Take your time, you’re going to find something. And then you learn to be comfortable if you take a big swing and there’s no laugh. So much of improv is feeling good in your skin. And with that comes more confidence on stage. And if you keep doing that, you will slowly find your voice. You have to learn from that failure, get up, and take another risk.
What were some of the growing pains or things you learned in those early years? I loved the idea of creating a whole world with nothing but a stage and chairs. I learned about UCB and that’s where I first discovered long-form improv. It came about because I loved Amy Poehler and wanted to know where she came from. It wasn’t until I graduated college and went to the Upright Citizens Brigade that I learned about long-form. And I don’t think it was a good audition, but they let me in. Finally, my girlfriend at the time forced me to audition. But I didn’t want to try out for the funny people and find out I wasn’t. Because in my group of friends, I thought I was funny. It was also short-form, and I was terrified to audition for it. Like a lot of people, it was those reruns on Comedy Central of “Whose Line Is It Anyway?” Then in college, there was a group called Idle Minds at Union College. When did you first become aware of improvisation and how did you get involved? I wanted to speak to Schwartz both as an improviser – getting as specific into the skillset as possible – but also an actor, to know how much improv can benefit an actor.Īnd if you can’t get to a theater, you can check out “Middleditch and Schwartz” on Netflix, in which Schwartz and “Silicon Valley” star Thomas Middleditch present three live tapings of their improv shows, or Showtime’s “House of Lives Live!” in which Schwartz performs with a group that includes his “House of Lies” co-stars Don Cheadle and Kristen Bell. the “Yes, and” rule where you don’t negate anything a scene partner has stated (“yes”) and then you expand on their idea (“and.”) What ensues, if you’re lucky, is a whirlwind 45 to 60 minutes that will have you laughing throughout while marveling at the dexterity of the performers. Some improv parameters are well-known, i.e.
The setup of the show is fairly simple the stage is simply Schwartz and a small group of three or four friends, and some folding chairs. And this Fall, he’ll make history by playing New York City’s legendary Radio City Music Hall, a 6,000-seat venue, on Sept. In upcoming months, Schwartz will even be taking the show international, with dates in London and Canada.
in addition to an informal residency at the Largo at the Coronet in L.A. Outside of his acting and writing careers, Schwartz regularly performs long-form improv with his live show “Ben Schwartz and Friends,” which tours all over the U.S. One of the biggest ambassadors for long-form improv is Ben Schwartz, an actor known for his scene-stealing work on such shows as “Parks and Recreation” and “The Afterparty” and recent films like “Renfield.” As a performer, Schwartz has a talent for making every line sound organic and true – leading one to wonder just how much of it is scripted and how much his improv background has helped him live in the moment as an actor. And the good news is that long-form seems to be growing in popularity as people become more familiar with it. While it may be high-risk, it’s also high-reward for both audience and performers – a good long-form show is a rush like no other.
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