Bart Sumner on Improvising Through Grief

This week's episode features Bart Sumner…

In 2009 Bart Sumner’s life was shattered when his 10-year-old son, David, suffered a traumatic brain injury at football practice and died in his arms. Finding a way back to the road forward in a world where mourners are told “He’s in a better place” or to “Get over it” is a daunting and painful journey. He came to realize that the twenty-five plus years he spent as a performer and teacher of improvisational comedy was not only the key to his own survival, but also a powerful tool to help others mired in grief.

Born and raised in New Jersey, Bart has been a professional Actor/SAG-AFTRA Member since 1990. He’s trained and performed with The Groundlings, Universal Studios, Hollywood, among other theatres. Though he initially was drawn to improv to try and be funny, he found it to be an incredibly powerful tool for processing grief. He is the author of Healing Improv: A Journey Through Grief to Laughter and teaches improv at the Comedy Fort in Fort Collins, Colorado.

In this episode…

• Bart shares what inspired him to take his first improv class
• Hear about Bart’s experience limo driving in between training and performing in NYC and LA
• Bart shares how improv was his therapy after the tragic death of his 10 year old son
• Bart reveals the moment he saw there was more to improv than laughing
• Find out a key way to get people out of bed after experiencing great loss
• Hear how improv can be a way to take us out of pain and still help us process it
• Bart shares techniques and games anyone grieving can use
• Bart shares about his book Healing Improv: A Journey Through Grief to Laughter
• Learn how improv can be a powerful tool when communicating with someone with Alzheimer’s
• We demonstrate an exercise you can use to improve joy, connection, listening, and bring lightness during dark times

From Bart, when asked how improv has improved his life offstage, “Helped me find a way forward after the death of my 10 year old son David”

Connect with Bart on Facebook and check out his book Healing Improv: A Journey Through Grief to Laughter

If you liked what you heard, Subscribe, write a review, tell a friend. If you didn’t like what you heard, well, try again next time. Each episode is different and we’re always improving (see what I did there?!)

Visit www.chooseimprove.com for resources and ways to improve in your life and work.

Join us for at chooseimprove.substack.com for weekly improvisations and monthly virtual sessions to practice improvising in your life.

Connect with us on Instagram @chooseimprove and linkedin.chooseimprove.com