A Subversive’s Guide to Improvisation: Moving Beyond “Yes, and”

David Razowsky

Keeping it Real – I met David Razowsky back in college, at Northern Illinois University in the cornfields of middle-of-the-road, 1980s America. Dave was a fiery kid, a profoundly talented photojournalist working at the student-run newspaper, The Northern Star. I worked there, too, as a reporter and editor. After school, I lost touch with Dave – or David L as we called him at that time. A few years later, we heard he was appearing in a Second City show, which a group of us then saw and loved. I’ve on-and-off followed his career from afar, more closely in recent years since reconnecting via social media. This past March, we met in-person over breakfast at the LA Farmers Market and, in June, we met again very briefly following his terrific performance at Bughouse Theater in Chicago’s Lakeview/North Center neighborhood. If anything, David is even more a fiery kid – mixed now with the wisdom of passing years. His book, “A Subversive’s Guide to Improvisation,” is a must-read. The book recaps the highs and lows of Dave’s “improvised journey” as an actor; describes his approach to acting, teaching, and coaching, complete with exercises; and features some funny and heart-warming scrapbook pieces.