Alt title: Get to Skin Suit Town: 3 Exercises to Improve Your ActingIn this episode, I'm diving into one of the best acting exercises you can give yourself: practicing scene work with little dialogue, or even none at all. I’ve found that learning to use physicality, emotional reactions, and environment is what changes a performance from "just saying words real good" to truly embodying a believable character. Or like... as I like to say because it is now improv canon, "get to skin suit town".I’ll explain why taking dialogue away forces you to slow down, live in the scene, and build a story layer by layer. Part of that oh-so-classic "show, don't tell" advice. Then, the exercises. You can add three new exercises to your workout to build this skill. I'll also tell you how to adjust them to practice on your own.And if you do a lot of audio-only improv or have difficulty with nonverbal cues: I’ll specifically explain why this work is still useful, and how you can adapt it to your own unique brain and performance style.As an aside! If you have trim silence features on in your podcast app, I'm gonna guess it'll trim a few intentional pauses in this one ;)Resources Mentioned:Downloadable PDF Exercise Guides: improvupdate.com/downloadsThe Improv Update Discord Community: improvupdate.com/discordFree Improv Worksheet & Newsletter: improvupdate.com/newsletterImprovised Comedy Podcast, Grack Public Access: stereoforest.com/grackDownloadable contentDownload the Free Post-Show Reflection Guide: Sent to your inbox when you subscribe to either newsletter (and added to the footer to each message if you're already subscribed).Get a booklet with six exercises to help you get reps in challenging scenes called "Exercises to Ruin You" More resourcesGet articles about improv: Join the ImprovUpdate newsletter(s) for general improv articles, and articles about neuroinclusive improv and comedy. Join either or both!Get downloads about improv & comedy: Find them here.Review the podcast: Rate and review this podcast on Podchaser.Chat about improv and comedy: Join the Improv Update Discord here.SupportLike this content and want it to continue? Support this podcast here with a one-time tip here: StereoForest.com/tipWe love our podcast host Capitvate.fm! Contact me anytime to ask me anything. You can support my shows by signing up with Captivate here: https://www.captivate.fm/signup?ref=yzjiytzAboutThis podcast was created, written, and is hosted by Jen deHaan. You can
No persons identified in this episode.
This episode hasn't been transcribed yet
Help us prioritize this episode for transcription by upvoting it.
Popular episodes get transcribed faster
Other recent transcribed episodes
Transcribed and ready to explore now
SpaceX Said to Pursue 2026 IPO
10 Dec 2025
Bloomberg Tech
Don’t Call It a Comeback
10 Dec 2025
Motley Fool Money
Japan Claims AGI, Pentagon Adopts Gemini, and MIT Designs New Medicines
10 Dec 2025
The Daily AI Show
Eric Larsen on the emergence and potential of AI in healthcare
10 Dec 2025
McKinsey on Healthcare
What it will take for AI to scale (energy, compute, talent)
10 Dec 2025
Azeem Azhar's Exponential View
Reducing Burnout and Boosting Revenue in ASCs
10 Dec 2025
Becker’s Healthcare -- Spine and Orthopedic Podcast