Improvisation for Actors and Writers: A Guidebook for Improv Lessons in Comedy Far more than simply an overview of improv comedy, this theatre book helps actors, writers, and comedians learn the basics as taught in all the major comedy schools. First, the do’s and don’ts of the Comedy Improv Commandments. Next, the concepts that, when understood, hit the student like falling anvils: Anvil #1: Collaboration “€” Working with the “Group Mind,” Anvil #2: Agreement “€” “Just Say Yes,” Anvil #3: Foundation “€” “Who, What, and Where,” Anvil #4 “€” “Finding the Game.” There are twenty-nine chapters in five sections: 1. Improv Comedy Schools, 2. Improv Comedy Basics, 3. Comic Character Development, 4. Long Form Improv, and 5. Writing Sketch Comedy. Successful improv requires the skill of the actor, the talent of the comedian, and the ideas of the writer rolled into one. This drama book tells how it can all be done for performers and teachers.

Improve with Improv!: A Guide to Improvisation and Character Development This book is a complete improvisational curriculum program divided into twenty class-length workshops. Each workshop contains carefully selected exercises designed to help students focus on one aspect of a character’s personality. Students learn how to create characters from their own imaginations through the use of solo and ensemble pantomime, physicalization, vocal techniques, props and more. Gestures, facial expressions, voice and body language are studied in isolation. Many ensemble sketches are included, along with a final improv sketch with enough roles for all members of a large class. The book also includes a class syllabus and guidelines, a character outline sheet, character examples and a reading list. This is a must for any drama program wanting to teach improvisation, but not knowing where to start.

Improv Ideas: A Book of Games and Lists Until now there has never been a single, simple-to-use game source for teaching improv drama. Now the sixty-two years of combined experience of two collaborators have made this source book a reality.

The Ultimate Improv Book: A Complete Guide to Comedy Improvisation This strikingly comprehensive manual effectively shows the who, what, when, why and how of comedy improvisation. Unlike other improv books, this text provides the tools you need to start an improvisational team or club at your school. The book presents a complete improv curriculum program divided into 24 valuable class-length units organized into four sections. “The Introduction” explains what improv is and how to create an improv team. “Improvisational Skills” shows some basic rules, physicalization, characterization, teamwork and use of suggestion. “Structuring” describes the who, what and how to make “suggestion” and “reality based” improv structures. “Strategies” gives hints and tips for putting on a show and evaluating the performance. In addition, a unique section that shows you how to structure and create your own new improv games is also included. Finally, you’ll find the appendices full of games and exercises invaluable. The Ultimate Improv Book is the improvisational treasure for which you’ve been looking!

Improvise Freely: Throw away the rulebook and unleash your creativity Improvisation is a vibrant art of spontaneity and impulse. Audiences the world over flock to shows where ‘anything could happen!’ But lurking at the heart of many companies that perform it is a contradiction, a bait and switch. Students who sign up for classes are taught ‘The Rules’: the strictly right and wrong way to be creative. Exploration is replaced with emulation and curiosity with compliance. How the hell did that happen? Patti Stiles is an internationally respected improvisor, actor, director and teacher whose performance skills and deep understanding of the work shine out on stage and in the workshop room. In Improvise Freely, she shows how ‘rules’ meant to guarantee success actually confine us in a counterfeit appearance of spontaneity and hamper our creativity. She turns ‘The Rules’ on their head and shows that other approaches are possible. Is it okay to ask questions? Why must we Who What Where? And what if ‘ Yes, And’ isn’t all it’s cracked up to be? This book encourages us to explore the labyrinth ourselves, rather than follow a tour guide. Instead of handing us a map, Ms. Stiles offers us a…

Improv Wins is a textbook designed for modern improvisers of all experience levels and backgrounds. Written by the critically-praised improv duo Chris Trew and Tami Nelson (founders of The New Movement comedy theaters in Austin and New Orleans), this book introduces readers to TNM’s style of improv. Since 2009, Chris and Tami have worked tirelessly to exemplify these performance methods and specific tenets of comedy, and the wisdom and techniques illustrated in this simple, fun guide will help you become a better, faster, and funnier performer.

In this step-by-step guide, an actor and improvisational teacher brings his tested methods to the page to show how actors can take risks and gain spontaneity in all genres of scripted theater. Through 28 lessons—each of which includes warm-ups, points of concentration, and improvisation exercises—Improv for Actors provides insights into thinking and reacting with fluidity, exploring a character’s social status, using the voice and body as effective tools of storytelling, and more. Actors of all levels will soon be able to give a fresh, original approach to classic characters, create funnier performances in farce and comedy, and make dramatic characters richer and more believable. • Approaches improvisation as a tool for developing acting technique • Lessons are applicable to contemporary and classic material and to both comedy and drama

Theatrical Improvisation: Short Form, Long Form, and Sketch-Based Improv Theatrical Improvisation provides an in-depth analysis of short form, long form, and sketch-based improv–tracing the development of each form and the principles that define and connect the styles of performance. Brimming with original interviews from leaders in the field such as Ron West, Charna Halpern, John Sweeny and Margaret Edwartowski, Theatrical Improvisation presents straightforward improvisational theory, history, and trends. Includes easy-to-follow resources on teaching improvisation, with assessment tools, exercises, games, and classroom assignments to enable instructors to incorporate and assess improv in the classroom. Leep offers a practical, essential, and engaging guide for anyone who wants to better understand the art, teach, or perform improvisation.

The Art of Play: The New Genre of Interactive Theatre This is a guide to interactive improvisation comprising a collection of examples, anecdotes and annotated exercises, designed to cover all aspects of this type of theatre, from concept through design and production.

Masteryear Publishing is proud to present this unique guide to a musical skill long considered mysterious and practically un-teachable.Step by step, author Michael Pollock explains the thinking process behind comedy accompaniment and musical direction in clear, simple language. Each concept is illustrated by audio examples, featuring actors from The Second City Los Angeles and Michael at the keys.The best comedy troupes in the world have live keyboard accompaniment, and musicians who can provide this kind of clever, spontaneous underscore are relatively rare. This book and CD leads the way to rapid progress for anyone who would like to learn.