Benjamin Dalpos
The Western Front
Issue date: 5/4/01
Ryan Stiles started his stand-up comedy career emceeing for Canadian strip clubs at $20 per night.
"My parents are real happy about me quitting high school and working strip clubs," Stiles said.
The tall, lanky comedian improvised his way into making thousands of dollars per episode delivering one-liners on the hit television shows "Whose Line is it anyway" and "The Drew Carey show."
Stiles, slightly slouched, showed up to teach a drama workshop at Western yesterday with a 20 ounce coffee in hand.
Stiles told the drama students that listening is the most important aspect of improvisational acting.
He ran through different theater exercises to help train actors and actresses in the art of improv.
Stiles started doing stand-up in Vancouver, British Columbia with three other comedians and opened up the first comedy club in the city.
He learned improvisational acting when Howie Mandel showed up at his club.
"Howie Mandel was the first person we did (improv) with," Stiles said. "We kind of got hooked on it."
"Whose Line is it Anyway" co-star Colin Montgomery and Stiles have known each other for 23 years.
Stiles said he would work on the basics all the time, even in his living room.
Improvisational theater involves actors or actresses who don�t have a script and create scenes off each other.
The first exercise consisted of 10 people who all had to answer and then rebut. Participants contributed by saying "yes, and ... " going around and around. Comments in the exercise consisted of a wide variety of topics from God to tacos and Star Wars to shaved cats.
"I thought he had some really good points," Western student Matt Hopkins said. "It was a good learning experience hearing it from a pro."
The second exercise entailed two conversations between three people who sat side by side. The person in the middle would have to skip from each conversation. Meanwhile, the person who wasn�t being spoken to had to carry on a conversation alone. This would go on for a few minutes, and then the actors would rotate positions. The game sparked many one-liners.
"Abercrombie is coming out with a Fidel Castro chic (clothing line)," Western student F. Tyler Burnet said, while participating in the exercise.
"This is all basic stuff," Stiles said. "It all just becomes second nature."
Stiles performed with the improv group The Second City in 1986 and moved to Los Angeles with the group. He tried out for "The Drew Carey Show" in 1996 and also participated at The Improv in Melrose, Calif.
In the past he has commuted from California to the Northwest. He bought a house on Lake Samish two years ago, and he will move there permanently after his contract ends in a year with "The Drew Carey Show."
"Pick weeds, drink wine and do nothing," Stiles said. "I would like to do shows around here. I would love to do this (workshop) with smaller classes."
He said he hopes to impart his wisdom on future actors and actresses.
"Work all the time, and this is the perfect place to learn," Stiles said.
