I’ve talked about this some – but not enough I feel like. I had a long day at work today and then a night of rehearsals, and was, yet again, reminded why IMPROV is my religion.

some of my group, made of bees

I’m not going to get in to a religious debate here, that is not the point of this. Sure, I went to Catholic mass as a kid. Sure, I went to Bible study in college. But for me, in the end, getting up at 9AM every Sunday and singing hymnals wasn’t a way for me to connect with God, or a higher power.

A while ago, I can’t even remember when now, I read a story about someone who was taking an improv class with the infamous Amy Poehler – this is before she was famous and when she taught at her theater the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre in NYC. In this particular class session, Amy gave this note/small speech:

Treat the stage with respect. Treat it with total and complete reverence. The stage is my church. There is no place that I feel more alive, more myself, more truthful, more satisfied and happy.

Some people go to church to feel in touch with that creative force that some people call God. Well, I get that on stage. I have learned more about the person I want to be and can be from the lessons I have learned in improv classes and performing in shows. That is why I am here today. So if the stage is my church, improv is my religion.

Now, two people up for a scene and just rock out with your cocks out.

I couldn’t have said it better myself. Through all the bullshit, the stress, life changes, work, relationships, family, friends, money, cash, and foes: the stage, improv, they’re there for me.

The stage doesn’t let me down. It’s not about impressing people, it’s about having an outlet where unconditional support, positivity, and the ultimate in creative freedoms are embraced and encouraged.

Growing up, I was awkward as hell. Hell, I’m still pretty awkward. It wasn’t until I found comedy that I embraced the awkward and said, “Ahhh, fu*k it,” and I made this unspoken agreement with myself that I would no longer let the past dictate my future.

Am I getting way too existential for you? Am I making any sense at all?

The life lessons I have learned through improv, the way I feel when I completely embody a character that is totally unlike myself, the total and utter high I get when a scene is knocked out of the park and the audience is experiencing that side-splitting laughter and all I want to do is do THAT, again – that is the ultimate feeling of freedom. Of originality. Or selflessness. Of happiness. That’s my connection with God, Allah, a higher power, or the like.

During that time, I’m 100% connected to the stage and the people on it.

My best friends in the entire world are people I improvise with.

At Improv SLAM rehearsal tonight, the entire cast, all of us, we’d totally lost our minds – stuff went to crazytown, but I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time. When you get in that mode, nothing else matters. Every little stressor in life is completely washed away for those minutes or hours when you’re improvising with people you love.

In the alternate words of Aaron Neville, “I don’t know much… but I know I’ll have improv for the rest of my life.”

I want to know: what’s your Church? Do you practice a non-traditional religion that makes you feel awesome?

Word.