Note: The Toronto Improv Festival is in town, so if you live in Toronto and you love comedy, or improv, or fun, go to it this week ONLY. It’s every night at the Comedy Bar, and there are teams from all over Canada and the States. Website is here:

http://www.torontoimprovfestival.ca/

Note: I performed in the Festival with Opening Night Theatre. We perform an entirely improvised musical every Saturday night at The Augusta House, with an opener at 7:30 PM and a show at 8. If you like music and funny things and drink specials and Kensington Market (or any of those things on their own), check us out. Website is here:

http://openingnighttheatre.com/

1. It’s hard to sing when you are sick and delirious.
2. When you have to follow a set that involves a T-Pain voice modifier iPhone app and some real talk, you know you have to step your game up.
3. Improvisers are remarkably kind and sensitive sometimes. Or, alternately, crazy awkward and as a result, sorta rude. I am both. At all times.
4. It’s amazing how many t-shirts you can make if you really set your mind to it.
5. I like when tech or mic problems happen, and comedians start riffing about it. Like if there’s lots of reverb, they joke they are in a cave. If there’s lots of popping and clicking noises, they joke that there are tiny horses inside the mic.
6. Improv is sometimes just walking on stage with a blank stare and having faith that the other person will give you a wonderful gift.
7. It’s cool to get hit with a blast from the past sometimes. Seeing an improviser I knew in New York…reminds me of this other life I used to have. It’s wistful. Now I’m sad. Goddammit.
8. A lot of people do a lot of things for free because they love it. Other people do a lot of things and get paid very well, but hate it. I’d like to get paid for doing something I love. And I’m trying.
9. Where have you never seen an improv scene? My answer is: on the steps of a Brownstone in Bedstuy. And I’ve seen some funny things on the steps of a Brownstone in Bedstuy.
10. Improv forces you out of your shell, it forces you to be honest in order to be good. Being honest is, for many of us, terrifying. I can’t be fully honest. So for now, I can’t be as good as I should be.