We all like to laugh. We all like to be funny and enjoy the funny in other people. We all have heard quotes and read accounts of the value of laughter as one of the most healing energies of human existence resulting in longer life, higher self-esteem, and success in business. So, what is funny? Let’s take a peek at what happens when we find funny. Since all of the exercises have been developed in the course of training people to perform in the theatre as actors or improvisers, the techniques of improvisers prove to be a likely place to look for funny.

This Improv Book may be the best addition to your improv library and to your improv career! It brings forth concepts in improv that are new, or new ways of looking at things, that will inspire your improv scenes. This book breaks the improv experience into three core elements: You, Them and Us. The chapter on You focuses on your tools as an improv performer and things within your control. The chapter on Them will help you react to the intentions of your scene partner. While the chapter on Us brings it to the collaborative efforts of the team.This book has new philosophies like “Forces of Nature” and “S.C.O.O.T.S.” These new tools will help the new improv performer and add to an already experienced improv performer’s tool box.

A Doctor and a Plumber in a Rowboat: The Essential Guide to Improvisation (Carol Schindler) Mark Ruffalo, one of the stars of The Avengers: Age of Ultron, loves this book: “My cousin Carol was the person who inspired me to become an actor. I highly recommend her book, A Doctor and a Plumber in a Rowboat: An Essential Guide to Improvisation to anyone starting out or is still on the path to knowledge.” Seasoned improvisers CAROL SCHINDLER (founding member, CHICAGO CITY LIMITS) and TOM SOTER (producer/performer, SUNDAY NIGHT IMPROV) share the lessons of improv learned during their over 30 years of performing and teaching improvisation. Aimed at improvisers and those who teach improv, the advice in this book can also help actors, writers, teachers, corporate executives, producers, dentists, firemen, factory workers, goat herders, astronauts, social workers, magicians, accountants, manicurists, Ninja warriors, and, of course, doctors and plumbers. Improvisation can be helpful for everyone. Even if you don’t necessarily want help, it’s still just plain fun.

The Tao of Improv: A Philosophy of Creating a Scene (Tom Neile) Learning how easy improv is can be the hard part.There are important lessons in life that can lead to better improv scenes. And there are important lessons in improv that can lead to a better life. By putting improv techniques under an electron microscope of reason, The Tao of Improv: A Philosophy of Creating a Scene can improve the way we function, understand and interact – on stage and off. Excerpts from the Tao Te Ching are woven into an overall philosophy of scenic improv acting. Far from being mystical, the Tao of Improv provides a concrete platform from which to understand your place on an improv stage. This book is aimed at beginner to intermediate improvisers who have already acquired a few basics. You’ll learn what you can bring into a scene and, more importantly, the myriad items you can leave out of a scene.

There’s No I in Improv: The Complete Guide to the GS Improv Technique with Over 50 Improv Games Fully Explained Improv is an essential skill for actors because it teaches them how to truly listen to one another. Actors know there is plenty of talent out there, just a shortage of opportunity. Improv gives you the chance to play the hero, the villain, the loser and the winner – all in the same night! Improv is also a superb way for busy professionals to enhance their communication, listening and teamwork skills. Learning to improvise may sound like a contradiction in terms, but it can be done. There are actually many different improv games, each with their own structure and rules. The GS IMPROV technique can be applied to any improv game; this book employs an engaging, light-hearted manner in presenting that technique. The book also gives detailed descriptions of over 50 improv games, along with tips on how to play them coming from the author’s many years of experience. Improv is also great for engaging young minds and for keeping senior minds sharp. Simply put, Improv is great fun and this book enables the reader to join in.

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…