Colin Mochrie: Study, Practice, and Enjoy

Colin Mochrie, the celebrated improv comedian from “Whose Line Is It Anyway,” joined us to discuss breaking into improv comedy as a career!Colin shared candid advice for aspiring performers—and emphasized the importance of true passion for the craft, consistent practice, seeking out local opportunities, learning from admired improvisers, and the necessity of having fun and supporting others in the process. The conversation provided honest insights into the realities of pursuing a creative path and encourages young listeners to approach it with their eyes wide open and a love for the art form.Julie LammersSo, Michael, last time we had John Cusack on the show, he talked about how pursuing the arts isn’t really about chasing fame. It’s about loving the craft enough to stick with it even when the path is uncertain. He basically said that it’s only right when you can’t imagine doing anything else, which is why we’re so excited to have you on, Colin. You’ve built a career doing improvisational comedy from the beloved TV show “Whose Line Is It Anyway,” to live improv and comedy tours. We’d love to get a sense from you what it takes to make it in this field.Michael HornYeah, Julie and that conversation really stuck with me because today it feels like so many young people are drawn to creative careers. But often the most visible path is like becoming an influencer or a content creator online. So we are curious, Colin, what would it actually take for a middle or high school student to break into something like improv comedy and, eyes wide open, what should they know going in?Colin MochrieMy first piece of advice is if you’re gonna make this a career, make sure if there is anything else in your life that you love as much or more, go for that. Improv, I mean, I was very fortunate, as was everyone on Whose Line, that this show came along and showcased our one talent and gave us a chance to do it around the world.Now, if you’re just happy doing it, do it wherever you can, whenever you can. Check, you know, local improv troops or improv classes, and do it, do it, do it. That is the secret, really, because you’re not always great off the top, but you learn. You learn quickly where you need to improve your skills. You learn where your strengths are. I suggest watching other improvisers that you admire and see, what is it about them that somehow speaks to me is their characters or the way they are just totally free. And is it the way they support everyone? Is it their narrative skills? It really is something that is a muscle that needs to be toned and strengthened. And I know even I being the veteran person who has done it over 50 years now, if I haven’t done it for a while, you get a little rusty coming back, your muscle gets a little flabby.So do it every day. The beauty of improv is you can do it anywhere. You can make up your own little characters at home. You can have fun with little props. So just do it. Just do it. Don’t listen to other people unless you’re working with them on stage. Love the sport.Enjoy it. Make everyone look good. Have fun. That’s the most important thing. Have fun. So I hope that helped in some way. Take care everyone.The Future of Education is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit michaelbhorn.substack.com/subscribe