Improv and sketch, inherently, are not a singular action. You have to depend on other people. There’s an ensemble mentality. Even some of the language — ‘getting on an improv team’ or ‘working with an improv coach’ — references sports. As actors and comedians, we all secretly want to be athletes. Improv can be the closest we’ll come to feeling like an athlete. We have to perform together, and we win or lose together. It’s different than stand-up. You have to learn to work well with others. This is just my path and experience, but I’ve always loved collaboration. I feel like I learn so much working with good people, and often putting other people’s ideas ahead of my own. That always has helped me. It’s not the path for some people.
But you will realize that in this business, which frankly is shrinking more and more, it’s harder to work the way you want to work if you’re a total asshole. And at UCB, you have work well with others. I stake no claim in the talented people who are there, but the UCB Theatre is my proudest career achievement.
AMY POEHLER
PAPER Magazine didn’t have room to run every Amy quote in the Winter cover story, so the outtakes are collected here. This was one of them.
(via alexscordelis)