Open Mic at ART! (VERY SHORT DEADLINE)

Artists Repertory Theatre (ART) reached out to let me know that they're holding an open mic night on May 31st. It'll be in the theater lobby, so low-pressure. There are 12 performance slots for this event with slots that last 5 to 10 minutes in length. It's first come, first served so sign up now here. GREAT opportunity for a due or trio to do a short set and practice your craft.

HALLOWEEN IMPROV?!

Yup! There is a haunted house in Hubbard that is looking for Haunted House Actors and, since the acting is all unscripted, they reached out to let me know that they'd like to meet all of you! It's a great fit for any of our students who enjoy character work, improv, and high energy performance environments. Details:

• Starting Friday, Oct 2nd, 2026 - 16 total nights
• Thursdays: 6PM – 10:15PM; Fridays and Saturdays: 6PM - 11:15PM; Sundays: 6PM - 10:15PM
• Salary: $15.50/hr or about $447.75 for the entire project
• Costumes provided
• Pizza/drinks provided
• Gotta be aged 18+

Contact them at (503) 692-1300 or directly email Mai Teregeyo at: mai@integritystaffingusa.com as she's the one I've been chatting with.

STUDENT SHOWCASE!

We had a blast at our student showcase on Mat 5th. It was such a lovely gift to watch all of you demonstrate what you've been practicing in class, whether it was games or full sets. All of our pics/vids from the event are here, so go have a look!

I'M GOING TO CHICAGO!

I got word from the Improv Olympics (IO) this week that my show - The Wonderful Woman of OZ - was selected to perform at this summer's July improv festival in Chicago. Huge deal. And while I won't be the one on stage performing I certainly WILL be there to represent Change Through Play, meet some amazing improvisers and sit in on a few workshops to keep homing my own skills.

I'll keep you posted but... if you'd like to join me and Erin out there, we'd love to see you.

OTHER STUFF

Our own Lisa Merlo Weldon will be teaching our two improv summer camps for middle schoolers. We've got one in July and another in August. Lisa currently teaches improv to middle schoolers for the Rogue Pack theater org out in Milwaukee. But she's also been an educator for a while now. Yay for Lisa!

🧑🏼‍🎓 David's Micro-Lesson

The difference between a planning mindset and a discovery mindset can make ALL the difference in the world. Click play to learn more.

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Open Mic at ART! (VERY SHORT DEADLINE)

Artists Repertory Theatre (ART) reached out to let me know that they're holding an open mic night on May 31st. It'll be in the theater lobby, so low-pressure. There are 12 performance slots for this event with slots that last 5 to 10 minutes in length. It's first come, first served so sign up now here. GREAT opportunity for a due or trio to do a short set and practice your craft.

HALLOWEEN IMPROV?!

Yup! There is a haunted house in Hubbard that is looking for Haunted House Actors and, since the acting is all unscripted, they reached out to let me know that they'd like to meet all of you! It's a great fit for any of our students who enjoy character work, improv, and high energy performance environments. Details:

• Starting Friday, Oct 2nd, 2026 - 16 total nights
• Thursdays: 6PM – 10:15PM; Fridays and Saturdays: 6PM - 11:15PM; Sundays: 6PM - 10:15PM
• Salary: $15.50/hr or about $447.75 for the entire project
• Costumes provided
• Pizza/drinks provided
• Gotta be aged 18+

Contact them at (503) 692-1300 or staffing@integritystaffingusa.com to get started.

NEW Early Bird Pricing!

The first four or five people who sign up for classes will get a discount. Once those slots are filled, registrations will go to the normal cost, so take advantage while stocks last! Below are linkable images to our entire class lineup. Click to learn more.​

📰 Community Updates...

Congrats to Matt Keeslar and his duo "Dadvice"

Matt and his partner Ryan Gantz, fresh off the stage from their performances at the Edinburgh Improv festival — you read that right: SCOTLAND!! — performed this past weekend at Curious Comedy in their Sunday School show.

Congrats on both accomplishments, friends!

📣 News from the World of Improv Science

Improv Reduces Social Anxiety

Fun fact: Improvisation is especially powerful for people experiencing Social Anxiety Disorder and general social discomfort. This is because improv gently and repeatedly exposes you to uncertainty in a safe, supportive, and playful environment. In short, it normalizes "not knowingness".

As a result, longtime improvisers are able to more easily embrace and even enjoy situations where they might “get it wrong”. In improv, we practice speaking without a script, responding in real time, and get seen and supported by others who are rooting for you.

Research in psychology shows that this kind of exposure, when done safely, helps reduce anxiety over time. It builds tolerance for uncertainty and rewires the fear response associated with social risk. Even more importantly, improv shifts the goal. It’s no longer about being perfect. It’s about being present.

Over time, participants often notice that:

• The fear of judgment starts to fade
• Mistakes feel less threatening
• Social interactions become more fluid and natural
• Confidence grows through repeated, positive experiences

The more you practice “not knowing” and realize you’re still okay, the less power anxiety has over you, both on stage and in everyday life.

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That's it, y'all!

Have a great weekend and go get 'em....