We’ve all had that dream. You know, the one where you’re naked on stage and the audience is laughing.
For an improv performer, that’s no nightmare; that’s life. OK, they're wearing clothes but they're emotionally naked, working without a script, responding off the cuff to random cues from the audience and their co-performers.
In our latest Cut & Paste podcast, we talk with Kevin McKernan, Melanie Penn and Becca Brooks — members of St. Louis’ Improv Shop — about what it’s like to be in the spotlight and the hot seat.
Here’s some of what you’ll hear in the podcast:
- Becca Brooks on being thrown an unfamiliar word: “If there’s something we don’t know, we’re not going to let the audience know; so we just say, ‘OK.’”
- Melanie Penn on the importance of trust and vulnerability: "Improv, when you boil it down, is the art of being human."
- Kevin McKernan on sports analogies: "What we like about sports, and improv, is that we don't know what is going to happen."
Look for new Cut & Paste (#cutpastestl) podcastsevery few weeks on our website. You can also view all previous podcasts focusing on a diverse collection of visual and performing artists, and subscribe to Cut & Paste through this link.
Follow Willis and Nancy on Twitter: @WillisRArnoldand @NancyFowlerSTL
Please help St. Louis Public Radio find artists to feature on Cut & Paste. Tell us which artists and cultural themes deserve a closer look.
