Yes, And… I’m Doing Improv on a School Night
How I went from nearly quitting to pretending to be Pancho Villa and actually loving every awkward minute of it.
Welcome to The Sunday Sip, our weekly excuse to share personal essays, events, book reviews, and whatever else is swirling around in our world. We take turns writing it — and this week, it’s my turn.
I continue to be surprised by how much I’m loving the Hear.Say Theater improv class—especially since I nearly quit before I even started. When I tell friends I’m taking improv, the responses fall into two camps. One group lights up and says, “That sounds fun! Where are you taking it?” The other looks horrified and asks, “Why?” as if I’ve lost my mind.
I get it. When Chuck first pitched the idea, I couldn’t imagine why we’d subject ourselves to such a thing. I pictured a room full of people judging me—maybe even booing or throwing things. I’ve never taken an acting class or performed for a live audience. (Unless you count singing O Tannenbaum in a Christmas pageant at age eight, which I don’t.) I hate being the center of attention, and my so-called “superpower” is absolutely not spontaneous humor. Plus, the class is from 7:00 to 9:30 on a school night, right when I should be winding down and getting ready for bed.
Chuck, on the other hand, was born for this kind of thing.
So what actually happens in a 2½-hour improv class? Mostly, we play role-playing games—completely sober. Yes, you read that right: no drinking beforehand. I was as surprised as you when I saw that rule in the class handbook. But now, after a few weeks, I understand why. You need every brain cell firing. And building trust with your classmates requires you to be vulnerable and present. Neither goes well with alcohol.
Each week, we learn something new. A few sessions ago, we worked on character building. Our instructor, Ashley, started by warning us about using accents to create a character and when it’s ok and when it’s not. No problem there—I’m terrible with accents. But I can do a mean eye roll. And I’m great at sarcasm. But accents, no, not my thing.
That night, we played a bunch of games, all designed to help learn character building. One of them was called something like, “I’d like you to meet my little friend.” Two people take the floor to improvise a scene—say, about a woolly caterpillar—while someone waits on the back line. After a bit, Ashley calls out a name. That person wraps up their scene, then says, “I’d like you to meet my little friend,” and introduces whoever’s waiting with a quick, funny prompt like “a sad Smurf” or “an ’80s rock star.” The new person jumps in and changes the scene using their new character.
So there I was, waiting on the back line. Chuck and Braydon were on the floor. Ashley called Chuck’s name. He turned toward me and said, “Meet my little friend, Pancho Villa.”
What the fuck? (I didn’t say that out loud, but I wanted to. I’m still wondering what was in his head.)
“Who is Pancho Villa?” I blurted instead. My helpful classmates called out, “Mexican revolutionary!” I nodded, pretending ignorance, but I already knew that. I was frantically stalling for time.
I drew my imaginary six-shooters, pointed them at Chuck, and gave him a playful “pow, pow!” in appreciation for my introduction. Meanwhile, in my head, I could hear Speedy Gonzales shouting, “Andale! Andale! Arriba! Arriba!”—which, obviously, I couldn’t say.
I sauntered over to Braydon, still twirling my finger guns. He said, “I’ve got two cigarettes.” He gestured with his hands, offering me one. I holstered my guns and joined him in smoking imaginary cigarettes. What happened after that is a blur—but everyone was laughing, and I didn’t die of embarrassment on the spot. Talk about character building.
Our improv chatter will wind down soon. The eight-week class wraps up in December with a class showcase on December 9 at 7:30. Think of your kids’ recital—but with alcohol. I hope you’ll come. Tickets are only $7.50.
GIG Magic: The Art of Michigan Music Experience
The GIG — The Art of Michigan Music Experience on November 8th was an absolute blur. I started out snapping pictures with my phone, fully intending to capture every moment. Then reality hit. Between chatting with friends, selling drink tickets and merch, and watching vendor tables while they took a break, I basically forgot to take photos.
Luckily, the room was overflowing with professional photographers and artists who didn’t forget. Shots from the day have started trickling onto social media, and wow—what a gift to see the event through their lenses.
Local Spins photographer Derek Ketchum nailed it with his photo set, perfectly capturing the vibe of the day. The art, the music, the camaraderie—it was the perfect storm. A steady stream of folks came and went, each one adding energy to the space.
It was a special day for the artists. You could feel their excitement seeing their work on exhibit, surrounded by friends and fans. Mitten Music even camped out to interview them for a special podcast episode dropping in 2026.
What a day. What a community. What a ride.
Please tell us what you think, even if you couldn’t make it to GIG this year. We want to know. Here is the link to our 2025 Survey.
And if you want the full behind-the-scenes scoop, check out our GIG Newsletter. Go ahead and subscribe if you have not yet.
We’ve also got a recap on Life In Michigan. Click the image to read the full story.
Life In Michigan Updates
The latest Life Michigan Podcast episode is out!
Saving Songbirds with Marissa Jardine from the Bird Center of Michigan
In this episode, we talk with Marissa Jardine, clinic manager at the Bird Center of Michigan, about how their team rescues, rehabilitates, and releases thousands of injured and orphaned birds each year.
If you have an idea for a guest, email me (info@lifeinmichigan.com). We are looking for anyone who is creative, passionate, and has a story to share about their Life In Michigan. Don’t be shy.
The latest episode of Fans with Bands just dropped!
In Other News
My article on CraftBeer.com was published this past week.
Events You Don’t Want to Miss
If you are a Sunday Sip regular, you know Chuck loves curating an events listing. We’ve created a public Google Events Calendar so you’ll never miss an event. Get over there and subscribe!
You’ll find things like this on the calendar!
Cozy Nook Update!
If you are not following Annie Capps on Substack yet, you might want to. In her first post, she talks about her Artist in Residence time in Good Hope, Michigan, and shares a song she wrote during the stay.
I finished Fred! He has been scampering about. Do you like making art with fiber? Send me a message; we need to connect.
You're so brave ! Carry on, Pancho.
Thank you for restacking ❤️