Improv classes are offered at theaters, community colleges, rec centers, and more. Search online for classes offered close to you and sign up for a beginner class! Even better, sign up with a friend!

Career

Find an improv class near you!

Check out your local comedy clubs and find out when they hold open mic nights. Check out other comedians' sets, then sign up to try performing yourself.

Go to an open mic night.

Make a list of 5 things that are important to you in a career. Do you want to be active and outdoors? Make a lot of money? Work alone? Knowing what you want will help you as you go forward!

Make a list of what's important to you in a career.

Actors

Play parts in stage, television, radio, video, motion picture productions, or other settings for entertainment, information, or instruction. Interpret serious or comic role by speech, gesture, and body movement to entertain or inform audience. May dance and sing.

Artistic occupations frequently involve working with forms, designs and patterns. They often require self-expression and the work can be done without following a clear set of rules.

Artistic

Second Interest High-Point

Enterprising occupations frequently involve starting up and carrying out projects. These occupations can involve leading people and making many decisions. Sometimes they require risk taking and often deal with business.

Enterprising

Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.

Social

First Interest High-Point

Realistic occupations frequently involve work activities that include practical, hands-on problems and solutions. They often deal with plants, animals, and real-world materials like wood, tools, and machinery. Many of the occupations require working outside, and do not involve a lot of paperwork or working closely with others.

Realistic

Conventional occupations frequently involve following set procedures and routines. These occupations can include working with data and details more than with ideas. Usually there is a clear line of authority to follow.

Conventional

Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.

Investigative

Third Interest High-Point

Job Zone Two: Some Preparation Needed

Actors, Producers, and Directors

Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media Occupations

Entertainers and Performers, Sports and Related Workers

Study and rehearse roles from scripts to interpret, learn and memorize lines, stunts, and cues as directed.

Work closely with directors, other actors, and playwrights to find the interpretation most suited to the role.

Learn about characters in scripts and their relationships to each other to develop role interpretations.

Collaborate with other actors as part of an ensemble.

Perform humorous and serious interpretations of emotions, actions, and situations, using body movements, facial expressions, and gestures.

Attend auditions and casting calls to audition for roles.

Portray and interpret roles, using speech, gestures, and body movements, to entertain, inform, or instruct radio, film, television, or live audiences.

Work with other crew members responsible for lighting, costumes, make-up, and props.

Sing or dance during dramatic or comedic performances.

Read from scripts or books to narrate action or to inform or entertain audiences, utilizing few or no stage props.

Promote productions using means such as interviews about plays or movies.

Write original or adapted material for dramas, comedies, puppet shows, narration, or other performances.

Prepare and perform action stunts for motion picture, television, or stage productions.

Tell jokes, perform comic dances, songs and skits, impersonate mannerisms and voices of others, contort face, and use other devices to amuse audiences.

Introduce performances and performers to stimulate excitement and coordinate smooth transition of acts during events.

Manipulate strings, wires, rods, or fingers to animate puppets or dummies in synchronization with talking, singing, or recorded programs.

Dress in comical clown costumes and makeup, and perform comedy routines to entertain audiences.

Perform original and stock tricks of illusion to entertain and mystify audiences, occasionally including audience members as participants.

Construct puppets and ventriloquist dummies, and sew accessory clothing, using hand tools and machines.

Digital still cameras

Digital video recorders

Laptop computers

MP3 digital voice recorders

Personal computers

Photography tripods

Tablet computers

Wireless microphones

Apple Final Cut Pro

Email software

Facebook

Instagram

LinkedIn

Microsoft Office

Motion capture software

Twitter

Web browser software

Website development software

YouTube

Actor/Entertainer

<p>In Los Angeles, Calif., the Roadtrippers make their way to Amoeba Music, one of the largest indie record stores in the U.S., to meet co-owner Karen Pearson. Next, the team speaks with Joe Rogan, a stand-up comedian, who tells them to do what you do because you love it, not for money. Just as the Roadtrippers are leaving their interview, they snag an impromptu and unexpectedly musical interview with actor Craig Robinson. Playing the piano and in a sing-songy voice, the actor of the <i>The Office</i> empowers Nika to not be afraid to pursue her dream as a performing artist. </p>

Hollywood

[playing piano and singing] Hi. I'm Craig Robinson. [audience laughing] [Craig] I'm gonna do an impromptu interview. Gather 'round, children. Hello! [audience clapping] Hello! [Craig] How are you? [roadtrippers] Pretty good. [Roadtripper #1 laughing] This is exciting. [Roadtripper #3] Well, we were wondering, how much time do you have? [Craig] How much time do you need? [Roadtripper #3] An hour? [Craig] They got a show to do. [roadtrippers] Ohh. [Craig] Eight o'clock. But uh, you know, do what you gotta do. Whatever. I'm right here. So what y'all wanna talk about? [Roadtripper #3] We wanna talk about when you were our age, if you were freaking about, freaking out about the things that we're freaking out about. [Craig] What're you freaking out about? [Roadtripper #1] What decisions to make in life. I'm technically a senior in college, but I'm taking my final year off. The college I'm currently at, I don't like. I chose that path because my mother wants me to succeed. I've been born and raised by a single parent. It's a lot of mistakes that she doesn't want me to repeat, but I'm struggling on whether or not to fulfill the wishes of her or to follow my heart and be happy. And for the past couple years in college, I haven't been happy. [Craig] [playing piano] There's a saying. Give me a second. [singing] Of all sad words, of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: It might have been. And by the way, I know nothing. I know nothing and I don't claim to know nothing, but um, do you know what's gonna make you happy? [Roadtripper #1] Yeah, I feel like, it's 'cause what I've wanted to do has been this way since...as long as I can remember, but my mother said, "That's a, that's a hobby. Get a job." [Craig] [playing piano still] My father said everything I wanted to do was pie in the sky. "You want that pie in the sky!" "What are you talking about, "man? "Yeah, you want to be in the sky "eating pie." "Yup, you're absolutely right. "I do." And guess what? [singing] That pie in the sky, it tastes so good. Just like I knew it would! Whatchu wanna do withcho life? [Nika] I want to act. [Craig] You wanna act? Then act. Is somebody stopping you? [Nika] Mentally. From mom, sacrificed so much, you know. So I feel like one of the worst things I could do is to let her down. [Craig] So don't let her down! Whatchu talkin' 'bout? Don't let her down! [Nika] But I feel like-- [Craig] Don't let her down! [roadtrippers laughing] [Craig] Lift her up! [Nika] But I feel like-- [Craig] 'Cause she don't know the other way. And how could she? My parents were like, "What!?" I couldn't even tell 'em I was moving to L.A. Like, the people had to start to tell 'em, you know, "You know Craig is leaving." "What? What you talking about?" And yeah, it's a tough decision. [Nika] How'd you overcome that? [Craig] You gotta, you gotta take a risk. Have you taken acting classes? Maybe, maybe you suck. [Nika] No, I've taken-- [laughs] [Craig] Maybe you're fantastically horrible, but that's what class is for, to find out how good or bad you are. And if you go from there, whatever. [Nika] And that's why, well I-I auditioned for the Conservatory, and I got in, couple times. [Craig] Oh, congratulations! [Nika] Thank you. But I denied that because I thought, "Well, I need to do "what my mom's, you know, I need to go back to school." [Craig] But see, if that's what you want, if that's really what you want, you gotta see it before anybody else. You gotta know before anybody else and like, so on your way to it you don't get afraid of it. One time I was running on a treadmill-- [Roadtripper #3 laughs] [Craig] And I looked-- Why is that funny? I work out. [roadtrippers laugh] [Craig] Um, I looked at the TV and it was like, I stopped for a second, I was like [bangs on piano] Well there was no keyboard there, but anyway, that was for effect. But uh, I stopped and I looked at the TV, I was like, "You're trying to get inside that box. "That's what you're--trying to make yourself small enough "to fit inside of a box. That's crazy." And then, I said yup and got back on the treadmill, started running. You know? [Craig] All right. We gotta start the show. No no no, it was, it was just, Joe, this was impromptu. [Joe] Okay. [Roadtripper #2] So you're goin' on right now? [Craig] No no no, I'm just hangin' out. [Roadtripper #2] You wanna come by the RV? And check out our living arrangements, sir? [Craig] Dude, what is this? This the freak party? What're y'all doing? [deep voice] You wanna come to our RV? [normal voice] Where is it, outside? [Roadtripper #2] Right across the street. [Craig] Yeah. [Nika] Dun dun dun dun dun! [Craig] Of course, man, y'all are cool. [Roadtripper #3] Here it is! [Craig] Yeah. [Nika] Here's home. [Roadtripper #2] After you, sir. [Craig] Wait a minute. This could be an elaborate plan to kill me. [roadtrippers laughing] [Craig] Like, "After you, sir." Nice! [Nika] How we livin'. [Craig] Nice! This is like a college apartment, y'all. [roadtrippers laughing] [Nika] Yeah, welcome. Make yourself--oh you want some water? [Roadtripper #2] This is my bed, and this is Nika's bed right here. [Craig] Um, I mean, these are all wonderful life questions. I wasn't nearly this intelligent or this bold. I went to school, you know, got my degree and got a Master's degree, and I was teachin'. What I did was give myself time, 'cause in college, I wanted to do comedy, and then I started, you know, figuring it out. "What do I need to do?" You go to, uh, hit the open mics. And then it was, "Okay, what if I wanna act, too?" So, need to hit acting class. I hit Second City, the improv class, and you know, it was like learning and gaining reputation, and I gave it time. And in the meantime, I'm teaching. Some nights, I would do like security at a club. I wasn't like the tough dude; I was like, "Hey, they fightin'!" kind of guy. But uh, but I would do that, you know. Any other night I had available, I was doin' comedy. And then it got to a point I was doing comedy like, I was findin' somewhere every night of the week. Just to get on stage and get that voice and figure out who I am on stage, and how to, "How how how "do you do this, how do you become a comedian?" There was, nobody in school was goin', "Well here's comedy "class, and dadada." No, you have to seek that out. It came to get me, and then in return, I seeked it out. So it's a dance we do. Um, like I said, I don't know anything, but hopefully that helps. [Roadtripper #3] It does. Thank you. [Craig] Thank you. [Roadtripper #3 whispering] No, thank you. [Craig whispering] You're welcome. 

Desire

Individualism

Risk

Regrets

Interview

I happened to read someone said do it in spite of, you know, your fear or in spite of whatever that thing is blocking you, you go through it, in spite of. So if it's fear that's stopping you then you're easily stopped. I feel bad. Then let them all go, how did you get a job? How'd you I've been at it eight years trying to do this and you just walked in? What can you say? You had it. You did it. Bam. Sorry. For you. >> [LAUGH] >> I just did what I do. So, yeah, take your art and be the best at it. There's people, if you can mix the two, the business with your art and just be an artist at business, and now you instead of going, you know, this is work, you're like it becomes, it's art. You get shut down over here, but it's like, oh, that's part of the painting, yeah, you know what I mean? Okay. I see how that goes. I pinched that down many a time. This kind of a game is not for the weak at heart. It's for people who know how to take rejection, or who have a willingness to learn as their rejection. And it's people you've got to go before you've got somebody representing you you've got to go, I'm a comedian dut dut dut dut dut dut dut again can I get five minutes or start now and nobody wants to hear that. Start now or dut dut they might walk the room. So you gotta go through all this and figure it out and that's where the meat is. The figuring it out, cuz one day you're sitting in a van with some crazy people and you're like, yeah this is it. 

Fear

Negativity

In Spite Of (Censored)

And, so failure, there was a man, he was in this list I read. But he failed in a business, failed in business, failed running for the Senate, failed, and there's like ten things. And the final thing was became president of the United States. It was Abraham Lincoln. Failure, failure, failure, failure, failure, failure, president. >> Yeah [LAUGH]. >> So it's like even if you fail, you learning as you go. So don't put any, use your energy for the good you're doing, it's good. 

Failure

Perseverance

Long List of Failures

My father said uh... everything I wanted to do was pie in the sky. "You want that pie in the sky!" "What are you talking about, "man?" "Yeah, you want to be "in the sky eating pie." "Yup, you're absolutely right. "I do." And guess what? [playing piano and singing] ♪That pie in the sky,♪ ♪it tastes so good. Just like I knew it would!♪ ♪Whatchu wanna do withcho life?♪♪ 

Craig Robinson

Actor/Entertainer

Videos

Craig Robinson

Milestones

Education

Career

Career Roadmap

My work combines:

My work combines:

Acting & Theatre

Television

Being Creative