Ever wonder what actually happens in one of our improv classes? Well, now you don't have to! For the next 8 weeks, our marketing manager Rachel will be taking our Everyday Improv 1 class and blogging about her experience.
From Rachel:
Working at the Brave New Workshop has a lot of perks. I get to work with incredible people who enjoy their jobs. We foster a company culture of saying “yes” to ideas, which encourages me to be creative. Free tickets to shows. I get to wear jeans to work.
But one of the biggest benefits is that, as an employee, I can take improv classes at our own BNW Student Union for free! Shamefully, even though I've been working here for nearly a year, I still had not taken advantage of this significant perk. But, after all, the benefits of improv training for professionals are numerous. I was on the fence about attending until I had a nice long chat with BNW SU co-director and all-around good guy Joe Bozic, who campaigned pretty hard for me to sign up despite my trepidation about making an idiot out of myself in front of a group of strangers. “Hey,” he pointed out. “They’re all making idiots out of themselves in front of you, right?” Well said!
So tonight I begin my journey through Everyday Improv 1, the most basic-level improv class offered by the BNW SU. Besides challenging myself to do something I’ve never done before, I’m thinking this will be a really great way to improve my speaking and listening skills, and also to meet new people*! Am I nervous? Of course. Excited? Even more so. I’ve never taken an acting class in my life (I was a band nerd in high school) so I have no idea what to expect. But that's part of the fun, no?
The class is every Thursday evening for the next 8 weeks, so I’ll be writing and posting recaps the day after each class. Join me on this fantastical, improvisational journey!
*Because, let’s face it, it’s damn hard to meet new friends once you’re past the age of, say, 22.