My Improv Weekly Challenge: New Characters

I've decided that each week I will give myself a challenge for improv class – something that is hard for me and will help me become a better improviser.
This week I challenged myself to:

1. Initiate at least 3 scenes
2. Create one new character (with a different voice!)
3. Add a physical component to a scene.

Basically these challenges stemmed from feedback I got from my last improv teacher. He was totally right – I'm afraid to make bold moves, including initiating scenes and adding depth to characters.
So, how did I do?

1. Initiate at least 3 scenes

I get a pass on this one because we did not work on scenes this week. This class was about high and low status of characters (Are you the powerful boss or lowly, company pawn?), so we did exercises focused on establishing who was high/low status and how did their behavior show their status.
A big pat on my shoulder though for volunteering to do some of the exercises rather than quietly stare at my shoes until I am called. Man, I can be pathetic, but I think I was less pathetic during this class!

2. Create one new character (with a different voice!)

During this class I realized I tend to do characters who are "low status" – maybe they are just people pleasers, but they don't seem to be calling the shots usually. We did two person scenes at the end of class and the suggested location was "prison yard." I really regret not watching "Orange is the New Black" because I have zero concept about what happens in a prison yard or really, what a prison yard is. I decided to bring the "higher status" inmate, who demanded favors or gifts in exchange for protection. I made my voice lower than usual and in general tried to present myself with more confidence. I'm not sure if any of this worked or if lowering my voice counts as a different voice. Honestly, I didn't like this scene very much and wish I had chosen to do something more positive – like an inmate who is so excited about spending time with their best friend inmate in the prison yard. 

3. Add a physical component to a scene

I did this a few times, so I'm proud of that. In one scene I was in a community garden with my mother and boyfriend and the teacher instructed each of us to act like we are the lowest status of the group. Basically, we acted like a group of uncertain and insecure losers, which was very fun. As for the physical components, we all kept working in the garden as we spoke, which the instructor and classmates said made the scene seem natural. I broke out of my shell a bit about trying to rub ointment on my "boyfriend's" hands because he was getting a rash. (In the real world outside of improv, I am not a touchy-feely person, so it's even harder for me to get "physical" with my classmates since I probably wouldn't touch people in real life either. Geez, improv sure makes you realize all the strange hang-ups you have…) During this scene, I also ran off to cry about how "everything dies!" and rolled myself up in a ball. That got a good laugh and was a bit out of my comfort zone.

What I learned

Recognize your role, inside and outside of improv. Even low-status individuals can have a big impact on a conversation.
If you never fail, you won't learn or grow. This is applicable to so many aspects of life. You can play it safe and do what you're always done, which you know will bring you success. Stay in a job you are good at, but bored with. Run 3 miles, 3 times a week, at the same pace and never push yourself beyond that. But what if we took more risks? Applied for that promotion or asked for more challenging work? Signed up for a 5k or 10k or half marathon? Even if you fail, you still earn valuable knowledge by taking the chance.