Photos: Courtesy Mary Kraft

Dan Triandiflou is the kind of dad who makes it up as he goes. Previously the director of improvisation at Dad’s Garage Theatre and currently a member of its artistic ensemble, he’s a pro at going with the flow. Since his son, Henry, made his big entrance a year-and-a-half ago, Dan has learned a lot about how his improv skills make him a better father, but he’s always open to suggestions from the audience!

As a kid, when did you realize you were funny?
I guess around 5 years old. My whole family was sitting in the car, stuck in a traffic jam on the Long Island Express. When my sister, Lynn, explained to me what traffic was, I puzzlingly replied, “Why doesn’t the guy in front just go faster?” I wasn’t trying to be funny, but it got a laugh.

What was your first experience with improv comedy?
I saw it and did a little in college. At the time, I was turned off by it. No one knew what they were doing and it was a bunch of cheap jokes. Years later, I watched improv troupes who knew what they were doing, Dad’s Garage Theatre being one of them, and I wanted to give it another shot.

How did you end up at Dad’s Garage Theatre?
I moved down here and did a show called The Unseen Hand at Dad’s in spring 1997. I’ve been a freelance actor for years and did a number of scripted shows at Dad’s. Eventually, they invited me into some improvisation workshops and shows. I started improvising more frequently and developed chemistry with the improv ensemble.

What’s the most important thing about life that you’ve learned from improv?
Two things: listening and the importance of specificity in communication.

Your wife, Mary Kraft, is also an actress and improviser. How did you two meet?
We met at Free Parking: The Dad’s Garage Sketch Show (now defunct). She was writing and performing material with Leslie Sharp. All the writers/actors operated separately and took care of their own sketches, so we didn’t get to know each other for the first few months. She came to see me in a show at Horizon Theatre Company and we went out together afterward. Even then I knew she was about to become the luckiest woman in the world. Life with an improviser. You’re welcome, honey, you are welcome.

What happens when two really funny people have a baby together?
You learn that the laughter has to die sometime. And that sometime is during labor.

What does your son do that totally cracks you up?
A bunch of things: He actually laughs a lot, which cracks me up. He hums with joy when he eats food that tastes good. If there are five or six balls in an acre size park, he must pick up and hold each one of them. When he’s excited, he contorts his face to twice its actual size, which may make him a demon, but it’s darn cute.

Do you want him to grow up to be an actor?
I want him to do whatever makes him happy within the confines of the law.

Has improv helped you be a better dad?
Yes and no. On the one hand, improvisers have the overwhelming impulse to play and discover, which are great for a child. On the other hand, improvisers are always stewing ideas and playing out scenarios in their head. Sometimes, your mind just drifts and that’s when you end up saying, “Yes officer, that’s my son.”

Why do you think fathers should take improv classes?
It ignites a sense of playfulness and spontaneity that kids love. Also, it works on your listening and body language skills. Kids are highly attuned to those two things.

Dad’s Garage Theatre, 280 Elizabeth St., suite C-101, Atlanta, 404-523-3141. www.dadsgarage.com.