Recently, a couple of old, old, OLD improv friends of mine invited me to make a guest appearance at their new endeavor, the Improv Garage!

Jeff Ford and Ryan Chamberlain are a couple of the sweetest, funniest men – and dads – around, and they bring so much warmth and wit to their kids improv training center in Orland Park. At the Improv Garage, Jeff and Ryan, alongside fellow founder Andy Boeta, preach the gospel that three things make a great improviser: trust, community, and curiosity. Their motto? “Weirder than you.” And I LOVE IT. What a great message for the YOUTHS. Embrace your weird. Have pride in that weird. Lord it over your peers. Weird is cool.

And boy howdy, I got to see a ton of wonderful weird when I dropped in to observe a class and give some notes and feedback to the assembled students, as well as the instructors! The fellas did an improv set and got notes from me afterward to illustrate that everyone is still always growing and improving, even at their level.

And I just lacerated them with those notes. Even threw a chair. Really let them have it. Ryan cried a little. It felt great.

Thanks to the Improv Garage for having me out! If you’re in the Orland Park area, look them up!