The Joy of Improv
What happens when Atlanta improvisers open up about the craft they love? Joel Camargo finds out, sitting down with performers across every experience level to talk philosophy, technique, stories, and the lessons that stick with you long after the lights go down. If you study improv, this is essential listening. If you live and breathe it, you're going to feel right at home.
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The Joy of Improv
Aaren Lasky
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This week I sit down with the amazing Aaren Lasky — actress, singer, experienced improviser, and one of my dearest friends in the Atlanta scene. Aaren has a love of imagination and storytelling that goes all the way back to childhood, and we trace how that spark carried her through theater, voice training, and eventually improv.
We get into the limits that show business tries to put on women and how improv became a tool to circumvent the gatekeepers and decide for herself who she gets to be on stage.
Aaren also breaks down the differences between doing improv in New York versus Atlanta, why she thrives on structure, and what "grounded" really means to her, including the underrated generosity of saying no in a scene.
From there we talk about her winding road home to Atlanta by way of a concussion and law school, her return to performing, and the projects lighting her up now — Heightened Improv (improvised Shakespeare and beyond), Poultry In Motion, musical improv, and more.
We close on some of the deeper stuff: perfectionism, mental health, safety and accountability in comedy spaces, and why kindness is the true foundation of good art.
Oh, and we burst into random songs a few times along the way. You've been warned. Enjoy this delightful conversation with the lovely Aaren Laskey.
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Host: Joel Camargo - Insta - @joelc1225
Audio Editor: Matt Issacs - Insta - @mattisaacs20
Introduction
JoelWelcome to the Joy of Improv Podcast. It's me, Joel Camargo. Today's guest is an actress, singer, experienced improviser, and all-around delightful human being, my dear friend Erin Laskey. In this interview, we talk about Erin's love of imagination and storytelling that she's had since birth, how they led her to theater and then eventually improv. We talk about the limits that show business tries to put on women and using improv as a tool to circumvent the gatekeepers. We talk about the differences between doing improv in New York City versus Atlanta. We talk about the importance of structure, and occasionally we burst out into random songs every now and then throughout the episode, so just prepare yourself for that. Please enjoy this delightful talk with the lovely Aaron Laske. Hey everybody, welcome to the Joy of Improv Podcast. I'm Joel Camargo, your host, and I'm sitting here in my living room with the amazing, incredible, hilarious, brilliant, talented Aaron Lasky, everybody.
AarenHi.
JoelYeah.
AarenYeah.
JoelHey, Erin's here.
AarenI'm here. It's me.
JoelShe's here. I pro I promise you, this is real.
AarenThis isn't an actor. Recording of Aaron Lasky.
JoelNo, don't say that. They may believe it.
AarenChatbot.
JoelNo, no!
AarenForget AI. We hate AI.
JoelUm, yeah, so I'm so excited and grateful that you've joined the improv scene here. And I'm excited for everyone to get to know you. Uh, you've been, man, you've been shining so brightly in the community producing your own show already with heightened improv, which we'll get to at some point. Um, but what I want to hear
A Childhood Steeped in Theater & Storytelling
Joelabout first is how you got to improv. What's been your theater and improv journey like?
AarenYeah. Um, so yeah, so like theater and art and stuff has just kind of always been part of my life. Um, my parents were both journalists and so very big readers. And also just, yeah, like just for some theater just was always omnipresent in our house. Neither of them were theater practitioners, but they just loved theater. We went to see theater shows at the Fox, and we were always watching, you know, the old movie musicals, like the Rogers and Hammerstein stuff.
JoelUm so local, when you say the Fox, you grew up in the area.
AarenYes, yes, I grew up in Alpharetta. Um, and yeah, and and my grandparents on my dad's side were like that too. Like whenever we were at their house, like Singin in the Rain would be on, like My Fair Lady would be on, like yeah, so I just have always uh liked that and always been an old soul and just Yeah, yeah.
JoelSo specific to musicals, sounds like like were musicals always on?
AarenMusicals were always on, but also just yeah, just old movies and just okay, yeah, and I always just liked playing pretend and like I'm an only child, so obviously I had friends, but friends can't be at your house all the time. So there was like a lot of alone time too for imagination, and like I didn't play Barbies the way I mean. I think a lot of little girls are like this. People think little girls play Barbies, that's like in a way that's like, hey, let's go to the store. Like my Barbies like were in a soap opera. Like specifically, oh
The Barbie Soap Opera
Aarenyeah.
JoelYeah, there was some there was some drama. Yeah, there was tea. Yeah, tea to be spilled.
AarenLike, specifically one time I remember I had my Ken doll. My Ken doll, for whatever reason, was a pop star. I had made him that. And one time he was doing a concert and I broke him, his legs came off.
JoelAnd rather than drama, drama rather than drama during the performance.
AarenDuring the performance.
JoelMid-concert. Oh my god, it was it was a scandal.
AarenBut rather than throw him out, I wasn't like this he's broken now. I had him go on. So the Princess Diana Beanie Baby, she was like the Oprah and she had a talk show. So Legless Ken and Barbie went on Princess Diana Bear's show to talk about how difficult it was for him to lose his legs and how Barbie supported him through it.
JoelOh my god. I have to get a I'm sorry, this is so this is the this is what the podcast is for, baby. It's for these gems. It's for these gems. Okay, so you're doing this, and what age are you at this time? Or like eight or nine. Wow. Oh, oh, so you had an affinity for for drama and theater from the get.
AarenLike I just had to entertain myself as a kid. And so, and I loved reading. Like, I always loved reading. So that like just storytelling has been a big story.
JoelStorytelling, yeah.
AarenOf who I am and how I relate to people. So yeah.
Shakespeare in Fifth Grade
JoelSo started at childhood, and then at what point were you able to get your first um dip your toes into like a first class or something? Yeah. Was it middle school? Was it high school? Like whatever was.
AarenFifth grade was my first ever play, and it was actually Midsummer Night's Dream, like kid edition.
JoelWow, your first play was Shakespeare. Yes. Cool.
AarenAnd it was like the so there was a program that was like, it was called Horizons. It was like the gifted program. And they were putting on like in so we would go to that class. We would like get taken out of class to go to gifted class for a little bit, but in that class we put on Midsummer Night's Dream. And I I literally vividly remember, so vividly. Can I say vividly one more time?
JoelI vividly remember I didn't I didn't hear you say the first time.
AarenUm I remember my audition for that in the library. I remember who was there, and I just remember like like the language was dumbed down a bit, but not totally. And I auditioned for oh, because oh yeah.
JoelThis was fifth grade.
AarenBecause fourth grade, the fifth graders did Midsummer Night's Dream, the Horizons gifted kids did Midsummer Night's Dream. And I was sitting in the audience and I was watching it, and I went, that's what I'm gonna do. Next year I'm gonna be Helena. And then I auditioned, and I was. And I just like sat in the I just remember because I had loved, like I said, I love movies, I love storytelling, but like and I'd been to plays, I know I have, but I guess I just hadn't really like I was doing soccer my whole childhood. God bless me. Was I good at soccer? Oh no, oh no, no. And my dad was my soccer coach.
JoelOh, classic.
AarenAnd I had to tell him to be nice to the girls. Um he was hard on the girls. Okay, he was a sports writer and he was a sports person. He's yeah, you've met my dad, he comes to all the shows, he's lovely, he's a very sweet person, but he would be a little bit like, hey, hustle. So come on, what are you doing out there? Yes. And like literally when I was like four or five, I had to I specifically had to he like tells the story all the time. I had to be like, Dad, you can't talk to girls like that. And he was like, Okay.
MixedWow.
Manifesting!!
AarenBut yeah, so I've been playing soccer, and I just I literally I remember sitting and watching Midsommar's dream happen in fourth grade and being like, oh, this is it. This is what I'm gonna do for the rest of my life, and next year I'm gonna be in this play and I'm gonna be hell in there. And and the language just like I just like manifested it. I manifested it, which is I feel like is what I kind of do for a lot of stuff. I just like Dululu myself into it. But like I like the language, not to be like, oh, I'm so but like it just made sense to me. Like I and I was so excited about it. Like a lot of people were like in like we're you know, it was like fifth graders doing Midsummer Night's Dreams. Some of them were kind of like, okay, this is a thing that I have to do because the Horizons teachers make me do it. I was relishing it. I love it so much. And I was Helena, which is very funny because she's the tall one and she has lines making fun of Hermia and how short she is. I would never be Helena now because I am short. Uh but my best friend, one of my best friends who's still my best friend today, Amy Garcia, she was Hermia, and she and I both like she went to acting school, like like we had a similar like this is, and since then I just have been in theater my whole life.
JoelOh, that was fifth grade. That's incredible because I think about this. I think about right now, I am I'm in uh I'm teaching kids' camps at Dad's Garage. And I think about that age group and how tough it is. Um, because there's it's always a mix of kids who don't give a shit about being there. Their parents, their parents are stuffing them in a camp. Yep. And then half of them are like want to do it so badly, and they're so committed. Um and I can't imagine having a group of all or like mostly committed kids that are interested and passionate about that. Yeah. How cool that must feel. Especially because it sounds like you had a a this group of gifted kids.
AarenWas it that like a group of all I mean no, like a couple, like me and Amy, yeah. A couple other people, kind of, most everybody else, like it was gifted for like academically gifted, like but it was like Yeah, I would that was my expression of the how do you get into gifted? I don't know, they just like selected you. I don't know.
JoelI don't know if that's a thing they do anymore, but like because I had one in my school, and I always wondered how people got in it. Because it was in our school where I grew up, it was called gifted and talented.
AarenYes, yes.
JoelAnd I was like, what does that say about the rest of the school?
AarenI know, like I had a high reading level, so I don't know. I know, like, but I'm not gifted in math math.
JoelI know how funny I am in high school. Why am I not gifted and talented?
AarenAnd like it wasn't all doing Shakespeare, like we did like a stock market unit.
JoelWhat did you say?
AarenA stock market unit, learning how to do the stock market. Oh, it's and that was like numbers, mm-mm. So like but yeah, but like but yeah, I just was like, some people were like, this is so boring, why are we doing this, Shakespeare? And I was like, on fire. I still remember my monologue that I did for my audition. Like, that's from the show. Like, I could recite, like, I it's just that language is just in me, and I just love it. Yeah, and I love theater, and it was yeah, and I just never looked back.
JoelAnd so from that, so from Midsummer Night's Dream in fifth grade, you just like kept doing the plays, the theater every year in school, um, in high school, and so you were just every year.
AarenYeah, yeah. Yeah, like those were my people. Like, like I feel like like it's a cliche for a reason. Like the the Ethel Bourbon song, there's no business like show business. Like, there's no people like show people, like there are no people like show people. Like, like that's like a very silly song, but it makes me cry.
MixedYeah. Like, there are no people like no business like show business.
Discovering Comedy
AarenLike, no business I know. Yep. Hey, welcome to this episode. It's gonna be lots of personality. But yeah, like, because like people talk about how hellish middle school or high school was for them. And like in some ways I experienced some of that, but like I loved school because I just was with my theater kids all the time. Like, and again, some of those people I'm still friends with today, like and yeah, so I just like I was in like the chorus and I was in theater, and um like in eighth grade, all like it was like my core best friends who we are still best friends today, were all the leads in The Wizard of Oz. And I was the Cowardly Lion. So cool. And that was like, so like Midsummer Night's Dream, I got some laughs. And then I did theater, like in seventh grade, I was like an extra in the sound of music. I was a neighbor. So I literally came in and went, like, when they were like, goodbye, farewell, they go like goodbye, and the neighbors go, goodbye. And that was my whole time on stage for seventh grade sound of music. But eighth grade being the cowardly lion, I was like, ooh, I'm getting laughs. Like people are laughing and that's the delivery of your lines.
JoelIt's like okay.
AarenYeah.
JoelI was like, ooh, is that when the comedy focus started?
AarenOr you I mean, I still was just doing theater. Yeah. But I just that was when I first was like, ooh. Like I like acting, but also I like being in conversation with the audience and getting cues from them about like that's how I started to learn, like holding for a laugh, how long, like waiting till the crest, and then like starting to dip my toe into that and how fun that was. Like
Voice Lessons & Learning to Breathe
Aarenand and yeah, in eighth grade, seventh grade, I started taking voice lessons, singing lessons when I was 12 years old. Um shout out Michael Monroe, my first voice teacher. But yeah, and it was very serious. Like it was like we didn't make a sound for months. It was breathing. Breathing. It was laying on the floor, learning how to breathe from your diaphragm. And when we did make sounds, it was just making sounds. We didn't sing a proper song for like nine months. Oh, holy crazy.
MixedLike it was like so like gotta get the breathing down. Yeah, gotta get the breathing down.
AarenAnd he was my teacher all through high school, and then college I would come back in the summers and train with him. Like, my voice is because of him. Like he gave me my voice.
College, Rejection as Redirection & Studying in London
JoelLike that's beautiful. And I'm assuming this it continued through college, the performing, the theater.
AarenYes.
JoelUm, still musicals and mix it mixture of both.
AarenMixture of both, but mainly musicals. I was not a musical theater major. Um, I was a BA, um, which means I got to do like more directing playwriting stuff. And I got to study abroad, which I if I had been in because I was at first I was like, oh, I didn't get into the BFA program. Oh no. And I actually re-auditioned because I didn't get into the BFA program, but anyone can audition for the musicals. And I got in to the musical um my freshman year, first semester, and was like the comedic relief part, and was like, okay, I'm gonna re-audition for the BFA program. And my audition wasn't that good, and I didn't get in, and I was like mortified. But it worked out, like it was like a rejection is redirection type thing because I got to have more directing and playwriting classes. I wouldn't have been able to study abroad, which is where I really focused on playwriting and Shakespeare in London, and like met some of my closest friends through there.
JoelUm studied in London.
AarenIt was very cool.
JoelWhat school what school in London?
AarenUh it was just Florida State has their own thing. Yeah. Um and I got to like do a scene on the globe stage. And yeah. And we did like gorilla theater in the uh Tower of London. Like, I don't know how accurate. I look back at now and I'm like, this couldn't have really been that illegal or we wouldn't have been allowed to do it.
Guerrilla Theater at the Tower of London
JoelWhat uh could you elaborate on what gorilla theater is?
AarenYes. So like how it was pitched to us, I feel like we probably they they probably got permission, but just told us this to make us sound cool. But our Shakespeare teacher who worked at the Globe, Joe Howarth, Howarth, um, she was like, so we were learning the oh, I just bumped the mic. Okay. We were learning the history plays, and the project is that like you go so it the thing was you're not allowed to perform at the globe. It's illegal to perform or at the globe, at the tower. It's illegal to perform to to do theater at the Tower of London. So it's gorilla, and that gorilla means like underground, unsanctioned, illegal theater. Like, um, so the unit would be we would learn scenes from the history plays and we would go to the Tower of London and perform them in the rooms where they happened. But like we had to be quiet about it, and if somebody walked in, we had to pretend we weren't doing it because it was illegal. But I was like, there's no way it was literally that. Like, we probably just would have been kicked out, like, but she made it seem like it's I was like, because the school wouldn't have let her do that.
JoelYeah.
AarenBut it
Finding Improv in New York City
Aarenwas cool.
JoelLike, so it's like that's so cool that you have so much theater and musical experience. Uh, because I think that speaks a lot to your improv performance also, how committed you are in your character work, uh, your attention to detail, your like everything. Uh at what point in your artistic journey did improv enter enter the picture?
AarenYeah, so it wasn't until after I moved, I graduated, and then I interned abroad in London, and then moved to New York. Um and New York. New York. Big city. Big city. Um yeah, and I started doing it like I I was like doing the grinding 5 a.m. auditions at Ripley Greer Studios thing, like taking class, auditioning for stuff, and like I said, I I'd always been more of a comedic character actor, but I hadn't didn't have like formal comedy
The Limits Show Business Puts on Women
Aarentraining, so I was like, okay, I want to like get comedy training, A, to be a better performer, but B, like you can't put on your resume like special skills, I funny. Like I was like, I need a thing to prove that I know how to do comedy, and it ended up being so refreshing for multiple reasons. One reason is that I had been told directly and indirectly my whole life that I mean, I had a someone at my school tell me I would not work till I was 40 because I was not thin and I was not a um romantic lead type.
JoelWas the person that told you that in a position of authority, like a teacher?
AarenOh yeah. And I got told that indirectly always. And like I had played, I mean, I pretty much played the old lady part in so many, so much throughout my childhood. I was in arsenic and old lace in high school, I was an old lady part in college. Love them, very grateful for those roles, but that happens a lot to kids who aren't thin. They're automatically the old lady comedic relief role, and it's especially um jarring to look back at myself, to look at like pictures of myself, because I'm a 35-year-old woman now, like I'm bigger than I was when I was 18. And I'm like, that is who thought she was so disgustingly large that she couldn't, and was told by teachers that she couldn't. And yeah, and it also like affected my self-esteem as a person because if you're being told on stage you can't be a romantic lead in stage or on stage, that makes you feel like you can't be a romantic lead in your life.
JoelLike it makes you feel like no one's ever gonna love you romantically or see you that way because you're and I'm like Yeah, and that all that stems from that critique from that person in authority.
AarenUh yeah, I mean not just that, but like I had told been told that but multiple that that's just like the common thing.
JoelThat that that harsh feedback was given to you multiple times.
AarenYeah, and and not even harsh, like that's just like kind of the it's changing a bit now. Okay. People like Bonnie Milligan, like played a romantic lead-ish part in head over heels, like it's getting more diverse, but it's just been this like accepted knowledge that like type is a thing. As if, and so to be a romantic lead or the ingenue, you need to be thin and look a certain and be classically beautiful or white, or as if people who don't look like that don't experience love and aren't loved in real life. But I do feel like it's changing up. But yeah, I just it was kind of like that thing where it's like, okay, cool, you're funny and you're a character actor, which means A, you're not gonna work until you're 40 because you're you're you're you're you're an old woman part. Um multiple peop people in authority told me I wasn't I would not work till I was 40. And when you do work, it won't be it'll be these certain type of roles. It'll be the ugly, weird best friend, it'll be the weird old lady, it'll be the eccentric neighbor. And finding improv was like, oh, can I
Improv as a Way Around the Gatekeepers
Aarencurse?
JoelYeah, you can curse.
AarenUh fuck that.
JoelHell yeah. Fuck it. You can curse.
AarenA, I'm not gonna wait to work till I'm 40. Because I was like, okay, you're telling a 19-year-old girl who's spending thousands of dollars at your school, which not to I loved FSE, it was a great experience. This was just the common, not like that. She's not gonna work for 20 years. Like, what am I supposed to do? And like, so finding improv was like, okay, cool. I can make opportunities for myself now.
JoelIt can be anything you want.
AarenAnd I can be anything I want on stage. Like, I can be the sexy lady, like I can be a weird alien, I can be whatever. And I don't have to have anybody cast me in that. I get to decide who I am.
JoelYeah. Mm-hmm. And so you took classes in New York. Yeah. Um, what what classes were
UCB vs. Atlanta: Game vs. Grounded
Joelthose?
AarenUm, I did UCB, um, and I did some other theaters, and um yeah, I and found like a really, really cool community of people um who were lovely and supportive and collaborative, and and that's the thing that I really love about improv specifically. It's present in theater in general, is the collaboration piece, but especially in improv, you're collaborating in real time to make something, and I just really love that. And and I love because like I love playwriting and directing. Like I wrote a play in London and Did it senior year of college, like put it on, like and like improv is like directing and playwriting and acting all in one? Because like you're editing, like you're deciding when scenes end, when they begin, where they go, and like that's so. But you're doing it as a group, which is cool.
JoelSo So, okay, so you're in New York, you're taking improv classes at UCB.
AarenYes.
JoelUh well, how does that, those classes at UCB compare to your experience taking classes here in Atlanta?
Why Structure Breeds Creativity
AarenI mean it's very different, like just formulaic wise, and just the other classes in New York too were very like I like I took like a monocene class where we learned how to monocene. I was on like a monocene team, and like like yeah, like so UCB is very formulaic and very game focused, and Atlanta is not very game focused, which neither one is better or worse. It's just really different experiences. Um I appreciate structure, I thrive on structure, so I love I do love a herald. Like, cause I just You said the bad word.
JoelYou said the bad word, I know.
AarenBut it's not the I just in general, I like I think having structure is helpful because you know like the parameters, so you can explore within those and you can break it when you need to. Yeah.
JoelBut 100%. I'm I'm I'm a huge fan of structure. Yeah. There I think a lot of people hear structure and they think it's less fun or less creative.
AarenYeah.
JoelBut oftentimes the structure can enable even more creativity and fun. If you know the rules of the game, you know how to play.
AarenYes.
JoelIt can really it can truly set people free in playing and having fun if they know the rules of a particular game.
AarenYeah. Because like it's easier to say, hey, we're all gonna play Monopoly, than to say, hey, go do fun. It's like, okay.
JoelYeah, yeah, just hey, be fun, be funny.
AarenYeah, like go. Like we're all speaking a common language, like, and I was I was on a like a Spokane team, which was like the nicest people. Shout out Nemesis, love them so much.
JoelAnd Nemesis is a that was the name of our team.
AarenUm and but it was like a kind of a modified Spokane, modicane, JWS Brown type of thing.
MixedUm JWS Brown.
AarenJPS Brown is like Jason Stakus, and it's kinda it's it's a similar thing to Spokane where you have like a like a central scene that you keep going back to um but kind of more grounded. I love grounded. Grounded
What "Grounded" Really Means
Aarenis a buzzword for me.
JoelI love Oh, grounded is a buzzword. I think it's a buzzword for a lot of people. Yeah. Let me ask you this while we're on this. What is what does grounded mean to you?
AarenGrounded in improv to me means Oh, mincer one it's true. Uh I just thought it in the background. Grounded means based in like a a truth and a reality. Like Stanislavsky, his definition of acting is living truthfully in imaginary circumstances. And I feel like that's grounded to me. Like it can get wacky.
JoelOh, I love that. Thank you for bringing up Stanislavsky.
AarenShoutout.
JoelShout out to the legend. Um living truthfully in imaginary circumstances. That's a great phrasing.
AarenYeah. Um and like relationship-based, and like just experiencing true relationships and true emotions. And like like I love saying no in a scene. Like sometimes I think the the both best, most generous way to say yes is to
The Generosity of Saying No & Being the Voice of Reason
Aarensay no.
JoelYeah.
AarenLike if someone's doing something genuinely absurd.
JoelAnd not enough teachers uh say share that in higher levels. Yes. Because I think we get we get stuck on the yes and so much. And you can kind of feel when a scene feels artificial and everyone's just kind of yes-anding to the point of like, okay, when's when's the when where's the tension? Yeah. Where's the status? Where where's the interesting thing?
AarenYeah, and not even just like sometimes like just just to I think it helps people because people feel like they have to create so much from nothing. And I love like Madeline Evans, shout-out says, like, you have stuff, everything, you have everything within you.
JoelEverything you got everything you need.
AarenBut like so, sometimes saying if someone does something absolutely ridiculous, like if someone says, I have a lemonade stand, you say, How much? And they say $5,000, it's not being a bad scene partner to not yes and that. In fact, you're saying yes by having a j uh a true reaction saying that's absurd, that's a ridiculous amount of money. Yeah. Why would I ever pay that? And then they can come up with an absurd reason why. And so they're the And that's a very UCB too thing, UCB thing too, like the um normal person, crazy person. I don't know what that, but you know, like formerly straight man, crazy man, you know.
MixedYeah, now it's voice of reason.
AarenVoice of reason, yeah. Um so I love being a voice of reason because I think it I think it gives people it helps people like Yeah. Like, oh yeah, I can just respond to this like a person. Like if someone says, hey, let's all jump in this volcano.
JoelAnd everyone's like, yeah, yeah, like and everyone's like, wait, what world are we in? Yeah, like are these human beings?
AarenNow I have all these questions in my head, like what like that that's cuckoo bananas to jump into volcanoes. So I think it's being a good scene partner to say, no, of course not. What why? That's I'm not gonna do that. Like, so I so that to me is grounded, and just like yeah, having a true emotional like I and I used to be on a two-prof team, shout out Matt Clevy with my friend Mac Clevy Um in New York, and because he's we we were called Mike and Sully because he's like literally almost seven feet tall, and I'm five foot nothing, and so we were Mike and Sully, and we would just do like really like sometimes we would like cry, like we would do like really slow play, grounded, build a relationship,
The Power of Being Set Up to Shine
Aarenand like if funny happens, great. If not, okay. But and he like also really I owe him a lot as a performer because I remember talking to him after one of our shows and being like I feel like the last few shows have kind of been like me centric, like it's been kind of like my character being the the featured one and you kind of being supporting, and I I I want to if I feel bad about that, I wasn't doing that on purpose. And he was like, No, I I did that on purpose because I think we're I mean, I'm happy to be the featured per first person sometimes, but we're our our stuff is really good when you're the featured person and I'm and like like you know, it was a two-prof, so it wasn't me told I don't you know time. I guess you're saying yeah, he's like when you shine, we both shine. And having a what a great teammate teammate and a man specifically tell me as like a 23-year-old woman that he purposely was highlighting me and that I wasn't being like a hogging the stage or being ungenerous or being selfish to do that. He's like, No, I'm I'm I'm setting you up for that because you're like you're building a good emotional heart, and I want you and I'm shining because you you're shining. And yeah, that was lovely. So like that really helped me be like beautiful, hey, cool, okay. Yeah, maybe I have something to say.
JoelYeah should feel like in improv. Yeah, yeah. And grounded doesn't always have to be serious.
AarenNo, no, no, no. Yeah, yeah, but yeah, that was just one version of grounded. But yeah, but I just think like grounded to me just means playing like a real person and reacting truthfully. And whatever the circumstances are whatever the circumstances are. Like and sometimes, sometimes you don't have you know, you don't have to always say no, if someone says something absurd, maybe in the world you're you're like, yeah, let's jump in the volcano. Maybe that's the world of the scene and it makes sense.
JoelMaybe you're all lava people, maybe you're all lava people, and then that's fine. And that's home.
AarenLike we're all going in the sauna. But I think sometimes people get trapped in never pointing out how ridiculous something someone is saying or like is. And and I I think that yeah, it's actually makes you a better scene partner to say, hold on.
JoelYeah, wait a second. What did you just say?
AarenDid you you you said you want to walk across the highway in our underwear? That's interesting. Why do you want to and just also just pick at that? Like, yeah, even if you're not saying no.
"Wait, What Did You Just Say?"
JoelThere's nothing like a player that so so strategically it like calls out a wait, what did you say?
AarenYeah, and just like make things matter. Like, because it might it may not even be a note, it just sometimes people give gifts and like say things that are gems, and because of nerves, everybody blows past it. And I like to be like, wait, wait, what did you just say? You just said something, let's stop and listen to what you just said because it was really yeah interesting. I think we can follow that.
JoelI I've seen you do that so well in shows where like something's about to get blown past, someone said that's a really good, emotional, powerful gem. Yeah, and you're like, wait, what do you did you just say and like you call attention, you're like, wait a second, did you just say did and then call it? Call it out?
AarenI'm glad it's successful because I tried to be successful and for show. For show.
JoelFor show. Yeah, so that okay, so that's New York improv.
Leaving New York, Law School & Coming Home to Atlanta
AarenYes.
JoelAnd then at what point did you move to Atlanta and start doing improv here?
AarenYeah. So I did not think I would be back in Atlanta. Um like when I was a kid, I was like, I'm getting out of here. I'm going to big city, big city. I'm never gonna make it on Broadway. And which and so like I I actually had my stuff in a storage unit in Brooklyn until like a few months ago.
JoelThe dream was there. Yeah, yeah. The dream was the dream.
AarenThat was mainly like it was the pandemic, it was hard to get it down. But initially when I left, I left because I had a concussion and I couldn't work anymore. Um, so I had to I had a concussion that lasts for a really long time, so I had to move home. So I thought I was just moving home temporarily to heal up in 2018.
MixedOkay.
AarenUm, but then I started having this maybe I should go to law school thing.
JoelAnd so I love I love how you word it, like it's a phase. I mean it's just like, and then like I had this really I just got the itch to just go to law school.
AarenThat's basically what happened. Like, it was partially so yeah, so then I that's and I was still like I'm going back. Like when I left, I was like, I'm come back. Like, and I'm applying, then I was like, okay, maybe I'll apply to law school, but I want to go in the northeast because I'm going back to New York. But I got into Emory down here, and so I was like, okay, I'm in now I'm in Emory, and and yeah, and then I just after law school was done in 2023, I was like, I don't know, yeah, I think Atlanta has stuff to offer. Like and I like being close to my parents, we're very close, and like family friends, like my childhood friend, Paige, who I did theater with, like she just had a baby, like so. Yeah, so I I think you know, I might go back, like I still, you know, might want to be on the Broadway one day. Like I'm not done with New York, but yeah, it was kind of weird because I didn't choose to leave New York. I New York kind of kicked me out.
JoelBut like the grind the grind of it.
AarenI mean, just the the fact that I was injured and I couldn't I couldn't work. Um but yeah, but I mean like the like we're like with the midsummer night's dream thing, like seeing a thing and manifesting it, like the law school thing was kind of like that. It was kind of like I can't really explain to other people why I want to do this and other people don't really get it.
JoelAnd did you did you get it for yourself?
AarenYeah, I mean it's partially that I it is really partially that I just kinda had an inner intuition that it was a thing I needed to do and I just followed it.
MixedJust following your gut.
AarenBut it was partially that it was 2018, it was crappy person in office number one, and there were things going on in the world that I did not understand because I had just had a tenth grade civics class, like we all did. So I wanted to understand more what was happening and why. And I had in New York I had like a million survival jobs. So I was like, it'd be kind of cool to have a job that was that can pay me to live. Yes, and not rely on multiple jobs, yes, and like not to be too dark, but like when I had my concussion that lasted for a long time, I couldn't read I couldn't concentrate on things. Wow, and so and I love so I was like You love reading when I got back, I was like, I really like school and reading. Maybe I'll now that I'm better and I can concentrate on things again, maybe I'll do that. And I also wanted to have like a helping profession. Like, like I wanted to understand the world better, and I want like anyone can be an activist, art is activism, but like especially seeing a lot of my artist friends in New York like have situations where they might need legal help and not being able to afford it, I was like, and just in general, people like I just I don't know, I just was like, I felt called to do it, and a lot of people in my life were and are still like, okay, great, so you're not doing that acting thing anymore. And I'm like, oh no, no, no, no. That's still the thing I want to do.
MixedYeah, that's still the thing.
AarenLaw school is the thing that I'm doing.
MixedThat's the side thing.
AarenThat's the side thing. I'll be more like, what? Like, you're you want to be a lawyer is your day job? That's so you can act like that. I'm like, I don't know, like, yeah, like eventually I feel like I'd love to have like a nonprofit that helps artists who can't afford. I don't know. I still don't even really know exactly why that's like how that's gonna manifest for me. Like, because I'm not doing that right now is my job because I'm job hunting, but like I, you know, I would like to have that as a survival job, which is crazy to say that law would be my survival job, but like yeah, but I but also just I just helped had a feeling that it's what I I needed to have that education for some reason and that it was gonna help me make and you got it the world a better place somehow one day.
Returning to Improv in Atlanta
JoelAnd so yeah. So law school school happened, and then so you came back here after your your injury concussion in New York, um, started law school, and then when where did you find improvit Atlanta?
AarenSo after I finished law school, like I've been wanting to do it, I probably would have done it during law school, but like I was very COVID cautious and like stuff like that. And and so I kind of went like 2024 is when I started to feel like okay, I feel comfortable getting back out there. Um I was very nervous about it because I was like, what if I've lost it? It's been so long. Um but thankfully you, I mean, you are like such a huge part of my improv journey in Atlanta and why I feel like I'm able to begin to make a home and become the become la la, la la la la la la, become part of the community here because you were my first improv teacher in Atlanta. And
Safe Spaces, Community Agreements & Consent
Aarenyou just created such a warm, wonderful environment in your class. And I also like I remember telling you specifically that like I really appreciated that you and it seems like it's kind of more standard practice now, at least in Atlanta, maybe elsewhere, to have like community agreements at the top of a class, like and be like, hey, this is what consent is and this is what and like doing check-ins, like because there were some places in New York where I felt felt very safe, and some places where it was less safe, and people who I thought were safe ended up not being safe. And so coming into class, and not only were you fun and warm and a great teacher, like, but I felt like you were gonna take care of us. Yeah. And so, yeah, that made me be like, okay, this place is good, I can keep doing stuff here. And I was at dad's that you were my level two teacher at death.
MixedUh thanks for saying that. That's so sweet. Genuinely.
JoelYeah, that was a fun group. That was a fun class. Um, and I do I do truly love the community agreements and check-ins. The number one thing I think people don't realize this, but literally there's research now that shows like when you create a safe space in a classroom, people feel better becoming vulnerable, yes, getting outside their comfort zone, connecting with each other. Like that's priority one.
AarenYeah.
JoelIs create a safe space.
AarenYeah. Especially improv because like in a scripted thing, you know what you're getting into story-wise. So you can kind of be like, okay, today we're doing that difficult scene. How does everybody feel? In improv, it's totally free-for-all. So, like having a set of agreements at the top and being able to say, like, hey, this is my physical or content boundary, like again, like like we were saying with structure. I think structure breeds creativity, and within structure, creativity can thrive more successfully.
JoelAnd yeah, so I without judgment.
AarenYes.
JoelWithout judgment.
AarenSo yeah.
JoelSo took level two with me in a really fun class. Um, and then you kept doing the the levels.
Climbing the Levels
AarenYeah, I did level three and four, um, and just really lucked out. Like Zach Bromberg was my level three teacher. So good, such good notes. And I feel like really he also, I feel like really like drills down like be a real person. Someone just said something crazy, just be real. Like, what do you like do something?
MixedI don't know. That's a Zach everyone that's a Zach Bromberg impression.
AarenZach, I don't know why that was my voice for you. But you know, like, he just gave really in-depth notes, and then Allison Salinger was my level four teacher, and she's so good at game.
MixedIncredible.
AarenSo good at knowing, like teaching and communicating how to do game successfully and recognize patterns. And because the short form, short form, that's a weird thing for me. Like, not like that's a short form being its own thing in Atlanta is and it may be like this in New York now, or maybe it was in spaces I just wasn't in. Like, short form to me, like whose line is it anyway, short form, but for the most part to me, that wasn't like a thing you perform. That was like your warmups. Yeah. So I was like, ooh, short form being a thing you perform, like in its own right, that's cool. Like that's a different thing for me. Right. So that was cool. And then I did music improv with you.
JoelYeah, musical improv.
AarenI like I remember you bringing it up in level two, which is like October 2024. Like you being like, Yeah, I think I'm gonna do music improv. I feel like multiple times I was like, hey, yeah, so if you did music improv, I I really like singing. I really like that. If you keep keep me in mind, put me up me on the list.
JoelOh, yeah, 100%. Yeah, I do remember that. Um and also you're taking Madeline's classes too?
Madeline Evans, the Miracle Maker
AarenYes. Oh, yeah, duh.
JoelMadeline truly life-changing. Like life-changing classes.
AarenEvery single time I take a class of hers, I've just taken, finished my second round of continuous. I feel like I am leaps and bounds, uh more rounded, more confident, more generous, kinder, more creative player than I was than when I started. And I have more tools in my toolbox and than I did before, and I know more about myself as a person. Like she's truly like a miracle maker.
JoelA miracle maker. Yeah. As a teacher, improviser. Uh, I just uh a few months ago I finished my fifth class with her. Yeah. I'm just like every time if I can, if I can once twice here, I'd love to retake a metal class. Every time I come out, I'm feeling more confident. Um yeah, as a performer, as a person. Incredible.
AarenAnd she celebrates people, which I really appreciate. Like, like we talked about, I mentioned before, I love how she says part of her philosophy is like every um you're interesting on your own. You have you don't have to come up with anything, you have stuff within you that is interesting, which is so true and lovely. And I just feel like frees people up so much. Like, I mean, I think even if you don't want to do improv, if you just want to like have a good, healthy relationship with yourself, you should take a violent evidence like 100 evangelical. Yeah. And you go into them because everybody tells you that, and you go into them and you're like, okay, I'm sure she's gonna be great, but is she really that no, she really is that great.
JoelShe really is that great. She truly is, she's truly game-changing, yeah. Um miracle worker,
How Musical Improv Became a Gateway (and a Confidence Boost)
Joelyeah.
AarenSo love that. And then yeah, the music like literally, it's just so we I think about all the time how lucky I am, and again, this is like I'm very woo-woo manifest. Like, I I could have had any level two person, and I could have taken it anytime. Like, I really feel like I was supposed to be in your level two class at the time that I was, because I feel like like getting the music improv classes has been such a gateway into the community, and I've had never done it before, but I loved musicals and I loved music, I loved improv, and now like music improv is.
MixedI mean, you took to it so fast, it's like so I love it, so good.
AarenAnd I just am like, I can't believe it two years ago I didn't know what that was. And if I hadn't met you, like there are so many things in the community I have because of you, and I think so many people feel that too.
JoelLike, I appreciate that. Yeah, I appreciate that. I mean, I live for this community. I love the city and the improv community here. So, whatever I can do to give back to the community and keep helping people feel inspired and feel connected, and um, I'm gonna do it. Well, you do, you do that. I appreciate it.
AarenOh yes, yeah. And I also feel like musical improv has made me a better singer. Really? Like, and a more confident singer. Because I used to get I wasn't as nervous if I was just acting, but singing would always, even though I had a ton of training and thought I can sing, okay, like I I would get so nervous before I sang.
JoelOh.
AarenAnd now I just it made me feel so free.
JoelSee, now yeah, that's that's one of the main goals of the foundational class is just to feel free in your own body and voice singing fun, silly songs. So like Oh, that is so cool.
AarenBecause I want to start like auditioning for plays and musicals and stuff again, too. And yeah, I feel like it has made me a better, more comfortable singer in that realm, too.
JoelLike, I love it. Hell yeah.
AarenMusic improv is the best.
JoelI love it, y'all. Musical improv ATL.
AarenTake that switch. I'll plug, plug, plug, y'all. Here's your uh $20 you paid me for plugging the appreciate that, Aaron.
JoelFollow the Instagram. What the waitlist is on the website, musicalimprov atl.com. Uh Madeline Evans uh classes is madsjoy.me, her website. Follow Mads Improv on Instagram.
AarenBut legitimate Music Improv is that good. And your class is so fun.
JoelI love it.
AarenEven if you're not a singer singer.
JoelEven if you're not a singer, it doesn't matter. Um yeah, I the this plug section's fine. I do want to while we're on it, but I the general yeah, I generally believe it also. I do want to do it the rest of my life if I can. Same. I wouldn't want I want to do the rest of my life. I'm just finding a way to uh to pay the bills and just just teaching is tough.
AarenYeah.
JoelUm while trying to keep classes affordable and accessible. Yeah. But are you gonna do it? Gonna find a way?
AarenYeah.
JoelGonna find a way. I love it so much. I love it so much. Let's talk about you. Okay. Let's go back to talking about we showered love. Yeah. Like I'm receiving that love. Madeline is receiving her love. Yes. Um, let's talk about you. You deserve love. Oh, okay. Because you're so fantastic. Oh god. And and then at what point after classes did you want to start producing heightened improv?
Heightened Improv: Improvised Shakespeare & Beyond
AarenYeah. So basically.
JoelTell us what that is.
AarenSo heightened improv is um a project that I do with Mads now. Um, right now we're focused on improvise improvised Shakespeare, but the concept is any type of heightened text improvised. So improvised Jane Austen, improvised check off, um, which there are people in New York who used to improvise check off that I really loved, improvise Tennessee Williams, improvised Arthur Miller, like just because I also love Jane Austen. I'm a big Jane Austen girly. And yeah, it was literally just Mads and I last year, sometime were sitting. Because how did we meet? How did I meet? Oh, Spring Chickens. I did Spring Chickens. Okay. And I met the Poultry Inmotion gals, and then they asked me to join the team, which is very nice. I'm very grateful for them. So now I'm a Poultry Emotion.
Poultry In Motion & Spring Chickens
JoelAnd for those who don't know, Poultry Motion is this indie improv group who produce uh a variety of amazing shows for the community.
AarenYes.
JoelUm, Spring Chickens is one of their shows where they highlight new uh new improvisers in the community. Yeah, regardless of level. They they what they do is they message multiple teachers in the community and they're like, hey, do you have any standout students that you think would want to be in a show?
AarenYeah.
JoelAnd then they cast those students in an improv show. It is so, so cool. Yeah.
AarenIt is such a cool and again, Joel being my Atlanta improv origin story, I think he might suggest time for that. Yeah. So last year I got that was my first Atlanta show that wasn't a grad show.
JoelYes. Yeah.
AarenUm, because I had done a music improv grad show with you, which was my first show since 2017.
JoelThat was your first improv show since 2017. Wow. Yeah.
AarenSince concussion and pandemic and law school. And then I did level four grad show, and then Spring Chickens was the first non-grad show I did.
JoelYeah.
AarenUm I just got to do a round of Spring Chickens as a member of the team instead of a spring chicken, which is cool. Oh, yeah. But yeah, it's such shout out Maria Manelli. Shout out to Alden, Jess, and Amber and Mads. Um, but it was Maria's idea to do Spring Chickens, and I think it's such a wonderful thing. It's such an Atlanta thing. Atlanta to me seems the improv community seems really about lifting other people up.
JoelI yeah, I think it is at the moment, because I think what is gonna come up in the podcast a lot for Atlanta specific is the struggle of finding spaces to play. Oh yeah. And the struggle for uh new improvisers when they're done with classes to figure out what to do next. They're kind of like lost and wandering.
AarenYeah.
JoelUm, so shows like that. Yeah.
AarenI met Mads through Springs Perkins and we went to see Road Trip, I think, um, at dad's. Um, and we're it was like late summer 2025. We're sitting at um dad's, waiting for road trip to start, and like before the show, there's like advertisements on the um screen and improvise Shakespeare from Chicago, the OG Improvised Shakespeare people who were coming, and we literally turned to each other and went, Oh, I want to see that. And I was like, I'd really wanna, I really wanna do something like that. And she was like, actually, yeah, me too. I've had an idea for something like that for a long time. And I was like, and also like I'd love to do improvise Jane Austen because I love Jane Austen. She was like, Yeah, actually, I've been thinking about that too. And I was like, oh wow. And she was like, Yeah, I actually kind of had an idea for like a whole umbrella of that, and it would be called Heightened. And I was like, wait.
JoelAnd then you both start one voicing, you both start talking at the same time.
AarenAnd we were like, hold on. And then later we like both messaged each other and we're like, okay, but can we like do that for real? And we're like, and then we just like started having meetings about it and did a golden egg, and now we do it, and it's you're part of it. Um and it's yeah, and we like have just created the curriculum, I guess, slash format on our own, just through our collective Shakespeare knowledge, because she's also a theater major theater girly. Um yeah.
Building an Ensemble & Doing the Homework
JoelI mean, what I love about heightened improv is how there's nothing like it at the moment in Atlanta. Um, true, truly, the name is fitting because of the heightened performance aspect of it. We're aiming for a uh um improvised play-like show. Yeah. There is humor every single time.
AarenYeah.
JoelJust like there is in any play, there's humor also. Um, but we are so focused on staying as true as possible to the works that we're emulating.
AarenYeah.
JoelUm, this has been extremely challenging for me, as I've told you. It as much fun as it is, I just for the listeners, I am studying my butt off. You really is. Uh I'm watching Shakespeare, I'm listening to Shakespeare, I'm reading Shakespeare, and it is so difficult. Because a lot of a lot of the people on the team are have a lot of background.
AarenYeah, I think if you don't mind me saying, not in a bad way, you're the person on the team with the least experience in Shakespeare, but I think you have grown the most because you are putting in the work.
JoelI appreciate it.
AarenAnd it's really cool and exciting, and like we just a lot of fun. Like with that, and musicals, like I just love geeking out with you. Like, I love because I am just a person who is overly incredibly enthusiastic about things that I love. And I used to really hate that about myself, but now I love that about myself. Oh yes, being cringe is being free.
JoelYes, being cringe is being free.
AarenLike, yeah, but yeah, again, grounded being my buzzword, like heightened, we Mads and I both were like, yeah, I really want to make like a grounded, like we're trying to do a good representation of a well-rounded Shakespeare play. We're not trying to do yuck-yuck like and and yeah, and so that's been really fun. And like like obviously, you know, like improvised Shakespeare exists elsewhere, but like there isn't like we haven't had an opportunity to take a class yet. So yeah, we just kind of like pooled our collective knowledge.
JoelGoogle Google Drive documents, um links to resources, so much stuff, study guide, uh terminology sheet. Like it is a lot and all at the same time amazing and wonderful. Um because I uh love and appreciate the challenge of learning something new.
AarenYeah.
JoelAnd y'all, this show is I we're both biased, but just take our word for it. This show is so good.
AarenIt's so good.
JoelIt's unlike anything you're watching at the moment in the scene. Truly, truly, truly follow heightened and this show is gonna turn into a bunch of our own plugs. Heightened underscore. But yeah, it's yeah, heightened underscore, you said prof. Yeah.
AarenIt's so lovely, and I I it's a really it's really cool because um another thing that's like an Atlanta specific thing that was a bit of a adjustment for me was rotating casts are very common here, which is such there's so many lovely things about that. Um, and then I think it's cool doing Heightened because we're having an opportunity to build an ensemble of people because it's the same, we're about to add a few people, but like we're trying to get it's the same people who work together and we're building chemistry and especially because it's improvised Shakespeare, it's not just normal improv. There's like there's so I mean there really is we just talked about there's so much work that goes into it beforehand, like learning the language, getting a shared idea of what the structure is, what the beats are. Um so yeah, it that's been really cool to try to build a solid ensemble of people.
Playwriting & Sketch
JoelUm what's next in improv for you? You're working on Heightened for a while, any other projects?
AarenI mean, just more music improv stuff with you, which is fun. I love doing key change stuff. And yeah, I just I mean I'd wanna I I wanna I think I wanna try to write, get back to writing, like playwriting. And I haven't really done sketch, so like sketch writing. Um Yeah.
JoelThe Ven the Venn diagram of the all adjacent art forms.
AarenYes, but yeah, because I haven't I haven't written up like I took playwriting classes in New York too, and like that used to be like a really bad kind of for a long while I was like, that's really gonna be I I just haven't done it in a while, so I I want to get back to that.
Perfectionism & Being Kind to Yourself
JoelAnd how much do you think your your acting and theater background like affects your improv performances?
AarenSo much. I mean sometimes not in a good way.
JoelIn that, yeah.
AarenSo I think it's mostly good because I have it like a lot of people um I feel like a lot of people talk about in class, like when people are saying, like, what's the thing you want to work on? I I think a concept that comes a lot up a lot is characters. Um, because if you're having don't have a lot of acting or theater background, like that's obviously something that how why would you know that? Like, but that is a thing ha doing different characters is something that I feel pretty comfortable with because of that, and having big emotions and being physical and not just being talking head. So those are ways that I feel like and then doing narrative improv with you in music improv and doing narrative improv in Shakespeare, like it helps me because I am familiar with those beats. I kind of have those beats in my bones. So I think it helps me that way, but in some ways, having a theater background and just who I am as a person, um I have a tendency to get stuck in perfectionism and doing things the correct way and doing things, yeah. And I am trying to free myself from that.
JoelAnd improv is a good place to do that because the classic artist trap classic perfectionism so hard on myself.
AarenI'm so mean to myself, I'm so Be nice. Aaron's so lovely. Thank you. But it's just like so, it's so funny that that I feel like I I find it easy to and I enjoy celebrating others and lifting others up, and I have a hard time directing that back to myself. But but yeah, so I think sometimes I pretty much like Madeline always talks in her classes like, what are your goals? Mine's like always like, let go of the outcome, let go of perfectionism and go with the flow.
JoelYeah, I mean I think I uh it needs to be a constant reminder for all for all of us. Yeah. Because that voice in all of our heads, not just for you, for every it's it's always there.
AarenYeah.
JoelAnd we have to work so hard and consistently to keep that voice low, to keep it, keep the volume down. Yeah. And what I find too is that voice is louder in my head if I'm not taking care of myself, too. If I'm not hydrated or exercising or getting enough sleep, then I'm not as mentally and emotionally prepared to like battle that voice in my head.
AarenYeah.
JoelSo for anyone listening who struggles with that, take your water. Drink water.
AarenGo to sleep, go on a walk.
JoelYeah, get some sunlight.
AarenWhen I am not reading consistently, it's like not when I don't exercise consistently. I don't, my brain needs it to quiet down.
JoelHere, take some have some Shakespeare. Have some of Shakespeare. Have some of this, Jane Austen. This is shh.
AarenBut yeah, I think that being an actor because I yeah, I don't really like go into like a different mode when I am probably I'm just a performer and I'm but sometimes having been having been doing it for as long as I have, I can get stuck in. And it's never it's always me. It's never like this person did that wrong. It's just like, oh, that wasn't the correct move. I I could have done something else. Like because I do love the collaborative aspect of it. So it's never these people aren't doing it right. It's always me. I let them down. I I edited too quickly, I didn't edit quickly enough.
JoelI I mean, I feel like after any show, every everyone's like, Oh, I should I oh I missed this joke here, oh I should have subwarded the this one here.
AarenBut sometimes I had that at the expense of my own success and my own freedom. Yeah. And yeah.
Biggest Lesson
JoelHow has your improv experience been as a whole? Do you have any like big takeaways that you've learned, big lessons, biggest lessons, any experiences stand out that you want to share?
AarenYeah, that's a really good question. I think that the biggest lesson for me kind of like what we were just talking about, is just to go with the flow and tr and also trust. I also in my real life, ooh, get into getting psychoanalyzing myself. Like I have trouble asking for help, and I'm hyper-independent, and like I've I have trouble relying on other people. Um, not because I don't trust them, but because I'm afraid of being a burden to people. And in improv, you have to. Like your life is in their hands. Yeah, like you're on stage, yeah. On stage and no, it's that's that dramatic.
JoelThat's what that's what it's that dramatic.
AarenJoel has said, if you don't do well, I will beat you up. No. My life is in your hands on stage. Like that's what you know, like because you don't have anything else to rely on. There's no script, there's no set, there's no costumes, there's no like you are each other's lifeboats. And getting being able to not just let go of perfectionism and let go of a certain outcome, but letting go of that certain outcome by trusting my fellow teammates, by trusting the other players on stage. Especially in Atlanta where rotating casts are so common, sometimes you're like, hey, nice to meet you. Let's go do a show together. Like so you just have to radically trust people and trust that they're gonna because like the like you've got your back thing is such a funny thing to me in improv because it's kind of it's like before a show, you say I've got your back to everybody, and it can just become kind of like a like like you're saying good morning. Like, I don't know, like a thing. A thing you just say thing. But I feel like that really it, like, you have to have those people's backs and trust that they have yours. And I just to let go of I don't have to carry this all on my own, I don't have to make all the decisions, I don't have to be the best for everyone. I don't have to be afraid of inconveniencing others, I have to let them carry me has made me a better performer and a better better person, I think. And yeah, and I think like the best improv like I mean so I mean just so many like doing yeah, I said doing music improv in general really has changed my life. Like it's I really feel like it's where I'm supposed to be. It feels great. And so yeah, like those have and those have been so great, and I've been very lucky to to get to do road trips, and I've gotten to some like road trips with really cool people recently,
Road Trip, The F-Word & Lord of the Rings
Aarenwhich has been crazy.
JoelAnna Garcia from Road Trip. That was such a fun show. That was crazy. That was a fun, fun show.
AarenLike very, very kind and grateful that like Madeline has trusted me and doing the F-word was so great, such an empowering lifting up shout out to Kim for that's just like having a space that's an all um female show. And like before the show, she does like she gives everybody flowers and we do affirmations, and like that's such an empowering Yeah like it's beautiful, yeah. It's a beautiful, beautiful So I'm afraid I'm leaving people out, but like I mean heightened, yeah, and all the the Poultry Emotion gals are so we have to do a Lord of the Rings show, which I love Lord of the Rings.
JoelWait, who did a Lord of the Rings show?
AarenOkay, so the Poultry Motion people, but they we all love Lord of the Rings to the point where many of them have Lord of the Rings tattoos, except for Jess. I didn't know that. Jess has never seen it and she knows nothing about it. So we did a show where we did the story of Lord of the Rings, but Jess was Frodo and she had no idea what was going on.
JoelOh my
Mental Health & Letting the Community In
Joelgod.
AarenIt was so frickin' fun. It was called Lord of the Wings, yuck, yuck, yuck yuck, yuck. And it was so fun. And yeah, um, but yeah, I just I feel like especially right now, I'm like really in a period where I'm very intently focused on my mental health and working on my mental health, um, like actively. Um because I've kind of had like this year's been kind of turbulent. Um so my OCD has been like flaring, and my depression has been flaring.
JoelAnd so yeah, like having improv not only as a space to learn to let go and trust others and to be helped, but the community like has been so wonderful, and letting myself meet new people and be loved by the community and trust people when they say that they love me and want to work with me, and let that sink in and try to think of myself as someone who's worthy of that trust people are putting in by casting me in their shows and yeah, and you yeah, um, even going to say like trusting people and and community building, it just took you going to a show to run into mats, to at be next to each other while seeing the TV, yeah, shang out loud to another person, like, oh that'd be cool to do. Oh, yeah, that would be cool to do.
AarenYeah.
JoelAnd then a DM later is like, hey, do you want to do this thing?
AarenYeah, like let's do it for real.
JoelSo just to say, like, you know, this these conversations could happen in class, yeah, at a show, at a jam, talk to people you connect with that you you like to be around them.
AarenYeah. Um and then follow through. Actually, do like if if someone has an idea, that that that conversation could have ended there. We could have been like, Oh, yeah, I wish I would love to do that one day. But then we were like, no, let's do it.
JoelThat DM that DM was the pivotal moment, right? Yeah that made that makes it happen. Yeah. Is somebody just straight up asking, yeah, do you want to do this thing? Yeah, do you want to get coffee or lunch? Sure, hang out, go for a walk, let's talk about it.
AarenYeah.
JoelYeah. Crucial.
AarenAnd it's such a welcoming and kind community. Like it genuinely is. And I'm just really lucky to that I've because I was kind of nervous getting back into getting back into it. But like yeah.
JoelWhere do you think the nerves were coming from?
AarenJust yeah, like I was worried that I'd lost it, and also just having to start all over because I had built a community in New York and thought I was going back to them. And to have to start from the beginning to um find my place in the community again, I was nervous. Um but yeah, it's such a such a truly kind community, and it makes me feel very yeah, like welcome and like I have something to offer and yeah.
JoelDo you
Kindness as the Foundation of Good Art
Joelhave um anything on your mind or heart about your experience in improv that you want to share to the community?
AarenUm yeah, I guess just like I think the foundation of being a good artist is kindness. Like, truly, like the foundation of being a good person is kindness, but like not just because it will get you invited back, it'll get you if you're pleasant in the room, like you know, you told that in theater school, like be easy to work with because you'll get more jobs, but just because it the reason that we do this, the reason that someone is drawn to a creative life, is because there's something in you that you that wants to get out. There's something inside of you that you feel that you want to express and share with the world and use that to connect to others, and that's very vulnerable, and that can only truly be nurtured and be expressed fully if you feel safe and if you experience kindness. And so you'll do your best work when you emit kindness, and you will let allow others to do their best work and to show that special, unique, gooey, vulnerable part of themselves through art when you create a kind environment. And so yeah, that's like really like I just think yeah, like show people have always been my people.
JoelLike, and I've always been part of big groups of theater people and yeah, there's truly such this this um openness and kindness with theater and artists where to do this, to do improv requires such a level of vulnerability and openness.
AarenYeah.
JoelAnd and kindness is truly the center point.
AarenYeah.
JoelBe kind to listen and to stay committed in and on stage with each other.
AarenYeah.
JoelIs it kindness? Yeah.
AarenYeah.
JoelI love that.
AarenLike there's like a West Wing quote that's like if you're gonna jump off a cliff and I'm gonna jump off a cliff, why don't we jump off together? And I feel like, yeah, like doing art, especially improv, because you don't have the support of a play, of a play, of a script written down for you, or a whole the dressings of the trappings of a play, you don't have a set, etc. Like doing improv is taking a big risk. And you maybe can do it by yourself and look really cool and be kind of a diva and alienate people and like have success for a while, but not only will you not have longevity, you won't be doing the best honest work. And like, you know, like the purpose of playing as Twart, as Shakespeare said, is to hold a mirror up to nature, like and to do get that thing out of you and let and show it to people. And you can't do that if you're hiding behind haughty facades and not willing to go with other people, and also if you're not receiving kindness through others. So like being collaborative, holding hands, and jumping off this cliff that is doing improv is the best way to be successful. And the whole reason that we're in otherwise, you wouldn't this is a hard life. Nobody chooses to do this for the security. Like, again, like so many people in my life were like, you just got a law degree, you're going back to that. What are you doing? I'm like, that's what I'm that's what's I'm here for. Like, that's what is inside of me. And you can only do it if you're heart and receive kindness. Is that too much? Was that too verbose?
JoelThat was beautiful. That was exactly what we needed to hear. Yeah, how are you feeling?
MixedGood. This is going great.
JoelYou're doing fantastic. No, this is literally to hear you talk. I know I have trouble with that. You're so silly. You're no, this is going fantastic. I'm so excited to keep learning about you. Um, do you have anything specific about being in theater or improv and speaking on the experience of a woman in those spaces? Anything come to
Being a Woman in Comedy & Improv Spaces
Joelmind?
AarenYeah, I guess I mean, I guess just like what I was saying about how refreshing it is that there is this practice in Atlanta right now, and maybe elsewhere, I'm not sure, of having community agreements, of discussing consent in performing it, what that means. Um, because I have found places where there are the best, safest people in comedy and improv. And then there were places and pockets where there were specifically for women, not and um women being forced out of spaces due to the behavior of certain men in the space and the lack of accountability for those men. And I and you know, you know, other queer people, people of color, you know, like it can be a very white straight male space. And I think that yeah, cre like it is most important to create a space where everyone feels safe to perform. Um and yeah, and I've I've luckily in Atlanta found mostly safe welcoming people. Um, and but I think yeah, just like like women talking to each other is important. Yeah.
JoelAnd I and like everyone talking to each other, but especially like I think that yeah, sh shining a light and speaking truth when everyone i you know, if yeah, women talking to each other, sharing their experiences in certain spaces, um yeah, building that network of people keeping each other safe.
AarenYes.
JoelYeah.
AarenIs is helpful. And but luckily, like I said, I Atlanta has been overall like Yeah.
What Aaren Wishes Men Knew
JoelWhat do you think? Um what do you wish men knew in the spaces? Either um people that run venues, people that teach classes, people that are just community members going to jams that you know, what do you wish men knew?
AarenI mean, I think beyond even just like, you know, big serious, like you know, having like me too situations in comedy, there's that, and then just like like straight up assault.
JoelYes, yes.
AarenLike, but from the other end of the spectrum, like it ev even just something as like knowing being mindful of if you're a man on stage with a woman making sure or a uh a woman's in a space with mostly men, um, like making sure that she's that you're not talking over her.
MixedUm I feel like that happens a lot even with very well-meaning people, like because sometimes it's subconscious, sometimes it's not even yeah.
AarenAnd I just and so I that's also another reason why I like to try to play the role of the reframe person or the call out person, because sometimes Yeah, so I just and and and not just men and women, but any you know, minority person or person in a group who if if if there's a lot of one certain person, another person isn't there, like making sure that you're uplifting all voices equally, and because especially because you know some people aren't socialized if they're not in the majority, haven't been socialized to speak out. And so it it may be more difficult for some people to say, hey, hey, I'm trying to say a thing, I'm giving you an offer and you're not listening. And and yeah, also just and just making sure when you you know, people who own, you know, when you're producing, trying to produce diverse cast diversely across all spectrums of identity. Um and yeah, and but yeah, I just think that just the simple the most simplest thing you can do is make sure you're not accidentally and sometimes it's nerve, sometimes it's not even but just like you're not talking over your scene partners, especially if there's a yeah, some of some of it's nerves, some of it can be nerves.
JoelYeah. I've had students in classes be phenomenal, incredible performers, improvisers get to a jam or at the grad show in front of the lights and the audience, yeah. And it's just you know, it just nerves gets gets to a whole different performer.
AarenYeah.
JoelUm whole yeah. So that that is part of it, sure. Um, but just doing our best to be aware, just more aware. Yeah um, do you have any input on how to hold people accountable for for uh potentially harmful behavior? Um be like a daydream, like what you wish.
Holding People Accountable with Grace
AarenYeah.
JoelA perfect world.
AarenI I I think first and foremost being um led by the people who are the most directly affected and letting them determine how you handle a situation um and when and how, um, if it's but but but just like for holding people accountable for smaller things, I think just saying, you know, like like I had a experience recently in class where very good, well-mean meaning people like accidentally did a thing and I made sure to speak up about it, and um I felt very comfortable doing it, I was worried and I apologized a lot because I was like, I don't want anybody to feel bad, but I think this is important to call out. And yeah, so I just think if someone else is directly involved and it's a ser more serious, heavy thing being led by them, but if it's something that you feel can be yeah, I just and I would rather fall on the sword and get and feel uncomfortable than let someone else feel unsafe. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Um but yeah, I think just like just being having a culture of talking about things and discussing things and being open about things.
JoelYeah, as hard as it can be, as uncomfortable as it can be, someone speaking up in the classroom or at a jam and saying it out loud to a group can help to educate a group of people, a classroom, about something that they were unaware of previously.
AarenYeah. And a lot of times it's not most times it's not malicious, it's accidental. And I and also being willing to accept modeling, because I'm not a perfect performer, I make mistakes, I have my own biases and blind spots. So modeling to other people that when you get feedback, accepting it with grace and kindness and implementing that feedback in real time. So being someone who is willing to accept um like constructive critique and feedback about boundaries, etc. helps and taking it in a way that is that is graceful and kind will model that. And also being a person who is willing to speak up if something needs to be addressed. Um, and like just saying, you know, especially if there's a teacher saying, hey teacher, this happened like maybe you eve maybe even don't do it in front of everybody, maybe you talk to the teacher, or maybe you feel like you need to do it in front of everyone in a kind call-in type of way.
JoelBut I I think that doing art requires bravery, and doing art safely requires the bravery to sometimes have difficult decisions, and some someone has to be the person who's willing to begin that conversation and to build and foster a safe community, it takes takes everyone involved to to keep it safe. Yeah, to keep it safe and and thriving, yeah, and inclusive.
AarenYeah.
JoelYeah. Um, I have a serious question for you.
Hot Seat!
AarenOkay.
JoelAre you ready to enter the hot seat with Erin Lasky? Oh, yes. You ready? Hot seat, yes. Hot seat. Okay, we got some hot seat questions for you. Um, what is your favorite type of environment work to do in a scene?
AarenOoh.
JoelYour go- your go-to's.
AarenOoh. I love just a subtle having something to do with your hands. I love a knitting. I love a just like everyday thing, like to make you seem like more of a real person.
JoelLike an everyday thing.
AarenYeah, like a knitting, a reading a book. Like I just like, especially if you're not the focus, like I love just like like in a mono scene or like just in the background, just being like, oh yeah. I'm just reading this book.
JoelLike beautiful, great. Hotsi question. Yeah. Number two.
AarenNumber two. Number two.
JoelWhat are some of your favorite characters or archetypes to play?
AarenOoh. Well, I feel like I often go to a low status.
JoelLike Oh yeah. I've I've I've seen you do the like that popper.
AarenYes. Oh, please show. Oh yeah, I love doing that. Please. I feel like I do like bumbling awkward a lot, which can be a good thing. Oh yeah, with the shoulder. Yeah. Yes. But I also love challenging myself to do, like recently at a Coven show shout-out, Coven. Coven. Like it was jazz festival, and I got to do like a oh hi, like type of like fun, Kit Kat Girl type of thing. And I was like roosing my knees and putting my daughter up, and like, again, that's like a sex, like that one was like a sexy torch singer, sexy woman. I imagined in like a you know, type of like can can girl outfit. I just cashed myself as it. Like, so I like pushing myself to play more stuff like that. I love doing say that type of accent. I love doing a like a stenographer, like a 1920s stenographer. That's what, but yeah.
JoelYeah, the the typing.
AarenThe typing is hey oh, I mean, like a girl Friday. Like just I just I also just like being like a weird person. Like I like just being like a hey, I don't know.
MixedLove weirdness.
AarenYeah, I'm like a bog troll.
MixedMm-hmm.
AarenBut then yeah, sometimes I love being the voice of reason too. Like, no, that's crazy. What did you just say? You want me to what? No.
JoelThat's yeah, I love the the spectrum of bog troll and voice of reason, like that spectrum.
AarenYeah, I don't really know if I have I think the favorite my favorite character play is like the next one.
JoelLike the one I haven't done. Like, fantastic. Okay, cool. The um the last hot seat question is what is some what something you want?
MixedWhat's a piece but what seemed to be descub.
JoelAll right. Um, we're doing we're doing that, we're doing that again.
AarenOh no, keep that in. Keep that in? That's gold. Uh 90% of our of Joel and I's real life conversations are that. Yeah, we we we're gonna go to the coffee tomorrow. And let's go do that. Hey, hey, hey. So that's true to life.
JoelThat's true to life. Okay. Well, keep it in, Matt, sure. Um Last question is what's a piece of advice you want to give to new improvisers who are just starting out?
AarenUm I just thought with like 70 things.
JoelYeah, it's tough.
AarenTrust yourself. Don't be afraid to look ridiculous. Because we all look ridiculous. And in ridiculousness, ridiculousness and cringe, there is freedom. And trust your scene partners.
MixedI wanna write that down. In ridiculousness and cringe, there's freedom.
AarenAnd yeah, but believe in yourself. And also, you don't have to be the number one best, most perfect improviser to be a valuable part of the community. Like you can just do it because it's fun, like a hobby, like and just continue to show up. Like, I think continue to show up. That's number one. Like continue to show up for yourself and for others, and just don't be afraid to fail and to look silly. Because looking silly is the point.
MixedIt's the point. Just look ridiculous. It's okay.
AarenBecause where else do you get to do that? Where else do you get to look silly and to imagine?
JoelAnd do it with friends, to do it with community.
AarenYeah.
JoelAll looking ridiculous together.
AarenYes.
JoelCome on.
AarenBeautiful.
JoelDream.
AarenAbsolutely beautiful. Dream.
Closing Thoughts
JoelUm, Aaron Lasky. Thank you so, so much. Thank you. For being here, for chatting with me about improv and for chatting about your amazing self and sharing yourself with me and with the beautiful improv community here in Atlanta. I'm so excited for everyone to get to see you perform, to watch Heightened Improv perform, uh Poultry Emotion. I'll tag all that stuff in the episode description for everyone to click and follow. Thanks so much for hanging out.
AarenThank you.
JoelThank you, Erin.
AarenThank you for being my improv godfather in this movie.
MixedOh, this is the improv godfather. This is me. I could have been this just now how you made this choice. And now this is how the episode. Thank you for joining me for the joy of improv podcast. Everybody take out this. This is Joel Camargo with Aaron Lasky.
JoelI want to say thank you to Matt Isaacs. Thank you so much, Matt, for editing these episodes. Matt is a talented and kind member of the Atlanta Improv community. If anyone out there has any audio editing or song mixing needs, please reach out to me at Joel at the joyofimprov.com. I'll connect you with Matt and get you on your way to getting some clean, fresh audio. If you're enjoying the podcast and you want to support and keep this podcast going, you can support in one of two ways. You can leave a five-star review. And if you do, please leave an improv topic that you want us to discuss, or perhaps a question for a future guest. Another way to support the podcast is to give a monetary contribution on our Ko-Fi page. Anything helps. A dollar, five dollars does not matter. Anything helps in keeping the podcast going, you can find the link to contribute in our Instagram or in the link in the episode description. Thank you so so much for listening. It means so much that you're here. See you next time and scene.