Ego Needs To Go

I have been improvising since 2003. In that time I have been a part of the improv cultures in Miami, Gainesville, Miami again, New York, Chicago, and finally Miami again.  Every time I moved I started from nothing and had to build up again. I also went through my fair share of trials outside of improv including being jobless and homeless for about 2 weeks. For those weeks I lived on a park bench outside in the winter of NYC. Once you have lived like that you tend to not care about material possessions and your ego is non existent.

Once I went through all that it made it so improvising and working hard forever comes much easier. It becomes a fact of life to work hard and stay humble.  I have seen so many fall in all these cities because of hubris.  Becoming too good to learn more, too good to treat new performers well, too good to try on stage, and eventually too good to realize that they were not good any more.

There is a thin line we all must walk between confidence and arrogance.  The way to stay on the right side of that line is to always be looking to learn and grow. I have learned something from the worst teachers I've had and the best teachers, learned something from the newest performers and the most veteran, learned something from every day on this Earth, and I have learned something from every person I have met.

The fact that anyone can come in and let their ego get in the way of their improvement is insane. Improv is made for people who constantly adapt, change, and grow. Too many times have I seen people fall into a "Bag Of Tricks" or let their status in an improv company cloud their view until they are no longer serving the art form. These people are slaves to Ego and Status. Neither of which makes you a better improviser or a better person.

When I arrived in NYC I had to take classes and build up my abilities. No one let's you just walk on stage. You have to earn it. Same goes in Chicago. They didn't care what I had learned before, I had to go through classes and learn more. In both cases I learned so much even in a level 1 class that stays with me forever.

Anytime I can bring some Chicago and New York performers down to teach in Miami you can expect to see me in all those workshops right along side my students if I have never taken a class with that teacher before.

There is never a time where we can stop learning and growing as people or as improvisers.  I had a big ego at one point and it's a petty and stupid thing to let get in the way of doing good work.  Smash it down and start collaborating. There is enough improv and jobs for everyone. Ego and status means nothing.

- Jeff Quintana
Artistic Director
Villain Theater