When considering the number one rule of improv, many people think ‘never say no’ or ‘don't think twice.’ However, in order to lead our daily lives with cooperation, compassion, and listening, we must remove these negative impulses and embrace the power of ‘Yes, and.’ Rebecca (she/her) directs theatre, new media, and film. Originally from Williamsburg, VA, Rebecca is currently based in Washington, DC and Pittsburgh, PA where she is pursuing her MFA in Directing as a John Wells Directing Fellow at Carnegie Mellon University. Rebecca founded the non-profit theatre Who What Where Theater Collective, where she produced and directed two world premiere plays. Rebecca has worked as Artistic Associate for Acting for Young People since 2012, where she developed and implemented their improv curriculum for students ages 5-80. She has also taught corporate improv workshops with non-profit Art Propel for major organizations such as Marriott International. Catch her MFA thesis production of the new musical this old haunt here at CMU in November 2022. rebeccawahls.com This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at www.ted.com/tedx