I first met J.J.R. Taylor last summer, when he volunteered to teach an improv acting class for teens as part of the library’s summer reading program. I was immediately impressed by his comfort around young people and his ability to coax even the shyest kids into participating. I remember that one boy was sitting on the edge of the group, initially refusing to jump into the improv game they were playing. Mr. Taylor was encouraging while setting clear expectations at the same time, saying, “If you’re in here, you have to participate. You can mess up. You can flub a line; that’s fine. But you have to try.” The boy did join in, and by the end he clearly didn’t want the class to end.

 

I didn’t want the class to end either. Afterwards, we decided to continue the improv classes throughout the school year. Over that time, I have heard from several regulars of Mr. Taylor’s classes about how improv has helped them. They enjoy the classes and games, of course, but they’ve also noticed a change in themselves. They are more confident, more able to think on their feet, and adjust to unexpected situations easier. I believe this is largely due to Mr. Taylor’s coaching style in which mistakes are fine, but you still must try.

 

Mr. Taylor is a great benefit to our library and our community. We are extremely lucky to have him.