One of Rob Belushi's first jobs on Chicago's live theater scene was a hosting gig at Second City where he seated people, stocked the bar with ice and cleaned up puke. And yes, he is from THAT Belushi family. (He also appears on Spike TV's "The Joe Schmo Show.")
Only a few years ago, Lucas Neff of FOX's "Raising Hope" became a self-proclaimed "weird improv groupie" when he shuttled from Andersonville to Wrigleyville to catch shows at ImprovOlympic up to five nights a week.
Way before Second City and iO alum Kay Cannon became a writer for NBC's "30 Rock" or FOX's "New Girl," she'd do a shot of Jack Daniel's before a set to kill her nerves of performing onstage.
All three return to Chicago this week for the 16th annual Chicago Improv Festival-the biggest international improv fest in the world. They're among the 765 artists performing more than 90 shows on 20 stages throughout the city.
Fans can check out acts that include Craig Cackowski of NBC's "Community" as well as Scott Adsit and John Lutz of "30 Rock." Tickets are available at the venue's box office or through the venue's website.
Actors will perform shows in nine improv categories, alternative, emerging artists, experimental, genre, long form, musical, puppetry, short form and improv on screen. More details are available at chicagoimprovfestival.org.
Belushi, Neff and Cannon dished to RedEye about the art of improv, what gets laughs, and how they've used their improv skills offstage.
Lucas Neff
What he likes about the craft
Improv is really the heart of acting. I think it's at the heart of the creative process too. There's no filter between your brain and what's happening on stage in an ideal situation.
What makes actors good at improv
They seem to have a capacity for understanding other people in situations very quickly.
How improv crosses over to his personal life
Life is improvised. I think it builds a certain confidence to trust that the present moment is all you need. You don't need to choreograph your life out.
Kay Cannon
What not to do at a show
Don't heckle. You're not funnier than the people on stage.
The difference between improv, sketch comedy and comedy show writing
It always feels like play ...You're free and you're not thinking and you're just going off the person next to you.
The best thing about improv
I look forward to improvising when I can because it's not work. It's playful.
Rob Belushi
On Chicago audiences
Chicago audiences are smart, playful, fun, drunk, horny. They love sports and they love art. That's your dream as a performer, to have that type of sophisticated and yet modest audience.
On being funny
The funniness was always a byproduct of being alive and living in the moment onstage. If you're interested in what you're doing and having a lot of fun with the people you're doing it with, people's natural sense of humor comes out. And luckily, I had one show once that people laughed.
What makes him laugh
Discomfort really makes me laugh a lot ... I enjoy watching when things get dark and enjoy watching when people are real ... Farts are really funny.