roll with laughter.

     I suppose if I had to say one specific memory, I would say I winning the Improv-a-GoGo homecoming tournament at Brave New Institute. I played a dragon in the final theme and I really think it helped clench the win for us

 

     Just that I’m super excited to have local funny man, Wyatt Seablom join us for these shows. He loves improv and has never gotten to explore it fully as a performer. But he’s a natural improvisor and I’m sure the community will love seeing him on Commonweal’s stage.

     Also exciting to see improv enthusiast Rachel Kuhnle join the cast for at least one of the performances. Having Rachel back on stage at the Commonweal will be most special and a delight for our patrons who knows how talented she is.

     And a reminder that each show will feature new games and structures, and each will be entirely made up on the spot! Hope you can make it to attend least one, but why not come to then all! See you there!