Originally published in November 2017
I’ve been doing improv for a few years now and I was always apprehensive to go to jams and could never really put my finger on why that was. When I heard about the opportunity to participate in an all female jam, it immediately spoke to me and felt like something I wanted to be a part of. The Ma’am Jam was incredible, you could feel all the energy of the women together. There was a universal female perspective that made every scene so fun, so hilarious, and so witty. It felt supportive, comfortable, and familiar. It really felt like no other experience I have had in improv, like we were all long lost sisters getting all of the same inside jokes. It flowed, it felt good, it felt supportive, and it was something I knew I would have to do again. As women, there is a common thread how we experience the world and how the world experiences us. All of that came through the scenes in this beautifully hilarious way. A few weeks later I did an improv workshop with men and women, and an interesting thing occurred. I felt that same comfort, confidence, and ease that I did from the Ma’am Jam. I think that having that experience really shifted my perception of how I play as an improviser. I knew my ladies were there and we could still do all of that greatness with the men there too. Wham Bam, thank you Ma’am Jam! Can’t wait for the next one!
Andrea K. Baum, M.Ed., LPC
Improv for Life Program Director
What other comedy women said about Ma’am Jam:
“Playing with a group of women, many I had just met for the first time, was so empowering. It was freeing to speak and move without judgement knowing that you had full support. We all have different backstories and they blended together for an amazing evening of love and improv”
Jill Nastasia
“When I played with other women in the Ma’am Jam, it was the most supported I’ve felt in improv. Even though I didn’t know most of my fellow players, I never doubted for a minute that they had my back. There were no egos or 1-upmanship. It was a group of women, from beginners to experts, coming together to have fun and play”
Michelle Redding