Discover yourself through improve

To stay in the business, an actor must always reinvent himself. Doing improv is a chance for people like me to draw out ideas that we could use for work. But even if you don’t consider yourself the performer type, this art can help you in so many ways.

As an actor, detaching from who I am as a person is the key to truly embodying a role. When I'm on stage or in front of the camera, I'm no longer Mike Giuffrida but someone else. Those who have difficulty detaching from roles and responsibilities in the real world will be forced to forget who they are for a moment when coming up with random scenarios and characters. If you're feeling a bit stressed with everything that's going on in your life, being someone else can help you loosen up and have fun even for a few minutes. It can also give you a confidence boost that you'll bring with you even after the activity.

If you want to rediscover yourself, most people suggest being mindful. On the other hand, improv people will push you to just go with the flow. After several hours of doing improv, I usually give myself time to think about what worked and what didn't. When it's all done and I'm back to being good ol' Mike Giuffrida, I can evaluate how I handled the situation thrown at me during class. In a way, this helps me see how I would react when unexpected situations arise.

Through the years, I've seen many people come out of their shell thanks to improv classes. Instead of being limited to their usual character, the activities allow students like me to try new things and keep what we like along the way.

Hello! Mike Giuffrida here. I'm an actor and musician trying to make it big in Hollywood. For more of my thoughts on the entertainment industry, check out this blog.