#6-TO TEACH, OR NOT TO TEACH?

I teach Improvisation. Sounds simple. Sounds like half a gazillion other classes in New York. Which makes me mad. My classes are so different. I'm almost embarrassed to say they're improv. I should say it's "reclaiming your kid self", or "learning how to play again", or "friggin lighten up"! One of those.

Improv became VERY hot in NYC when a certain "improv school who shall remain nameless" opened up about a decade or so ago. All of the sudden a blessed art form became a money making cash cow that seemed to open a door to a comedy career to every actor in New York who was too afraid to do stand up. That sounds harsh..I know. But these are the people who were preyed upon. Beginners. New comers. Guys who found this an opportunity to "feel like a man" and women who wanted to be brave and try to break though the male dominated comedy scene. Sadly...many of them lost. Luckily many of them found me and took my classes afterwards.

I saw it happen. The "improv scene" was like a quickly growing virus. The levels, the stages, the incredible never-ending improv "pyramid" that got you closer and closer to the goal of one day performing. The psychosis of "teaching" these actors how to free their minds and hearts turned into creating competitive, blocked, un-clever bores. Ooh-that's harsh again. Can you tell my opinion of these schools? Pissed off. They even went so far as to pit improvisers against each other! This was for marketing purposes- I'm telling you. "Long form vs. short form". Can you believe this one? The message was that long form was for smart actors and short was for the stupid. Or short was for the quick witted and long was for the slow meandering dummies. Its "New York vs. Chicago". It's crap is what it is. It's money. It's "I teach THIS method and can't do the other kind-or don't want to be bothered". Can you believe it? I've seen almost fist fights over this. I'm not kidding.

You may say, "Now Sam, calm down! Why do you care what these people do to make a buck off of unassuming actors who don't know any better?" Here's why I care.

I studied acting seriously for over 10 years starting at the age of 12. I come from a family of actors and directors, so I practiced what I studied often. I went to the "FAME" school for high school. Four years of half of my school day was filled with acting classes. I learned a lot of great stuff, but I also learned some very un-organic ways of doing things which I had to seriously break when I moved onto college. It didn't take long, but I realized that a good teacher is rare. Very rare. Also learning how to act can screw up your mind. Many acting teachers have egos and if you cross them they will abandon you and your creative path to becoming an actor. In fact they may even convince you that you will never be an actor and you will quit. I've seen it. Many times. Trust me.

I teach because I love it. I learn from my students and am inspired with their courage. I teach actors and non actors. I teach everyone how to play again. We all have the same blocks. We start telling ourselves we can't do things from a VERY young age. Especially during puberty. Society tells us we can't do things because of gender roles. It's sick. So we stop. We stop our impulses because they could be wrong. What is we make a fool of ourselves? What then? WHAT THEN???? Here's what....who cares? "Never be embarrassed by anything you do". My mother told me that at a very young age and I lived by it. As a result I have very few memories of being humiliated and I never dream of teaching in the nude. In fact I love being naked and am...often. Ask anyone.

Oh it's a sad state of affairs. It really is. Particularly with the state of our country and the fear that's running rampant through the streets. I wish I had a microphone to everyones house so I could say, "Look- I know life is crazy busy. I know a class is the last thing in the world you want to do. But if you take my class you will be FREE! Just come. Trust me. Just trust me." I say this to whomever I can. I mean it. It's not for me. It's for them. Get me while you still can.

We play in my classes. We laugh. We let go. We find ourselves again and are startled at our instinctual creativity. We are amazed at what we have to contribute. We feel important again and remember why we're here. Or maybe for once we realize what our purpose is and what we should really be doing besides spinning our wheels every day.

My students are all over the city. They do all kinds of things with their lives. But I am happy to say they have all felt what it is like to be free and be themselves. Their essential selves. Their true selves. So I teach. Yes...I teach.