#247: Improv: Laugh While Flexing Your Spontaneous Speaking Skills – Karen Rae Hannah

[27:25] Improvisation—or improv—the art of saying or doing something relevant to the moment, yet completely unplanned, is a great way to get people laughing and flexing their spontaneous speaking skills. In this episode, we speak with Karen Rae Hannah,  a 16-year Toastmaster who belongs to five clubs, two of which are dedicated to humor and improv and one of which she is the President.

In this lighthearted episode, Karen Rae gives us her take on what improv is, some of the forms it takes. She also enlightens us as to how it’s integrated and used within her club meetings and how it can be used in any meeting. 

She also shares how she feels it differs from impromptu speaking or Table Topics and also learn what skills improv can improve and how improv can help one improve both their speaking and leadership skills and more.

Karen Rae Hannah was one of a number of individuals interviewed for the article, “Improv-ing Club Meetings: How 3 clubs are getting laughs and flexing their spontaneous speaking skills,” by Stephanie Darling from the February 2024 issue of the Toastmaster Magazine.

Karen Rae Hannah lives in Woodbury, MN, USA. She is the President of Improv and Humor,  an on-line club based in Torrance, CA. She's also a retired businesswoman and single mother who ran an adoption agency. She has five adult children and six grandchildren, several with special needs who inspire her daily and are often a source of humor for her.

Improv Clubs mentioned in this episode:

Improv and Humor Club, on online club based in Torrence, CA.

International Improv Toastmasters Club, a Chinese-English speaking club based in Beijing, China. (In-person)

Improv Toastmasters, an online club based in North Hollywood, California.