Episode 79: The Magic of Improvisation with Improv Teacher, Performer, and Author Jessica Arjet

As our guest, Jessica Arjet, describes in the episode, “one of the fundamental promises of improv is that you’re collaborating and working together to create something." It’s about being in the moment, saying yes, collaborating with others, and having fun! Jessica is a veteran improv performer, teacher, and the author of Conducting Chaos: A Guide to Teaching Improv to Kids and Teens. She is co-owner of the Hideout Theater in Austin, which offers improv performances as well as classes, workshops, and summer camps for all ages. Our conversation focuses on the lessons and benefits of improv training for kids as well as adults. 

For our Creativity Pro-Tip, we encourage you to go take an improv class and/or host a dinner party or salon that includes creative sharing from each guest, as Jessica describes during the episode. 

Credits: The Syncreate podcast is created and hosted by Melinda Rothouse, and produced at Record ATX studios with in collaboration Michael Osborne and 14th Street Studios in Austin, Texas. Syncreate logo design by Dreux Carpenter.

If you enjoy this episode and want to learn more about the creative process, you might also like our conversations in Episode 71: Acting Out of Character with John Cane, PhD, Episode 75: Asheville’s Story Parlor with Erin Hallagan Clare, and Episode 77: Collaborate, Innovate, Advocate with Beth Sundstrom, PhD. 

At Syncreate, we're here to support your creative endeavors. If you have an idea for a project or a new venture, and you’re not sure how to get it off the ground, find us at syncreate.org. Our book, also called Syncreate, walks you through the stages of the creative process so you can take action on your creative goals. We also offer resources, creative process tools, and coaching, including a monthly creativity coaching group, to help you bring your work to the world. You can find more information on our website, where you can also find all of our podcast episodes. Find and connect with us on social media and YouTube under Syncreate. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave us a review! We’d love to hear your feedback as well, so drop us a line at info@syncreate.org. 

Episode-specific hyperlinks: 

Hideout Theater Austin

Jessica’s Book: Conducting Chaos

Jessica’s Website - jessicaarjet.com

yesandenterprise.com  

Show / permanent hyperlinks: 

The Syncreate Podcast

Syncreate Website

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Syncreate Facebook

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Syncreate YouTube

Melinda Rothouse Website

Austin Writing Coach

Melinda Joy Music Website

Transcript

Melinda: Creativity and community are absolutely vital in challenging times. Welcome to Syncreate, a show where we explore the intersections between creativity, psychology and spirituality. We believe everyone has the capacity to create. Our goal is to demystify the process and expand the boundaries of what it means to be creative. We talk with visionaries and change makers, and everyday creatives working in a wide range of fields and media - from the arts to science, technology and business.

We aim to illuminate the creative process - from imagination to innovation and everything in between. I'm Melinda Rothouse and I help individuals and organizations bring their dreams and visions to life. At Syncreate, we’re here to support your creative endeavors. So, if you have an idea for a project or a new venture - anything from a book or a music project to a new business idea - reach out to us at syncreate.org. We can help you get it off the ground.

Our book, also called Syncreate, walks you through the stages of the creative process so you can take action on your goals. We also offer resources, creative process tools and coaching to help bring your work to the world, including a monthly coaching group that runs throughout 2025. Please join us!

My guest today is Jessica Arjet. She is an improviser, actor, director, teacher, and producer here in Austin, Texas. She is co-owner of The Hideout Theater, which specializes in delightfully realized improvised plays. And I will say, I think, is a real institution in the downtown Austin arts scene.

Jessica: Yeah! We’ve been there for 25 years, so just having that kind of longevity adds kind of a weight, you know? 

Melinda: Absolutely. And I think we'll talk more about what's ahead for the theater. But, you're also the director - the youth programs director at The Hideout. 

Jessica: Yes. 

Melinda: So you oversee classes, summer camps, children’s shows and workshops. And you're the author - I see you brought the book along today - of Conducting Chaos: A Guide to Teaching Improv to Children and Teens. 

Jessica: Yeah - that's absolutely correct. 

Melinda: So, I'm so happy that we could work this out to get together. And it's always great to record in person. 

Jessica: Yeah, definitely. 

Melinda: So, there’s so many questions I think I have for you, but, I'm curious, you know, regarding the book - which came out in 2022? 

Jessica: 2021. 

Melinda: 2021. Yeah, so it's been out for a few years now. And it's really focusing on - so you've done so much teaching with kids and young adults, over the years - teaching improv and improv skills. And I was kind of reading through the book and, I'm curious, if you could share with our audience how improv helps kids with their emotional and psychological development. 

Jessica: Oh my gosh! It's so good for kids. (Laughter) 

Melinda: Yeah, I think it's great for anyone. 

Jessica: It is, it is. I'm a little bit of a fanatic here. (Laughter) 

Melinda: I know! So let's get into it. (Laughter) 

Jessica: Okay. So, one of the fundamental promises of improv is that you're collaborating and working together to create something. So right off the bat, you have what most people know as “Yes, and…” You know, you have that ability to agree to be positive and then to add something of your own. And it's sort of like a building structure. You know, if I say something and you agree to it and add something, then you're able to get much bigger than if we both silo ourselves and, like, focus on what we want, you know? 

And so, helping kids focus on what we're building together, rather than their individual wants is a really useful way to start working on creativity and just in general, have a good - it just makes it easier for kids to exist in the world if they're a little bit more positive and willing to work together. It's really good for them. 

You layer on to that another thing that's really important in improv - is this concept of “Be obvious…” - which I think is not heard as much. That's not one that's as popular, but if you're obvious, it kind of comes down to trusting yourself. So, let's say a child is in a scene and they want to say something, but then they're like, “Oh that, that seems…” - they want to try to be clever or they want to try to be really funny. 

And there's nothing wrong with wanting to be those things. But oftentimes when you try to do that, what you're doing is just rehashing what your idea of somebody else's clever or funny is, rather than speaking from your own unique voice. So a lot of what we train is to just - that’s where kind of the quickness comes in - is to not think too hard about it, but allow your actual voice to come out. And then things are really magical. 

And especially with children who are trying to discover what their identity is, create their identity. That's a really good place for them to live in this world of like, “Well, who am I actually?” And to have practice with this when they're eight, nine, ten years old, is huge because most people don't really get practice with that, thinking about that or really having to confront “What is it that I think is funny? Or what is it that I think is creative?” They don't have to confront that to later. So I think it's a wonderful way to do - to help children grow and develop. 

Melinda: Yeah. I mean, there's so many different aspects. There's the physical aspect - just, you know, working with your body and space in relation to other people. And then I would think also, based on what you just said, that it probably helps to develop confidence and kind of, lower self-consciousness. And pre-teens and teens, there's so much self-consciousness and there's so much holding back and maybe feeling awkward or not knowing what to say or do. So I would imagine that that is incredibly helpful for teens. 

Jessica: Yeah - it’s a wonderfully safe space. We build up a lot of mechanisms for making sure that everybody's kind of safe there. And so, it's a place that children know - teens, middle schoolers - know that they can be a little silly. They can try on different types of personalities or try on different ways of being in this space. And it's all going to be supported and fine. And they can kind of like run through the consequences of things. Like, at some point almost every child will decide to be the mean dad, teacher - (Laughter) 

Jessica: - president, whatever it is. Like, the mean authority figure - 

Melinda: - the archetypal - 

Jessica: Yeah. Almost every one of them tries that at some point. 

Melinda: Yeah. 

Jessica: And then they get to feel in their bones what that's like, but they also get to see the reactions of other people. And oftentimes they realize that they don’t - you know, that power over is not as much fun as power with, you know? And so a lot of improv development - that’s just one tiny example - obviously, over the years, there are tons and tons of things that they try on and take off. But that's one example that comes up frequently that they're like, “Oh! This is what this would be like.” And they actually get to play with it. Which you don't get to play with in other places. So I think for teens, it's a really nice space for them to safely be able to experiment with who they are. 

Melinda: Yeah. So just coming back to the collaboration piece, right? That is so important. I mean, my work is all about creativity and collaboration. And just even what you just said about power dynamics, right? Like, learning about and experiencing power dynamics in a situation that is structured and supportive - 

Jessica: Right. 

Melinda: - where people can try things out. I mean, I think especially at this point in time where we are as a country - there's a lot going on with power dynamics - and, you know, how do we teach people how to collaborate and work together productively? 

Jessica: Exactly. No, it's so important. I mean, I think there's always this kind of concept - this stereotype of an artist as a lone wolf, you know? And like, somehow as if people can just create all by themselves. And some creation is by yourself. I do a little writing, obviously, and you do write in a room by yourself, but for any good project, you need a team of people to help you out. It really makes a difference. 

And so, being able to work with those power dynamics, but also just how you create that synergy between yourself and other people - improv is all about co-creation and getting to see the delight that the kids feel when they throw out an offer - that’s what we call it - throw out an offer. And then another child accepts it and adds to it. And then something really beautiful happens between them. It's like there's the space between them where the magic is, and helping them discover how to negotiate that space and how to work with it is just - it makes my soul sing. 

Melinda: Yeah. I know you're so passionate about what you do. It's wonderful. And so, you're not only a teacher and a writer, but you are a very, very seasoned improviser and performer. 

Jessica: Yeah. 

Melinda: And also, I just see you as being so incredibly dedicated to your craft and also to building and supporting community here in Austin and across the country. 

Jessica: Yes, absolutely. 

Melinda: So I'm curious, you know, as a performer and as all the different roles that you embody, what are the wells that you draw from for inspiration? 

Jessica: Oh, interesting! Oh, that's a really good question. I really need to spend a lot of time in nature. Which is funny because almost everything I do is collaborating with other people or you know, performing. But I really like to be quiet. And kind of let - this is going to sound a little hokey - (Laughter) 

Jessica: - but I kind of like, let the earth come back to me, you know? Like really be - embody myself as part of the physical world - is very important to me. So that just kind of underlies everything I am. I am spiritual, I'm a Quaker, and I have that religious background, and a lot of it is just being silent and letting the word, the spirit, the consciousness move on you. And that is very important to me. So that's my background that then allows me to come out and be extroverted and performing and working with other people. 

That is kind of like the base of everything. But then when I think of like - I really love watching stand up and I love watching the open mics with brand new stand up babies. Oh my gosh, it's so sweet. And I love watching people fail, but not to laugh at them, but to see how that worked and to watch the resilience when they tell a joke that doesn't work. And then, what do they do in that moment when they then decide to go ahead and tell the next joke because they could just leave? You know, that's an option. 

Melinda: Sure. 

Jessica: But every standup comedian fails on a regular basis. So watching them fail and then get back up and do it again is very inspiring to me. I love movies, I love books, you know? I love just hanging out with friends. I recently had a dinner party and I think everybody should have one of these. 

Melinda: Yeah! 

Jessica: Where everybody who came - I made all the food - but I said what they had to bring was a five-minute act. 

Melinda: Oh, nice. 

Jessica: And so everybody - we have a course of food, like a salad or whatever, soup - and then they would do an act. One person would do an act. So we had singing, of course, I did a magic show. Somebody told medieval riddles, who did a cold read of a script. It was just beautiful, like it was such a lovely night. 

Melinda: Like an old school salon, it sounds like. 

Jessica: It really was. So I try to - it sounds weird - but to me, one of the things I realized is that I'm very good at creating community. So I try to have a lot of parties and dinner parties and people over on a regular basis. And that helps to feed me a lot. But I really think everybody should have one of these dinner parties. It was so much fun. 

Melinda: And we might bring that back around for our Pro Tip, actually. We usually end each episode with a Pro Tip - 

Jessica: Oh, nice! 

Melinda: - something people can do on their own. So I love that. Let's keep that in the back of our mind. 

Jessica: Excellent, excellent. 

Melinda: So, you mentioned about kind of embracing failure, and I know that's in your book. 

Jessica: It’s huge. 

Melinda: As well as one of the principles. And it's funny because my episode that just came out today - Episode 77 with Beth Sundstrom - she was talking about, at the end of it, about this idea of embracing failure as well, and how she's trying to teach that to her daughters. And, you know, as you say, failure is so important in the creative process because we have to become comfortable with taking risks. 

Jessica: Yes. 

Melinda: And things don't always go according to plan. 

Jessica: Right. 

Melinda: But if we can see that as an opportunity and a learning experience, then we can grow from it. So how does that work in your classes or in your, you know, just performances? 

Jessica: We actually - because improv is so embodied - like, sometimes, I just feel like improv is everything else… we just embody it, you know? Meditation - you have to be really present - like all these things. We're just doing it on our feet. So, we have a tool for that which is called the Failure Bow. What you do is if you feel you've messed up, if you feel like you've done something that you're not too happy with, you throw your hands up in the air. You bow at the waist and you say, “I failed.” And then the important thing is, everybody around you claps for you. It's a recognition that failure is part of being on the edge. We talk a lot about the edge. You know, you want to be just outside of your comfort zone, but not so far out that you're always failing. 

A lot of people have talked about it. It's like this zone where creativity can really happen because you're not bored. Your challenged but you're not so challenged that you can't make it happen. So if you're living in that zone, then there will be failures. That's just the way that it is. That's just how it is. And so that mechanism of the Failure Bow helps us put it out there in front of everybody so that, you know, it kind of releases shame, right? 

To say it out loud. And then the bow and the clapping allows everybody else to recognize that you really are staying in that zone of creativity, which is where we want you to stay the whole time. 

Melinda: Yeah, yeah. I love that. And just making it explicit and making it okay. Like it happens. It's part of life. 

Jessica: Yes. 

Melinda: It's not something that we have to be so terrified - because some people, you know, especially if you tend to have perfectionistic tendencies - that fear of failure is so intense and it can hold us back. 

Jessica: Well, especially a lot of - because children are in school - there’s a lot of emphasis on getting things right and learning the new things, and they're constantly being pushed to learn new things, which is great - they need to be. That's very important. But they can end up, instead of hearing, “We want you to learn…”, they can end up hearing, “We want you to get things right all the time.” And that is a place that does not support creativity, you know? 

And there are some really good things about striving to do well. And I think everybody should strive to do well when they feel like it. Absolutely. But improv is a place where the striving is for fun, and that the fun is the thing that underpins this learning zone - this place where you're close, you're challenged and you're excited. That's the learning zone. And so, you can't be in a place where you just know how to do everything. You always have to be a little scared. I've been doing improv, I think, since 2001, and I will - yes, I think since 2001 - and I still occasionally am like, “I don't know how to do this.” (Laughter) 

Jessica: “What am I doing?” And it's great. Like, that's usually when I'm in a place where things are going to be wonderful. I'll go out on stage and just - I do have a little trepidation. I go out on stage and I'm like, “Oh, no. Maybe this is going to mess up. I'm not sure if I should do this again. I'm going to play an animal again. Am I doing this?” You know, I have all these like, hesitations in the back of my mind. But one of the things improv training has taught me to do is to, like, quiet those and just trust that my gut instinct is the correct instinct. Go out on stage and then, instead of trying - we so much of the time we try to control what happens, and, that's why it's called Conducting Chaos. (Laughter) 

Jessica: Because there’s a lot of chaos. And if you let the chaos happen in a way where you work with it and you embrace it, then beautiful things can come out. We've all had that experience where we think we're going into something with a plan, and we're sure that plan is going to work, and then the plan gets knocked off course. And the thing is, if you roll with it, sometimes what comes out is better than what you originally planned. And you end up with a happier, more successful situation if you just let it evolve as it evolves. 

Melinda: Yeah. And that flexibility and openness is so important. You know, I wrote an academic article on kind of, the creative journey through the wilderness, right? And the idea here is that no matter what kind of creative project we're doing, at some point we're going to fail or we're going to stumble, we're going to get lost. And we're not going to know what to do. And if we can sort of flow with that instead of freaking out or resisting it - just as you say, often something even better arises out of that. 

Jessica: Right! Because that's the learning zone. That's the creative zone. When you're in that zone of not knowing and not - where you're out of control, but it's still contained a little bit - that’s the creative zone where you can come up with stuff. So, when you find that frustration, that's actually a really good place to be. 

Melinda: It's a good sign! (Laughter) 

Jessica: Yeah. It is a good sign! 

Melinda: Yeah, sure. So I'm curious in your, you know, work with kids and teaching kids improv - how would you say that - I mean, it seems apparent to me, but I just want to draw it out even more - how do these improv skills translate into life skills? 

Jessica: Oh, yeah. It's really, really useful. One of our basic core principles is that you should be having fun and being engaged. If you change that to school, or learning other things or being involved with stuff, it's the principle that you should be doing something that engages you. And that if you're bored, that maybe you should either find a way to make it more interesting - so, like, if you're taking out the trash on a regular basis, you don't particularly like taking out the trash. But if suddenly you turn it into, I don't know, a spy adventure, right? (Laughter) 

Where you’re trying to get nobody to see you, you know, and you make it to the curb without anybody seeing you, you win. Something like that. Suddenly your life is more fun. Like, your life is enjoyable. It also obviously helps with collaboration. I think it really builds this fundamental creativity that can be used in lots of different ways. So, like, if - right now, in business, there's a lot of times where I have to just think in a slight - I have to constantly look at problems from different directions. And that creativity that's built up in improv really helps the kids and adults and everybody else look at things from different directions. And then to kind of trust themselves. First of all, to be comfortable in that creative zone, because that creative zone is not particularly a comfortable place. 

Melinda: Right. 

Jessica: So, one of the things that we're working on is trying to make it more comfortable by allowing it - allowing that space for the creativity and getting them comfortable in that area. If you're more comfortable than that, then you're more able to learn and grow from what you've been through. It's resilience. It's all basically learning how to be more resilient, which everybody needs resilience in this life. Everybody. 

Melinda: Yeah, of course. So, I mean, we've talked a lot about improv with kids, but I know you have a lot of experience with adults as well. And even consulting and working with organizations and doing workshops. So, you know, I'm curious, are there any differences in working with kids versus adults, or if you go into an organizational setting, how receptive are people to that? 

Jessica: Yeah, it's really interesting. I mean, if you work with children a lot and adults, you start realizing that people just have personalities. 

Melinda: Yeah. 

Jessica: They have personalities when they’re eight, they have personalities when they're 48, you know? They just have personalities. And so, kind of working on how to deal with that is just one of the things that you learn as a teacher. Like, how do you bring people out? Because the thing is, you don't want people to be resentful and you'll have people who don't want to be vulnerable. This is all vulnerability. 

Melinda: Vulnerability. 

Jessica: All of this is about vulnerability. And so, you know, you're showing yourself in a way that's uncomfortable in a work environment. So when you have a workshop - I'm going into one next week, which I'm very excited about - you have a workshop where they're coming together. They're a new team or they've had experienced a lot of change and nobody's quite willing to show each other what's going on. That’s exactly what improv is for. We come in and very slowly with very low stakes - very low stakes - we start having them do things that are fun. They really do have fun - and that's underpinning all of this - is that we have a good time doing all of this. 

It's easier to stay engaged and learn when you're enjoying yourself. So we turn these into games. They're low stakes, so nobody feels like they're doing something wrong. But they're just challenging enough that they have to pay attention. You know, you can't lean back because whatever silly thing it is - whether it's turning over cards and trying to see them at the same time, or like everybody's trying to figure out who's going to be the sheriff and who's going to be the bandit and who's going to be, you know, like that. We do games like that. 

They're very low stakes, but they start to build in a little bit of trust in us that we're not going to embarrass them. And then we get to games that have just a tiny bit of vulnerability. Like, maybe they have to make a sound. Or maybe they have to do something in front of other people, but it's small. It's really, really small. And everybody - and there's a mechanic built in that says, “We're all with you. We’re supporting you.” You build that up, and that really takes the first 30 to 45 minutes of a workshop, you know? And it's so tempting to want to skip that because you're like, “Oh, we want to get to the meat of it…”, but that’s - you have to build that trust - 

Melinda: - Building the trust and the psychological safety. 

Jessica: Exactly. You're building a safe space. You're role modeling. And then the game mechanics are forcing people to be supportive of each other. Rather than tear each other down. So then you're in a space when you start moving to the “Yes, and…” or to the trusting yourself. Then you're in a space where you can do that because you've built up this little sense of safety. You know, these mechanisms like Failure Bow or we all say “Yes, and…” - those are the things that support that. So that when you let a little bit of your creativity out, then they can start seeing that that's something that's welcomed. 

And of course, we can't fix everybody in a two-hour workshop, you know? But we can start giving you these tools. You get some tools and you get some vocabulary that help people. And you get this experience of understanding what a safe environment feels like. A supportive environment feels like. And then they can build on that. 

Melinda: Yeah. 

Jessica: It’s really fun. 

Melinda: So speaking of which, have you ever worked with any organizations or teams over a longer period of time, to kind of see how they develop with that? 

Jessica: We have people who've come back yearly and that's been really fun to see the same people. And they get very excited. 

Melinda: And what do you notice? 

Jessica: Yeah. They do seem much more bonded as a team. Like, they seem more willing to work with each other. One of the things that you can tell - people don't tease others that they don't feel comfortable with. So, you'll start seeing more people teasing each other in ways that are fun for them. I'm not talking about bullying - 

Melinda: - Not mean. 

Jessica: - not mean or anything, but playful. And they'll be laughing together more and they'll just seem less guarded around each other. And that's really fun to see. I mean, it makes my heart do really, really well. (Laughter) 

Jessica: Definitely. 

Melinda: Yeah. Well, and my research in my PhD was on creativity and collaboration among teams. So, just all these things that we're talking about - you know, that sense of trust, that comfort with taking risks, and being vulnerable in front of, you know, each other - that’s what creates the rapport. That allows for true collaboration to happen. 

Jessica: Exactly, exactly. And so, that's what we see when we come back, when people have done it more than once, is that they do seem to have just more of that - they’re already, closer and they already seem to be working together well. So, it can be really fun. We make up new stuff for them, and it's really exciting. To be like, “Okay. What are you going to do now? How are we going to attack this?” It's really fun to help them go to the next levels of that. 

Melinda: Yeah. Yeah. Wonderful. So, good. So, I'm curious in terms of performance - I know The Hideout has all kinds of offerings, performances, shows, classes, workshops, all the time. So, give us a taste of, kind of what you have on the menu at the moment. 

Jessica: Yeah. Well, every Friday at 8.30pm, I have a show that's called Glitter Witch. And it's with two of my best friends in the world. And when you start becoming friends with improvisers, you almost always create a troupe. Like, that's just life. (Laughter) 

Jessica: We're lucky enough to be able to have this spot. So every Friday at 8.30pm, we do a show. And a lot of times we're just playing around, but other times we'll have a format like it's the Love Show, or we're all superheroes or that kind of thing, elves during Christmas. But it's always the same, you know, a little bit irreverent, very silly, lots of fun. Sometimes a little pointed, but, it's a delightful time. It really is. So, that's my weekly show. If you have family, we have a family show on Sundays, which is always a different format. Right now, it's called Girl Power and based kind of on The Powerpuff Girls. They’re our inspiration. And then, next one's going to be Bad Robot where - (Laughter) 

Jessica: - I think it’s going to be delightful. So, we just have different formats. Every eight weeks -  or six to eight weeks, we put in a different format. And so, you can go to our website to find out about that if you want, but it's always at 4:00 pm. We always make sure that the kids are welcome to come on stage from time to time. They give suggestions. It can be a really, really delightful and unique experience. Like, there's just not a lot of this for kids where they get to come on stage and be in front of other people. And our discount rate is $5.00. So it's hard to find a better deal than that, you know. 

Melinda: Absolutely. Yeah - that’s great to know about. 

Jessica: Yeah, definitely. And of course, we do have classes where our summer camps are coming up this summer. Kids summer camps are so much fun because they really get to dive into it. And so, they spend a whole week working on these skills with other friends. And they - it’s just, it's so lovely to see them develop. You talked about corporations - you know, like the companies that we work with - it’s the same thing watching the kids come back. We literally just - last summer, we had a child who started when she was not quite five. We let her in early. She started when she was not quite five. Last summer, she was one of our teachers and she's at college now. 

Melinda: Wow. Amazing! 

Jessica: She was one of the helper teachers, and she's just been all the way through it. And watching children grow and change over that period of time - it’s just such an honor to be part of that journey. And the children - actually, I'm going to a wedding this week from two of my kids who met in improv class - 

Melinda: Oh, how fun! 

Jessica: - so, they invited me to their wedding. They’re much older now. It's appropriate. (Laughter) 

Melinda: Yeah, yeah, yeah. 

Jessica: But it's just sweet to watch that and see how well they develop and see their skills. It’s such an honor to be part of that. Really is.  

Melinda: Yeah. Beautiful. So, I know that the theater is looking at a move. So you've been in downtown Austin, right on Congress Avenue for many, many years. 

Jessica: Yes. 

Melinda: So, tell us a little bit more about that. 

Jessica: Yeah. We're in the zone. You know, we're in the talent creative zone right now, so it's exciting. (Laughter) 

Jessica: Yeah. We were asked to vacate our space because they would like to put a bar there - so there will be a nice bar there - and so, we're going to move somewhere else. We're looking now at different properties and trying to figure out what will work best for us. And it's just all the different pieces. It's really gonna be one of those things that levels us up, because there's no way it can't. Like, we're just gonna have to be so much better in order to make this move happen. There’s so many different pieces that have to be put together. Like, did you know that if you have more than 300 people in a space, you have to have sprinklers? 

Melinda Oh! 

Jessica: This is not a thing I knew. 

Melinda: Interesting. Yeah. 

Jessica: So, these are the types of things that we just - every aspect of it is a new thing that we're learning about and have to become creative with it. So, yeah, we're just looking for a new space and then hopefully we'll find something that works really well for us. We'll build it out, and my hope is that we'll be able to move into it next fall. It's important - The Hideout will still be around downtown through August this year - so come see shows. Watch things. Classes. We're still downtown until August. And then after that is when we'll be moving. 

Melinda: Okay, great. So if there's any audience members out there that might have ideas for space, get in touch. 

Jessica: Yes. That would be lovely. 

Melinda: Like, what's your ideal space? 

Jessica: We would love to have like, between 7,000 and 8,000 square feet so that we can put two theaters in it and have some classroom space. And we'd really love a fair amount of - we’d love a busy area. Our little - we have a cafe - and our cafe does really good coffee. It's really good. It's a really good cafe. (Laughter) 

Jessica: But we'd love a space that's just busy. And that would love some creativity in it. 

Melinda: Got some foot traffic.

Jessica: Yeah. And people around, and yeah, that's what we would like. Yeah. 

Melinda: Great. So, let's see. Anything else before we, kind of start to bring things to a close that is top of mind for you at the moment? 

Jessica: Actually! And I didn't mention this to you earlier - I just started a website - 

Melinda: Okay! 

Jessica: - which is called YesAnd Enterprise, and it's resources for teachers - for people who want to teach improv. So there's a whole video of how to play these games with children. I've changed the games a little bit so they accommodate children better. And I did a full almost hour video of that, and it's for sale there. And then, consulting, you can hire me as a consultant there. And then also - I’m working with teachers to make sure that it's good - but I'm working on a curricula for other people so that other people can teach improv to children. 

Melinda: Right. And there's so many great resources in your book as well. 

Jessica: Yeah. Yes. So that's my whole purpose right now - is to just get as many other people teaching improv as possible, because I do think it's so good for children that I want to just replicate myself, and make sure that everybody gets a chance. It's a beautiful art form, and I really hope that everybody gets at least an introduction to it. 

Melinda: Yeah. So speaking of which. I mean, are there kind of formal improv programs or opportunities in schools that you know of? 

Jessica: There are in some schools. I was actually - we were invited to come in and make a little improv festival up in Round Rock - 

Melinda: Oh, nice. 

Jessica: - because they actually have some elementary schools that are doing a little bit of improv as part of their theater curricula. I think most high schoolers now have - if they take theater, I think they'll get a little bit of improv there. 

Melinda: Yeah. Yeah. 

Jessica: One of the reasons that I wanted to make my website and make this book is because I see a lot of theater teachers teaching improv, and maybe they weren't taught improv the way that I would like them to be taught it. (Laughter) 

Melinda: Right. 

Jessica: So, I will admit that it's a little bit about how I think it should be. 

Melinda: Right. Right. 

Jessica: But I do feel like, I really want every child to have high quality improv instruction. And I think right now, the theater teachers are doing their best, they’re wonderful people, but they just don't have the same instruction. And so that's why I want to give them these resources so that they can have something else to support them and support their teaching. But yeah, there's - a lot of children have the possibility of taking it in school. I just want to get it to where every child takes a little bit of improv sooner or later. That's my goal in my life. 

Melinda: Yeah, yeah. It's wonderful. And I mean, I've taken improv classes over the years. It's just fun. 

Jessica: It's so much fun. 

Melinda: It's fun. And it really, like - you sort of touched on the mindfulness aspect of it, but, you know, you really have to be in the moment. You have to be engaged with other people. You can't be you can't even afford to be self-conscious. You know, because you just have to be there and responding. So it really brings you kind of out of that more judging mind into an open space. So there's so many benefits, I think. 

Jessica: I agree with you. And I think one of the things about improv classes is that we all know we're supposed to be doing that stuff, but it gives you a fun way to practice it, you know? All these games are just practice and being more mindful, being less controlling, being less judgmental. They're all practice in that, but they're practice in the most fun way possible, you know? It's great. 

Melinda: So what advice - because I've, you know, I've had so many people I've talked to over the years, or friends or I'm like, “Hey, want to come take an improv class with me?” And they're like, “I don't know.” (Laughter) 

Melinda: So what advice would you give to someone who's curious but maybe hesitant? 

Jessica: Well, most theaters - not even just mine - most theaters have a free trial. So what I would do, I would go and watch improv to see if it looks fun for you. But I would also go and just do that. It's usually an hour or two hours. Just a free trial. You can walk in, give it a try. If it's not for you, you can walk away. But the likelihood is that you'll have a really, really good time. And it's free at our theater and at the other theaters in town. If you're outside the Austin area, most of improv theaters - it’s cheap, even if it's not free, it's cheap. So that's what I would say. Just give it a try. 

And then besides that, I just think everybody in the world should take one level. Like, just take one level, because it'll make you a better human. You don't have to want to be on stage. In our program, you don't even get on stage after the first level - it’s just for having fun and enjoying yourself. It's not till the second level that you have a performance. So, just just give it a try.  

Melinda: So, that kind of brings us to our Pro Tip. So I usually like to end with something that people can go out and try on their own. So I think number one, go take an improv class. 

Jessica: Yeah. Absolutely.

Melinda: And then number two - I love what you were talking about earlier about the dinner party. So, if somebody wanted to host a party and salon like this, how how would you recommend they go about it? 

Jessica: I would say - I've been reading a lot of Priya Parker. If you don't know Priya Parker, look her up. She's great about gatherings. She wrote The Art of Gathering - but I would say to be a little bit of a bully about what you're doing. 

Melinda: Yes. To have some structure. 

Jessica: Structure and let them know what the structure is. 

Melinda: Yeah. 

Jessica: But yeah, in mine, I went ahead and fed everybody because I love feeding people. But I think you can also have people bring something 

Melinda: Like a potluck. 

Jessica: Yeah. You could bring a dish and an act. I think that would be totally fine. And then I think five minutes is about right. 

Melinda: Yeah. 

Jessica: Some people go over, some people go under. And then after that act, give people a little time. That's why I have the different courses. So then you can talk about the act. And that leads you to other conversation. It was one of the most enjoyable nights just because the conversation kept flowing. 

Melinda: It sounds great.

Jessica: And there was never time for it to get stale because as soon as that kind of pause happened, it was just time for the next act. 

Melinda: Right. 

Jessica: So it was really fun - food and act from everybody - and then a little time to be able to digest that act. That's what I would recommend.  

Melinda: Yeah. Beautiful. That sounds really fun. I'm going to try it. (Laughter) 

Jessica: It’s wonderful. 

Melinda: Great. So I know you mentioned some of your websites and ways of contacting you, but what are the best ways for people to find out more about you, about the theater, about your offerings? 

Jessica: Yeah. The Hideout Theater is in downtown Austin, and it's hideouttheater.com. Super simple. I'm on the website. You can reach any of our classes there. Summer camps, shows, corporate offerings. We just have everything there. It's beautiful. If you're a teacher and you're interested in those resources, Conducting Chaos is for sale at Amazon or any independent bookstore. And then, yesandenterprise.com is the new one where I'm just starting to offer the games video and then also consultation and the curricula. Oh my gosh! That's so much - (Laughter) 

Jessica: - I feel like I'm doing so much. I'm sorry. Oh my goodness. (Laughter) 

Melinda: You know what? I think, you know, those of us who are just highly creative people, that's kind of how we operate. 

Jessica: We just operate that way! 

Melinda: Right? We like having a lot of projects. 

Jessica: Oh! And I have a personal website which is just jessicaarjet.com. That's just me. 

Melinda: And that’s A-r-j-e-t. 

Jessica: A-r-j-e-t. Yeah, exactly! 

Melinda: Okay. Well, we’ll put all of those in the show notes. 

Jessica: Thank you. 

Melinda: And thanks so much for coming in today. It's been such fun. 

Jessica: Thank you. This has been a blast. I really appreciate it. Thank you. 

Melinda: Yeah! Absolutely. Find and connect with us on YouTube and social media under Syncreate. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and leave us a review. We're recording today from Record ATX Studios in Austin, live with Jessica Arjet. The podcast is produced in collaboration with Mike Osborne at 14th Street Studios. Thanks so much for being with us, and see you next time.