Taco Trouble, Babysitter’s Club, and Big Swings
I thought I was on time. Really.
An email went out saying someone would be 20 minutes late to class, and in my head, I decided it was the instructor. Perfect, I thought—I’ll grab some tacos from the place next door. But at 7:05, while standing there waiting for my food, I reread the email and realized: the instructor wasn’t late. I was.
Cue panic.
I threw the to-go box into my car, ran to the back door at 7:12, and banged like a maniac. No answer. Turns out, I was at the wrong door. So I sprinted around to the front, banged again, and this time, Josh, our instructor, came to let me in. Everyone else just stared at me like… You were banging on that door? (Spoiler: I wasn’t. Someone definitely would have heard me if I had.)
Not my smoothest entrance.
But improv teaches you to take a breath and roll with it, so I did. I jumped into warm-ups like nothing happened.
Warm-ups & Characters
We started with “Level Up,” a word game where you string together four short, related words while keeping a rhythm. Tricky, but fun. Then we shifted into a discussion about character development—the reminder that improv works best when you embody a character fully, turning the volume up to eleven. Our instructor encouraged us to build a little “pocket” of go-to characters we can always pull out. His examples? A Vietnam vet, an old man, an Italian guy. Solid and specific.
I had one personal goal for the night: say the word linguine. My cat, Linguini, has been on my heart lately, and I wanted to sneak him into a scene as a little tribute. I was ready. I even did it! In my first scene, I got us out of a proverbial jam by redirecting us to the kitchen, asking for his ‘award-winning’ linguine that he could cook for me. SUCCESS!
The Scenes
There were only 10 of us this week, so we each got one shot at a scene. My partner, unfortunately, was in a “no, I don’t know” mood—which makes improv tough. I wanted to mirror for cohesion, but it ended up boxing us in. Still, I did my best, stayed physical, and got complimented afterward for my “prop work.” Sometimes, all you can do is keep moving and keep the scene alive.
Then came “Director’s Cut.” We started a scene, and Josh would yell out a new genre for us to switch into on the spot. Nerve-wracking, but hilarious. We struggled a bit, but once it clicked, it was magic. I learned I seriously need to work on accents, but my “pepperoni pizza party” line in an Italian voice got some laughs, so hey, progress.
The Outfit
I had planned to use my shirt as an icebreaker while people were still arriving. It was a pink Kristy’s Great Idea Babysitter’s Club tee (yes, I leaned in), paired with neon earrings in pink, green, and purple. Cute, confident, and very “me.” Unfortunately, my taco debacle stole that thunder. Still, I felt good showing up in a way that makes me feel bold, even if I had to tumble in through the wrong door.
The Takeaway
Not every scene is going to land. Not every plan is going to work. Sometimes you misread the email, bang on the wrong door, and forget your clever icebreaker. But the lesson’s the same one improv keeps drilling into me: take the swing. Embody the character. Do the best you can in the moment.
Because when it works, the payoff is worth it. And when it doesn’t? At least you’ve got tacos.
