So, you decided to throw down $400 for that improv class your friend recommended. Here’s a little taste of the different folks you should expect to encounter.
1. The improv nerd. Everything in his life is centered around improv comedy. His apartment is walking distance from UCB. This saves him gas money, which he's now spending on those six improv classes that are his lifeblood. He has memorized everyone’s names on every Harold, Maude and Mess Hall team and treats them with the celebrity of meeting Blake Griffin off the court. Del Close is his one and only savior.
2. The weirdo. His heart is in the right place, but his lack of any basic social skills makes him come off as awkward and hard to deal with. You cringe when he's the person to step out in a scene with you—not because he's a bad improviser, but because he's a total wild card (and also his breath kind of smells). You don't understand why he always chooses to wear pajamas to class and how he has failed to grasp basic hygiene well into his 20s.
3. The unsolicited class clown. Someone told him that he was funny, once. So that gave him permission to crack jokes in high school classes, which then leaked into college and now he thinks he's found his niche. Even though it's improv, nobody is trying this hard to be funny. Except for him. In every scene. Way too loudly.
4. The model/actress. Her agent said that taking a class at UCB would look great on her resume, but her ability to be funny is hindered by her inability to speak coherent English. She's a professional, healthy, attractive person dabbling in the comedy world of social outcasts, and won't be seen past level one.
5. The old guy. He stands out as the lone island of 40 among a sea of 20-somethings. Unlike the youthful, fresh faces who all wanted to do comedy since high school, he’s already had a real career and a daughter who's old enough to be on a team. He’s going through a mid-life crisis, and this Groundlings class is his Ferrari.
6. The celebrity. She is the person in class who is actually famous. Maybe she’s a YouTube star or the current face of AT&T. She’s both funny and smart. She plays to the top of her intelligence and will always make her scene partner look good. She’s a joy to work with—which is probably why she actually gets work.
7. The hyper-sexual guy. They say a true comedian doesn’t have to resort to talking about sex, or as they say, going blue. But if your first thought after just saying that was "blue balls" then you’re probably this guy. No matter what, this dude loves to "punch up" a joke with an old-fashioned penis/vagina reference.
8. The day-jobber. She's a social worker by trade who's taking improv classes to escape from her day job and have fun, but the depressing reality of what she does follows her into every scene. You'll know if you're in a scene with this girl because her initiation will be about something like… the hopelessness of teenage pregnancy in underprivileged inner-city youth.
9. The crazy train. People would argue that to become a better improviser you should improvise with the worst. If that’s the case, then this guy will be your favorite scene partner. Your grounded scene initiation is no match for his untamed, unfiltered imagination. He’ll take you to crazy town faster than you can say Dr. Alien President.
10. The one-hit wonder. His name might have been Josh? He was really quiet and only came to the first class, only to never show up again. Why does the teacher always call his name? Everyone knows he’s not coming back. Maybe he’s lying dead underneath the 101 underpass at Gower Street. No one will ever know.
Need to laugh? Check out the upcoming comedy calendar.