Nick Faber, 26, center, warms up with other class members before an advanced class at Dirty South Improv Comedy Theater, also known as DSI, in Carrboro.

“I got down here, and after just looking for theaters with no specific style in mind, I came across DSI and I went to see a show and I thought, ‘I have to be doing that,’ so I signed up for a class like the week after I saw the first show,” says Faber who moved to the area last summer from Virginia to find more of a community theater scene. He has taken classes since and has also performed at the theater.

Faber, who sells Internet ads during the day, really enjoys taking the evening improv class. “Some of the skills that I’ve learned here, believe it or not, and this might sound cliche,” he says, “but I can really use them in my job because I have to communicate all the time with clients and what improv does, especially in the beginning levels, is it pulls out parts of your character that you don’t realize you have but you know everybody has.

“Everybody improvises everyday. That’s what we’re doing right now you know. I’m making up what I’m saying. This isn’t scripted so these classes just kind of encourage you to think in a way that helps you come up with lines and you can translate that into your life … into your career,” he says.

DSI offers a variety of classes and produces shows every weekend, including student showcases. To learn more about DSI visit www.dsicomedytheater.com.