For the Fun of It - the Canadian Improv Games

a brief explanation of canada's competitive secondary school improv scene

Hi! My name is Ashlyn Anstee, and I tell stories with words and pictures. Sometimes, that’s picture books (like Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library Select “Hedgehog”), or graphic novels (my series “Shelby and Watts”), and sometimes it’s animation (I’ve directed at places like Warner Bros. and Cartoon Network).

This column, “For the Fun of It”, will also have words and pictures. Sometimes it will be stories, or how-tos, or thoughts. A little bit of everything. Hope you enjoy!

A dive into the past

A question that I get asked a lot at book readings is about when I started drawing. I actually didn’t start drawing until I was thirteen or so. My first dream job was actually to be an improvisor. As you can imagine, it is not the most profitable career option, so my parents were actually pretty excited when I ended up choosing animation instead.

Like most kids of that era, I’d grown up with “Whose Line Is It, Anyway?”, which seemed like a perfectly reasonable job to have. There were, of course, two Canadians on the show (Colin Mochrie & Ryan Styles!), which any Canadian will tell you if you ever mention the show or improv at all.
And when I went to high school/secondary school, I got the chance to try out for our improv team!

Wait back up-

A team? Like sports, but for Improv? Yes, and yes. The Canadian Improv Games have been around since 1977, and they run across Canada. Canada is really, really big. But every year, they held competitions, and even NATIONALS, where the winning teams from each city would go to Ottawa and compete. It felt COOL to be on the improv team, like a real proper sports team. (Like football quarterbacks but much nerdier).

This article quotes some of the alums of CIG- there are the obvious comedic Canadians like Seth Rogen and Nathan Fielder, but surprisingly, Alanis Morisette is also a CIG alum.

Each team had a set amount of players, and a coach. We’d rehearse, every week, and then there were scored competitions. You’d compete in games like “Story”, “Style”, and “Life”. You were awarded points for humor, yes, but also for blocking (the actions on the stage, and your awareness of it), accepting other’s offers (the famous “yes, and…”), and using audience’s prompts.

This section of the CIG website explains the scoring! It’s pretty intensive. The wikipedia also gives a pretty good run down.

Ewe-Hill

I went to a pretty academic secondary school (University Hill, back when it was on the small campus on UBC’s grounds). We were a small school, grades 8-12, and 500 students. Frankly, our sports teams were not that great (but we did win a lot of math competitions). And our improv team was GOOD! We went by Ewe-Hill (a terrible pun on UHill), with a logo of the copurtino sunscreen girl with a sheep pulling down her bathing suit (a worse logo).

kind of like this, but worse.

The Lower Mainland (what we call Vancouver’s sprawl) had a lot of schools. We had rivals! Point Grey can suck it!!!! It was like a sports drama. We almost made it to Nationals a few times (I think one year we were second.) I got on the team when I was in the 8th Grade (I was the youngest on the team!), and eventually became captain when I was in the 11th Grade.

Even as I got more and more into art, the Improv team was such a staple of my time in secondary school. Here’s a guy from my secondary school explaining UNNECESSARY RISKS in a YouTube video. Look how serious we all are!!

Also, CIG runs this raffle at competitions called WHAT’S IN THE BOX, where they raffle of a box of random stuff. From Wikipedia:

"What's in the box" is a popular Improv fundraiser in which the hosts gather a variety of prizes, put them in a box, and sell off raffle tickets for various prices. Halfway through the show the officials will give a hint distantly related to the contents of the box when time comes the official will explain the clue usually in a run on sentence. As prizes are given out the teams are encouraged to say there are more as the official prompts by saying "But wait..." prior to pulling out another object. The many mystery prizes within the box will be revealed and usually tied to a theme by the presenters as drawn out of the box. These prizes are often "silly" prizes such as odd books and bars of soap as well as Canadian Improv Games merchandise. Often a "real" prize will also be offered for selection (such as chocolates, CDs and gift cards), in which case two raffle winners are selected and often have to participate in a small competition to see who gets to choose their prize first.

I won it one year, and I still have the plastic dinosaur from it on my “Whatnot” shelf. (More on my whatnot shelf in another column).

Improv

Improv is fun. You’ve probably either taken a class or thought about taking one at some point (especially if you live in LA). They’re recommended for people to get out of their shell, and think on their feet. Learning improv during such a formative time made me a more outgoing person, at least someone more confidently able to interact with others in the world. I definitely think watching amateur improv can be a tough experience, and I am endlessly grateful for my parents for sitting through competitions. I don’t think there’s an equivalent in the States (I’ve heard maybe Odyssey of the Mind has similar components?). If there is an equivalent, drop it in the comments.

I never picked up improv past secondary school. My college had no improv club (we were all too busy doing hours and hours of life drawing). When I moved out to LA, there were a multitude of options for improv classes, of course. I always kind of wished there was a competitive league for improv, like they have for adult sports leagues. Maybe that’s the person in me that can’t take part in something unless there’s a winning or losing element to it, and maybe I’ve got to rethink that.

Here’s a wonderful video from a Canadian teen explaining some of what they learned doing CIG in secondary school.

CIG

When I was researching this column, I learned that CIG is doing a fundraising campaign now for their upcoming season. Like most live shows, they lost a whack of time and money during COVID. Consider donating some money! Link here.

Substack of the Week

Thought I’d start linking out some of my favorite substacks each week, too.

Inkygirl by Debbie Ridpath Ohi

is a Kidlit icon, and has so many tips, tricks, and insight to share on her substack!

Thing of the Week

I haven’t made my order yet, but I’ve been obsessing over Hightide’s online shop. I have a few of their things (including this tiny container which serves as my belt bag art supply carry all), but am obsessing over their PENCO products. They give me intense nostalgia.

bowling ball pin ballpoint pen: my mind says no but my heart says yes.

ok love u bye