Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Devin Dugan. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Devin, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today I’m sure there have been days where the challenges of being an artist or creative force you to think about what it would be like to just have a regular job. When’s the last time you felt that way? Did you have any insights from the experience?

I am very happy. I get to play make-believe for a living – how great is that? It’s amazing. Improv and comedy have given me so many wonderful opportunities and I appreciate every single one of them. I’ve had many regular jobs over the years and hated every single one of them. Every moment I was working at one of these awful “regular” jobs I would just spend all my time thinking about how I was not doing something creative. Now, I get to do my dream job, which at times doesn’t even seem like a job at all. I know how fortunate I am.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am currently the owner and artistic director of the Main Stage cast at ImprovCity in Tustin, CA. I I started out almost thirty years ago in my hometown of Green Bay, WI. I always knew I wanted to do something in the comedy world, and when I was introduced to improv, I realized that was it. Improv opened so many doors for me. Through performing improv I became a standup comedian, an actor, a teacher, a director, a producer, an author, an international award-winning screenwriter – and so many more creative outlets that I couldn’t even have imagined. All of these worlds were opened to me from the humble beginnings of learning how to “Yes, and…” – which for those who don’t know is the first rule of improvisation.

I am proud of everything I have accomplished, but if I had to narrow it down to just one or two, I would say – 1) being able to own and run my own theater where up and coming artists (like I was at the beginning) can begin their improv journey, and 2) being a published writer. I guess at heart I’m just in love with being a storyteller – whether it be acted out on a stage or written down on a piece of paper.

ImprovCity, which I started back in July 2009, has become the premiere improv comedy place in Orange County, CA. We not only perform anywhere between 6-12 improv shows a week, but we also offer standup comedy shows, classes, workshops, festivals, and all sorts of other types of live entertainment. It’s become a spot that comedians, improvisers, and any other artists can come and hang out, make friends, and hone their craft.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

While there are many, many rewarding aspects of doing what I do, I have found two to be the most fulfilling. The first one is more selfish. Making people laugh just makes me feel good too. It’s causes a natural high. Being on stage in front of that live audience and knowing what you just said or did made them react with a belly-roar of laughter is, to me, one of the greatest feelings in the world.

The other rewarding aspect is that you actually get the chance to affect people’s lives. I’ve had so many people over the years tell me how things in their life were not going well, or a that they lost a loved one, or they were out of work, etc. Just so many sad people out there. But somehow they found themselves at one of my shows, and what I did on stage made them laugh for the first time in a long time, or made them forget about the struggles of their daily routine just for a bit. Being able to touch people in that manner is so powerful, and I never take it or my audience for granted. I’m grateful for every single person who’s ever come to see me perform. Without them, I wouldn’t get to do what I do. They made me what I am today. And I thank each and every one of them.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

One very strong time I along with almost everyone I knew had to pivot was during the shutdown years of Covid-19. It was tough. Every aspect of live events and get-togethers was canceled. There were no comedy shows, no improv clubs, nothing. It was tough. But fortunately through the determination of others like myself, we came together and found a way to adapt. We started doing online shows and live-streaming them for our audiences. It was a tough medium to handle as a comedian because you didn’t get that live reaction you get from an in-house crowd. It started out slow, but luckily through our social media, and fans who’ve been following and supporting ImprovCity (and myself) for years, we were able to ride out the storm and come out even more successful than before.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.improvcityonline.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/devin_1974/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ImprovCityOnline/videos
• Other: IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm5399011/?ref_=fn_al_nm_1

Image Credits
Ryan Stephens from NMU and Patrick Yandoc