Striking gold in the world of improv is more about being off-the-cuff than thinking on your feet, according to Pismo Beach resident Thia Anlo, who once feared that the reverse was true.
“I was really nervous because I thought you’d have to be able to … think really fast and [find] something funny to say. And it’s really not like that at all,” said Anlo, the founder and director of Improv for Good, a local collective that’s brought improv classes and fundraiser performances to a handful of venues over the past year.
The relief Anlo felt after taking her first formal improv class a few years ago is one she and her colleagues aim to replicate for newcomers at Improv for Good’s workshops. The group was formed during the spring of 2024.
“Anybody can improvise because it’s really … a matter of letting go of your thinking, planning, logical brain, and just kind of going with the flow,” Anlo said. “Being really present in the moment and responding to your scene partner in the moment without thinking about it ahead of time. And the ‘funny’ just happens. … We don’t want people trying to script it out in their head.”
Anlo compared improv to another hobby she’s fond of—a sport that probably doesn’t share many Venn diagrams with the former.
“I also surf, although not so much lately. But one thing about surfing is that you have to be in the moment,” Anlo explained. “You have to be paying attention to where the waves are and what’s happening around you, otherwise you could end up smashed by a wave.
“But improv is kind of the same way. It forces you to be in the moment. … You’ve got to be responding to what’s going on.”
She described the mission of Improv for Good as multi-pronged, as the group hosts events such as workshops that invite interaction and performances for attendees to simply enjoy watching as well. The collective curates these programs “with a charitable mindset,” she added.
“[We’re] doing improv for people who could really use some extra laughs in their life,” said Anlo, whose group has hosted free or low-cost events for seniors and retirees at the Oceano Community Center, Trilogy at Monarch Dunes, and other venues, and performed during fundraisers at locations in Nipomo and Grover Beach to support Meals that Connect, the 5Cities Homeless Coalition, and other nonprofits.
“We’re not making money off of this at all,” Anlo added.
When the group does charge an admission fee, it’s to cover the costs of using a facility, she clarified.
Starting on March 1, Improv for Good will host improv classes on the first and third Saturday of each month at Flex Performing Arts in Grover Beach for locals ages 12 and older. Admission is $24 per month, or $20 for current Flex dancers, and the first class is free of charge.
Anlo said the group has a few community programs slated for the near future.
“We’re going to start offering applied improvisation, which means helping people to bring improv … off the stage and into their lives,” Anlo said. “Because doing improv yourself can build your resilience, … your ability to relate to people. Social empathy has a lot of benefits.”
Empathize with Arts Editor Caleb Wiseblood at cwiseblood@santamariasun.com.
This article appears in Feb 20 – Mar 2, 2025.