

Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Angelilli.
Hi Amy, can you start by introducing yourself? We’dWe’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today.
When I was going through a divorce about 20 years ago in Philadelphia, I began taking improv classes. It was a way to start a new chapter, make new friends, and dive into a new side of myself. I continued exploring this hobby when I moved to Denver. I continued my improvisational theater journey here by performing, creating, and producing shows. I also realized the transformational elements of improv as they pertain to life off the stage. One day I was leading an Improv for Everyone workshop, and a recently retired gentleman came up to me afterward and said, “Thank you. Now I can tackle the rest of my bucket list because if I can do improv, I can do all the other things.” At the moment, I fully understood because of the unscripted and sometimes uncomfortable nature of improv, it can serve as a gateway to adventures beyond the theater. And that’s when The Adventure Project was born. A few years later, I moved to St. Augustine and created an improv school and improv training programs for organizations, so individuals and teams can benefit from this immersive cooperative play experience.
I’m sure you wouldn’twouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a smooth road?
As a solopreneur, there’s always a struggle in motion because you only have yourself. This has been a huge struggle for me as I facilitate group experiences where collaboration is essential. I always have an ear to the ground for possible collaborators because I flourish in those spaces. The other challenge is overcoming the assumptions about my work because of the comedy element. I often hear someone saying, “Oh, so you’re a comedian? Say something funny right now.” Or someone might say, “Oh, I could never do improv. I’m not funny.” The truth is that improv is only sometimes funny because improv comedy is only one type of improv. And, there aren’t prepared jokes in improvisation, so I don’t have something in my pocket ready to pull out. Improv is about active listening, co-creating, sharing focus, discovering together, exploring relationships, failing with grace, being in the moment, and sometimes comedy happens as a result.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As the Chief Adventure Officer of The Adventure Project, I facilitate personal and professional transformation through cooperative play. I’m a certified laughter yoga leader with 20 years of improvisational theater experience. I’ve worked in nearly every environment imaginable, from retreats and conferences to summer camps and senior centers to universities and corporations.
The Adventure Project is considered recess for any age. With that blend of improvisation, laughter, mindfulness, and games, the immersive experiences enable grown-ups to be in the moment, off the technology and permit them to connect meaningfully with other lifelong learners and explorers. The playshops (not workshops) are considered moving meditations, as only when we are cooperatively (not competitively) playing can we completely show up and be present. Time flies while we’re doing this one thing – connecting to creating something with no script.
With The Adventure Project, I offer five levels of improv training through the improv school for grown-ups that operates out of Limelight Theatre in St. Augustine. (And yes, there are after-school and summer camps for kids, too.) There are also group offerings, as The Adventure Project uses these tools for organizational team building, bonding, and development. Interactive experiences at conferences, retreats, and orientations are also part of the mix, as through these immersive experiences, participants are more engaged with the event and the other attendees.
Some consider me a Mary Poppins-type character sprinkling a little magic through The Adventure Project programs. I consider myself a container that holds space for people and groups to explore how play can benefit their personal and professional lives. If that play involves a little pixie dust once in a while, that’s all the better!
What do you think about happiness?
My two favorite things are improv and travel because both can bring a sense of awe. Why? Because we don’t know what we’ll experience when we’re open to exploring and experiencing the unknown. The best improv and travel experiences left me surprised at what I discovered.
Pricing:
- Level 1 Improv: $195 – $215
Contact Info:
- Website: https://adventure-project.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/theadventurepro/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theadventurepro
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/amy-angelilli-6b85282/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/amyadventurepro
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCFSEOmEizTsFQhSHmte0rvQ