Meet Butterr

We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Butterr a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Hi Butterr, we’re so appreciative of you taking the time to share your nuggets of wisdom with our community. One of the topics we think is most important for folks looking to level up their lives is building up their self-confidence and self-esteem. Can you share how you developed your confidence?

Joining Improv 101 has made us more confident people, both individually and as a group. Each of us signed up for different reasons—some to improve public speaking, others to network, or simply to try something new. Coming from different generations and backgrounds, we didn’t know a single person when we walked into our first class almost two years ago. However, through the classes, we confronted and overcame our vulnerabilities together. This experience has made us closer than we ever imagined.

We became a team and each other’s biggest cheerleaders, supporting one another not just in improv but in all aspects of life. Our growth and confidence have been fueled by the art of improv and the unwavering support we provide each other.

Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?

We’re an improv troupe from Baton Rouge, LA, known as Butterr. We’ve got Abby, Angi, Chelsea, Janet, Jenn, and Peterr! We all signed up for Improv 101—except for Angi, who was our teacher! From there, we progressed through Improv 201, 301, 401, and 501. After completing all five courses, we formed our team and became the house team at Boomerang Comedy Theater, performing one Friday a month.

Due to our quirky differences and the closeness we’ve developed, we consider ourselves like a dysfunctional ’90s sitcom family. Our improv style is unique; it’s not like “Whose Line is it Anyway” with games. Instead, we perform a long-form version of improv called “Living Room” (since we’re a family, right?). We pull up chairs and have genuine conversations about our day, week, dating lives, etc. From these stories, we draw inspiration for our improv skits.

You can catch Butterr performing one Friday a month at The Boomerang Comedy Theater in Baton Rouge. You might also find us performing in New Orleans or Lafayette!

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

The three most helpful things we’ve gained from Improv are:
1. Yes, And: This principle teaches you not to negate what someone else is saying. Instead of dismissing someone’s idea in a meeting or conversation, “Yes, And” encourages building on each other’s ideas, fostering creativity and collaboration.
2. Confidence: Breaking down every vulnerability with a group of strangers helps you build confidence. After such an experience, activities like attending a networking event alone or public speaking feel less intimidating and more like opportunities.
3. Stop Overthinking: In improv, there’s no time to think things through; you can only react. This has been the toughest but most valuable lesson, as it helps overcome the habit of overthinking, allowing for more spontaneous and genuine interactions.

We honestly cannot recommend enough taking even a simple Improv 101 class or even a team building workshop! The amount that you can learn in 1-2 hours can be life changing!

We’ve all got limited resources, time, energy, focus etc – so if you had to choose between going all in on your strengths or working on areas where you aren’t as strong, what would you choose?

Everyone in our group has their own unique strength that benefits the team, whether it’s specific accents, one-liners, or high energy. Each of us brings something different and special to the table.

However, it’s so important to work on improving areas where we aren’t as strong. We do this every single week at practice, focusing on specific skills or areas that will benefit the entire team during a show. The goal isn’t to make yourself look good on stage but to make your scene partners look good.

An essential part of our improvement process has been learning to welcome and accept feedback. After every show, we review the performance during our next practice to find ways to improve. This continuous feedback and dedication to growth help us become better individually and as a team.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/butterr.improv
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552351587137
• Other: We’re also on TikTok @butterr.improv

Image Credits

Jenn Ocken