Bucks arts and communications
professor Bill McLaughlin has had
a very successful professional
career doing improvisation.
In his career, McLaughlin has
worked for ESPN, performed with
the improv group Chicago City
Limits, and was named a New York
improv legend by the New York
Improv Jam.
Born in Philadelphia, McLaughlin
moved to Bucks County at the
age of 6. He attended Archbishop
Ryan High School and is a former
Bucks student.
“I was a communications major
but didn’t really get motivated until
I took a class with Patricia Moore,”
McLaughlin said. “I auditioned for
a play, got the lead, and then was in
five more productions in a row. We
did lots of theatre back then.”
McLaughlin knew he wanted to
be an improv comedian at a young
age, being influenced by the popular
comedy troupe Monty Python.
In 1977, McLaughlin moved to
Chicago and attended an improv
comedy show with his sister.
“Watching the show made me
feel like a kid in a candy shop; I
wanted to jump on stage right
then.”
His time would come, and it did
from 1977-1982, performing with
Chicago City Limits. McLaughlin
performed with Del Close in one of
his long-running shows, “Del
Close’s Farewell Salute to Chicago.”
“My classes are workshops in
improvisational performance
technique,” said McLaughlin.
“We employ the basic principles
along with my own approach to
ensemble performance.”
McLaughlin teaches his students
the way he was taught, and
enjoys every minute of it.
“The best part is watching my
students discover how it works and
getting excited about it. They also
know that I enjoy their success and
allow them to fail in order to succeed.”
Though pursuing a career in
improv comedy may be a long and
taxing task, McLaughlin has some
guidelines and tips.
“Study with a number of instructors
to develop a strong, versatile
understanding of improv. Study
acting, movement, voice and
music. These are tools, and really
handy ones. Join a group. Form a
group. Be relentless.”
These days, besides being a
teacher at Bucks, McLaughlin is
the artistic director for a group
called Sam Malone’s Hairpiece.
His next performance will be at
McCoole’s in Quakertown on Oct.
27. Be there if you want to learn
about improv comedy from one of
the best out there, McLaughlin.