By Sydney
Franklin, Contributing writer
Middle
school teachers, small business owners, law students and waiters all work in
constant communication with different kinds of people. Often, these jobs
require a little bit of improvisation.
No matter
your profession, the ability to think on your feet and tackle any situation
with ease is a learned skill - one taught in a basic improv comedy class.
Chris
Arnold, 24, came to Syracuse's own Salt City Improv Theatre as a senior at SUNY
College of Environmental Science and Forestry, hoping to get over his fear of
public speaking and interviewing.
Three
years later, still practicing improv and working as a designer for RZ
Engineering, Arnold confronts his job as a civil engineer with confidence. His
improv training stands out when handling issues with clients.
"What
the client wants built, can't always be built," he said. "It helps
being sharp and confident with them, to explain things in a way that
immediately makes sense when there's confusion."
The hit
90s show "Whose Line is it Anyway?" inspired Arnold to find his
passion in improvisational theater. He now belongs to one of Salt City's
long-form improv teams, SkittleFit, where a small group of actors perform 30-
to 50-minute sets.
Arnold
isn't the only business professional at the theater. He practices alongside a
certified public accountant, a retail consultant, a psychiatric nurse and
another engineer. "You
need to be smart to do improv," Arnold said. "It's about knowing the
tricks and paying attention to your teammates."
Salt City
Improv owner, Jeff Kinsler, teaches the classes at the Shoppingtown Mall black
box theater. His instruction emphasizes skills that can be used in class and in
the real world such as listening, flexibility of thought, taking risks,
embracing failure and "Yes, and..." or using agreement to forward a
conversation.
"You
have to follow the fear," he said. "We applaud failure. We embrace
it." Kinsler
coaches several different teams including the Salt City house team, Pork Pie
Hat, which performs a monthly short-form improv show. Their next show is set
for Sept. 20 at 8 p.m.
House
team member Peter Katt, 56, relies on improv practice to sharpen his imagination.
A former television production crewmember, Katt now focuses on his work in the
voiceover industry through recording short story narrations for podcasts. "Scripts
are just words on a page," he said, "I have to bring them to life by
imagining the character, the environment and what happened that led up to the
moment." Among
members of Pork Pie Hat are a Syracuse University librarian and Crystal
Simmons, a waitress and promotions tech for a local media group.
Simmons
has been doing improv since the team's conception three years ago, even while
balancing courses at Le Moyne College. Having graduating in May with an
advertising degree, Simmons wants to pursue to pursue a professional career in
improv comedy. A naturally shy woman, Simmons feels in control on stage.
"Improv
helps me get out of my head," she said. "It's a way to express
myself. I've learned how to make small talk, to pay attention and listen."
Kinsler
has a background in criminal justice and got his master's in clinical social
work. He also worked as a professional stand-up comic for 15 years and trained
at the Upright Citizens Brigade as well as The Peoples Improv Theater in New
York City. He opened Salt City Improv about six years ago, after discovering
Syracuse lacked its own training grounds for improv lovers. "What's
great about improv is that you learn to accept the change of ideas, rather than
having rigidity of thought," Kinsler said. "There's no prejudgment
and you learn how to be a team player, something that's extremely important in
any profession."
Improv
actors strive to be fully in the moment, according to Kinsler. Both he and
Arnold believe that improv comedy teaches some of life's big lessons.
"Improv
teaches things that aren't explicitly taught in school," Arnold said.
"It reminds you that agreeing with people is important. It's a skill you
have to have. You have to be able to meet in the middle, to agree on a common
reality."
Salt City
Improv Theatre will begin offering fall-term basic improv classes within the
next few weeks. Call (315) 410-1962 for details.
Drop-In
classes are open to the public on Wednesdays from 6:00 to 7:45 p.m. Adult
participants will be charged $20; students $15 with ID.