Quick now, what thoughts come to mind when I say the word, “Improv?” Let me guess. If you’re like this old fogey, it’s something along the lines of, “A bunch of weird young people making fools of themselves in front of other weird young people in a college black box theater or at a raucous comedy club in Greenwich Village or out on the Left Coast.”

Spend some time with improv aces Ted Desmaisons and Lisa Rowland and you’ll gain new appreciation for this creative art form. Ted has been a friend of ours for over 25 years; Tina and I often call him our “fifth son.” His sterling credentials include two degrees from Stanford (B.A. and M.B.A.); one from Harvard (M.Div.); and several years of experience teaching in the classroom and leading workshops around the country. His professional partner Lisa, a Stanford graduate, teaches improv at Stanford and in Bay Area high schools. In addition to performing with top improv groups in San Francisco, she’s traveled the world to perform with international casts and finds delight in the global improv community.

Ever heard of the word “glossophobia?” Hint: it’s the number one fear of adults: the fear of public speaking. Now imagine if you’re on a stage with three or four other people, and someone from the audience barks out a situation to perform right on the spot: e.g. four people waiting for a bus and one of them has a problem of constantly breaking wind; or a mother-in-law comes uninvited to a Thanksgiving dinner and proceeds to get sloshed. And on and on. The situation matters less than the story that the actors create by working together and playing off each other. That’s the challenge; that’s the fun.

Why do improv? “Improv helps people rediscover the joy of playfulness,” says Lisa, a person who, it must be noted, thrives on play. “If someone around is willing to play, I’ll play!”

“Improv builds trust,” says Ted. “And when you have trust you feel comfortable about messing up. It’s also a way to connect by saying, in effect, ‘Hey, you’re there; I’m here; we’re creating something together. Too often we give up connection because we want to be protected.’”

Ted and Lisa note that improv involves learning to say “yes” rather than “no” to an idea, to your partner, to life. You toss out a thought; someone else builds on it; and on and on. To be good at improv, then, the performers must put egos aside and work as a team. The focus is cooperative, not competitive.

When you think about it, and Ted and Lisa most definitely have, improv enhances the skills essential to success in work and life. Teaching, for example, is a form of improv with the interplay between teachers and students. A good teacher is flexible enough to throw away the lesson plan and go with the flow.

What about business? “That’s a slam dunk,” states Ted. “Think of the skills required in business today such as creativity, adaptability and the willingness to take risks. Improv hones these skills as well as the ability to be collaborative and work well in teams, essential in today’s business world.”

An improv mindset can also nourish personal relationships. It’s not just about you or just about me; it’s about us connecting and creating something together. One plus one equals more than two.

When Ted and Lisa recently led a workshop at Mere Point, I participated in some of the sessions. They’re skilled at creating a safe atmosphere for taking risks so I quickly let go of inhibitions and got into the scene. The experience was enjoyable and exhilarating. That said, I don’t expect to travel around the country attending more workshops. I do, however, hope to adopt more of a “Hey, let’s play” attitude to life. When everybody plays everybody wins.

For more information on Ted, go to animalearning.com. For more on Lisa, go to lisarowland.com.

———

David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns at dtreadw575@aol.com.