Be Intense for the Right Reasons
I love improv and I can get pretty intense about it. I have goals and ambition concerning myself as an improviser and groups I'm in. But this is something we choose to do, often at the inconvenience of other things in our lives. This for the most part is not a paying job at even the highest levels. I'm just gonna list what I think is reasonable to be intense about and what is unreasonable
Reasonable:
Doing Good Improv: If you want to be a better improviser, if your unsatisfied with the improv your doing, its fine to be proactive about it. That doesn't necessarily mean "do as much improv as humanly possible" but it might. As long as your aware that failure is inevitable when striding for success, being good and doing better is something where you should care.
Seeing Shows: Do it. No matter how much improv you see it will probably never match the 18-30 year head start the consumption of television, movies, stand-up, sketch, theatre, and literally every other form of entertainment has. Plus, they are most likely great, funny shows that are equal parts heartening and informative as a student
Improv Opinions: You probably have strong opinions on how improv should be done. I think if you care about improv, feel free to voice your philosophies and theories with others and have open dialogues. No matter how nerdy, pretentious, or insider that is, its a big part of what goes up on stage with you, even if your not thinking about it as you do it.
Unreasonable:
Punctuality: Personally I will sometimes arrives hours early to things like a crazy person, but if you chew out someone who pays money to practice for arriving too late for stretch and share, you're focusing on the wrong things. If a coach is an hour late or someone straight flake on a big show I can understand the frustration, but we're all adults and if we can't work stuff out calmly in conversation we mine as well be animals.
Canceling: Life happens, unexpectedly something we have to do or badly want to do pops up. Improv will always be here, you can always perform in a basement with your friends on a different day. If you need to see your parents or go on a date at a Knicks game with someone who might be really special.
Hanging Out: Do not be hanging out nazi. You can't force your team to be best friends in the most type A friendship style. Sometimes people need to sleep. Some people prefer conversation to dancing and vice versa. Lightly suggest a group activity and accept it if people don't want to do it.
In between reasonable and unreasonable:
Getting on a house team: its a big time goal that is out of your actual control. You should be allowed to want anything as long as it doesn't rule your life.
I'm probably wrong on stuff, because I'm a human person with opinions and this list is both way too long for a sane person to have written and not long enough to feel legitimate.











