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FeatureWhat do you think it is about your training methods thatmake your students so successful?I think the reason people love the school is that the ideas andvisions it stood behind were about support and trust and treatingeach other as if they were geniuses. When we had our 25thanniversary show a few years ago, we had over 50 stars like MikeMyers, Tim Meadows, Adam McKay, Amy Poehler and Tina Feycome back to be part of it. They came back because the ideas weteach in our community — agreement, working together, makingeach other look good, group mind, establishing callbacksand connections, and letting the laughs come naturally ratherthan through forced jokes — are important for everyone tolearn, and they led to friendships that have lasted forever.I’ve always thought the “yes and” philosophy at the heart ofimprov can be used as a guiding philosophy in business orin everyday life.Absolutely, and we do a lot of corporate work as well. I justcame back from CERN in Switzerland where I met with thephysicists who created the Large Hadron Collider that everyonewas worried would createa black hole. They’re like mybest friends now: They’re takingimprov classes and one of themis coming to Chicago to do amonologue for one of our iOshows. They’re totally hooked,because they love these ideasabout treating each other asgeniuses instead of saying noto each other and trying to lookmore brilliant than the next guy.Everyone loves these ideas thathave made us so successful onstage.Charna Halpern and Del CloseCharna Halpern and Mike Meyers at the iO Chicago 25th AnniversarycelebrationIt seems like more “serious”actors are turning to improv22 December 2008 • www.stage-directions.com