Spotlight on Performance: From Improv to Concert Stage

Hi! I’m Liam, the founder of the Upper School’s Improv Club! My interest in improv started when I went downtown to watch a show at Second City. Fascinated by the complex back and forth and precise timing that the actors had mastered, I knew this mix of laughs and acting was the thing for me. Soon after, I signed up for a weeklong course at Second City. There, I learned the skills and techniques that lay underneath the craziness on the surface.

For improv to be successful, you need to be spontaneous and not afraid to go for it. Many can be reluctant to step in and really get involved, but in my experience, those who give more to improv get more out of it. There is a powerful joy that comes from going off script and sharing a laugh with your friends. This is why I started Improv Club, to let others enjoy this art as I do.

After talking to Mr. Clark, my mentor, during the Grade 9 trip to Camp Onondaga, I realized I could start an improv club. I started it early in the year, unsure whether anyone would sign up, and was delighted to see the eager faces that came into the room for our first meeting. During our meetings, we play improv games and experiment with different scenes. Improv Club now meets every week, and together we explore all that improv has to offer.