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.

At times, improvisation can be esoteric, complicated, or downright scary. In his book, ‘Improv Made Easier’ twenty-year performer veteran Rich Baker (writer, Epic Rap Battles of History) reframes improv instruction in a way that makes it concrete, simple, and even fun. The author has taught the lessons featured in this book to thousands of students across the country at various theaters, schools, and festivals including The Second City (Chicago & Hollywood), ComedySportz Chicago, Mission Improvable and more. In this book you’ll find: -An overview of improv theory, techniques, and principles -Straight forward, understandable lessons -The Guideposts of Good Scene Work -The ability to identify if a move has a high or low rate of success -Example scenes (lots of them) -Thirty different exercises you can use to help you practice -Frequently Asked Questions -Tips for performers from veteran improviser Oliver Berger -Forward by award-winning improviser Rolland Lopez -Glossary of Terms This book is written in a way to benefit beginners with no previous experience, experienced improv veterans, and everyone else in between. If you want to make learning improv easier and increase your odds at performing consistently great scenes, buy this book.

Improv Comedy – 20th Anniversary Edition by Andy Goldberg Includes exclusive interview with Emmy winner Bryan Cranston IMPROV COMEDY is a must-have book for any student of comedy. It is an invaluable collection of classic scene setups and exercises along with a toolbox of useful advice for building engaging characters, plots and funny situations. This 20th Anniversary Edition of Andy Goldberg’s classic textbook, originally published by SAMUEL FRENCH, is a welcome update to what has become the “modern bible” of improvisational comedy. Widely used by students, teachers, professional actors and even corporate trainers, this book is a treasure trove of exercises, games and fundamental wisdom about building characters that can help anyone become a better actor, writer, performer or communicator.

Improvisation examines how this vital element of the theater can be understood, harnessed, and developed, not only in theater, but in therapy and education as well. It illustrates the way in which improvised drama helps people draw upon their imaginative resources and extend their awareness of themselves and others.