I accept your apology, but I did take offense to your gatekeeping and suggestion that the composition of my class is somehow the cause of UCB's decline. I got a

I accept your apology, but I did take offense to your gatekeeping and suggestion that the composition of my class is somehow the cause of UCB's decline. I got a lot of benefit out of my 101 and 201 classes, and then stopped because I got what I was looking for and was not interested in continuing that track. In the past, I said the experience was the social equivalent of joining a pickup soccer game thinking you were in shape, and wheezing while out of breath in the first ten minutes. The classes taught me the importance of active listening, the magic of groupthink, and the difference between sincere expression and artificial performance. My own experience leads me to believe learning improv can help the average person practice empathy and understand themselves better. I think the world would be better if improv were approachable to everyone (even those outside of LA and NYC who do not have $450 to blow). Because I understand the scene better, I consider UCB, especially its "professional track", to be an exploitative clique that mortgaged its reputation for quick growth. Regardless of mission statements or guidance, it has always been obvious that a specific mold of performers are granted any opportunity. Still, there is no way the "old UCB" would have survived the past 20 years, and it is reassuring to hear startup theaters can spread the good word.