One of the first things I learned about performing improvisational comedy is “Yes, and.”
In order to succeed in this type of performance, you have to learn to agree and commit to what happens in your scene and add to it. You build onto the world in which that scene takes place.
The second thing you learn is to trust your scene partners. Not only are they building the world with you, but they should be there to help you if something goes wrong.
However, for women in comedy, it is increasingly hard to trust that something won’t go wrong.
Last year, women in the comedy scene in Los Angeles started breaking the silence about being victims of harassment and abuse at the hands of men in the community.
Beth Stelling, a comic in L.A., came out late December about having been abused sexually, physically and verbally by another comic.
Shortly after, Courtney Pauroso, also a comedian in L.A., came forward about having been abused by the same man.
These women are not the first to vocalize this issue. Women have filed complaints against abusers, including repeat offenders, for years, according to story run by BuzzFeed News.
Not all of the complaints are for the same thing. Some women were physically abused while others were victims to creepy come-ons, harassments via Facebook message or inappropriate scenes in which they had to “yes, and.”
Many women who made reports said it affected the opportunities they pursued. They avoided certain auditions, classes and theaters for fear of seeing “that guy.”
The breach of trust and discomfort are fundamentally and profoundly disturbing.
As an improviser or creator of any type of collaborative art, it is important your ideas, and your body, are respected by anyone with whom you choose to create.
Women have long been the butt of jokes because “women aren’t funny.”
They enter every scene with something to prove or to disprove.
This sexism, abuse and harassment pressure their performances.
Do they worry if their scene partner is going to put them in an uncomfortable position? Is the show-runner at a theater watching them perform while formulating a dirty text message to send them later?
Getting on stage can be really hard. Anyone of any gender should feel safe, supported and respected when they perform.
meickhof@indiana.edu
@maggie_eickhoff
