THREEOOPS!

Staying Bad, No Matter What Happens

There’s a great concept in improvisation. It’s called “Oops to Eureka!” On the improv stage — heck, on any stage — things go wrong sometimes. Or they change, not in a worrisome way, but an unexpected way. “Oops” is the response when we realize something unexpected has happened. The key is to make those instances become “Eurekas” rather than disasters. This might require quite a change in mindset for many people. It’s hard not to minimize or walk away from our Oops moments. In improv, we’re not allowed to ignore the unexpected. We’re obligated to acknowledge it and keep it in the show. In reality, the unexpected is improv’s stock in trade. Even within our own troupes, we’re constantly trying to surprise ...

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