Ralph Andracchio has been a staple of the Philly improv world for a good while now. As a performer he’s been on numerous improv teams including the festival hopping Sad Trombone with Steve Kleinedler, In Space, and more. As an instructor, Ralph has worked with Philly Improv Theater, Liberty Improv Theater, and now we are lucky to have him teaching with us when his schedule allows. Ralph’s next class with Crossroads is one he’s offered before – Boldly Go: Strong Scene Starts. We asked Ralph a few questions about his class and his view of improv in general to give some people that may not know him a better understanding of your future instructor.
How did you get started in improv?
I come from a pretty funny family so I grew up with a lot of laughter at home. Then I was living in LA for a while in the early 2000’s and I had a friend who performed in the Groundlings. I went to see a show one night and was immediately enthralled. And once I moved back to Philly I bought myself a level 101 improv class as a birthday present to myself. Man, after that first class I never looked back. I found my thing. It was cool.
What do you like most about improv?
It’s such an inclusive artform. The lack of need for props and makeup and costumes and special sets and lighting means it is accessible to all. It’s truly an artform of the people. And it’s something we all do every day. No one wakes up with a script on their nightstand outlining what’s going to happen that day. We’re all kinda winging it. So we all already have a little improv training. And improv teaches you how to roll with the unexpected, to listen more and talk less, and to be confident in yourself. All great things.
How do you shake off a “bad” show?
Ugh it’s always tough when a bad show happens. But I take comfort in knowing all of us have had a bad show at some point. It’s part of being an improviser. The more you do it, the more resilient you get and the quicker you bounce back. The best thing to do isn’t to ignore it or push it down. Acknowledge it. Give yourself and your team 10 minutes to talk about it and see what you can learn from it to make better choices next time. And then open your hands and let it go. Don’t hold on to it. That memory is only one more thing that weighs you down. Make room for the next show and the happy memories that will come from it.
How would you define your improv style or improv philosophy?
Be truthful and get to the point. Sometimes performers who are just starting out fall into a very “acting” mindset where they can get lost in the icing on the cake without having baked the cake first. What’s truly funny in improv are the natural, honest reactions the players have during a scene. The quicker you can work on being totally comfortable on stage and say what you’re thinking or feeling right away, the quicker the scene TRULY starts and the quicker you can get to more fun stuff.
Which fictional teacher in movies, series, or books would you say captures your style as an improv instructor?
I really want to say Yoda, but that requires an ego FAR bigger than mine, and I can’t pull off Jedi robes. So I’m going to say Ms. Norbury (Tina Fey) from Mean Girls. Awkward, honest, and wanted the best for her students.
How has improv impacted your daily life and work?
Oh gosh in so many ways. Improv taught me to really listen when someone is talking to me, and not just wait for my turn to talk. It taught me to speak my truth and be confident in who I am. And it led me to so many amazing opportunities in my professional life, like becoming a life coach, opening my own business, working with corporations on employee training, and getting back into nonprofit work.
What is Boldly Go all about? Why should people take this class?
This intensive is based on a workshop myself and my comedy partner Steve Kleinedler run at festivals around the country. It’s all about exploring the first couple nanoseconds of a scene and discovering how much information is there. As soon as your foot hits the boards when you step off the sideline, the scene has started. How you move toward your scene partner, how much space you take up, how you’re standing, how you’re breathing, how you’re feeling… ALL of this is telling you what the scene is about. And it’s immediate. You don’t have to think about it. Just listen to what the scene is telling you and move with it. This intensive is all about slowing down and exploring those moments at the top of the scene, and how many different ways you can interpret that information to craft a character and a relationship. It’s pretty fascinating!
Do you have any shows coming up?
I do! I’ve been hosting a sex positive panel comedy show called Porn Stash with my friend Betty Smithsonian for the last 7 years. We invite some local comedians and sex experts to watch a few clips of porn and then talk about it in an adult, respectful, and fun way. We don’t make fun of the kink or the people, but instead explore the topic, share stories, ask questions, and create a space where people can learn and grow that’s inclusive and comfortable. We also play games with the audience and have some fun giveaways. And we won a Best of Philly 2023 award from Philadelphia Magazine so I think we’re doing something right! Our next show is April 5th right here at Crossroads!
Anything else you’d like to share about improv or the class or teaching?
Never stop learning! I am always on the lookout for a fun class or workshop to take, or a good practice group to join. There’s always something new to learn, and I don’t really think of myself as a veteran performer even though I’ve been doing this for 15 years now. But I do have a lot of knowledge to share, and this class is super fun so sign up so we can have fun together!
Boldy Go: Strong Scene starts runs Tuesdays 2/27 – 3/19 from 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Want to split up your enrollment into four, equal, no-interest payments over 6 weeks? We got your back! Email classes@xroadscomedy.com to request a payment plan.
ABOUT RALPH ANDRACCHIO: Ralph Andracchio (he/him) is an award-winning Philly based artist and for the past 16 years has been performing, teaching, directing, and producing comedy all over the US. With his time at Philly Improv Theater as Artistic Director or as a curriculum consultant at Liberty Improv Theater he has always strived to use improv as a conduit to tell more stories, explore more relationships, and challenge performers and audiences to think differently about themselves and each other.
He is currently a member of the improv team (in space), co-host of the wildly popular and Best of Philly 2023 sex education/comedy show Porn Stash, and one half of the duo Sad Trombone with fellow homosexual Steve Kleinedler. Ralph is also a co-host of the podcast Cookbook Obscura, and along with friends and fellow comedians Aubrie Williams and Shannon DeVido invites guests to make obscure recipes found in obscure cookbooks and talk about how bad it is for an hour.
