An Ethnography on Improv Comedians

For more than two months, I have studied the world of improv comedy for a graduate project at St. Edward’s University. The field site where I have been conducting my research and participant observation has been at the Hideout Theater in Austin, TX where improv culture is vibrant and lively. I have learned that for a forum of entertainment that requires no pre-planning or scripts, there is more information on the techniques and philosophies behind improv than one would expect. The time that improvisers devote to their craft makes them better at improv and ultimately enriches their lives overall. They have a secret lesson that I think everyone can benefit from: don’t second guess yourself so that you can live your life as freely and organically as possible.