Download Improvisation for the Theater: A Handbook of Teaching and Directing Techniques ePub

If Viola Spolin is the Grandma Moses of Improv, this is its Bible. If you own this book, Truth in Comedy by Del Close and Chana Halpern as well as the long awaited and recently published UCB Comedy Improvisation Manual by Matt Besser, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh: you've pretty much got your literature covered in the area of improvisation for stage, film and television, including short form and long form, i. e. the Harold. Read these books, any and/or all of them, form a casual or professional improv group and start performing. Each is these books has excersizes and theater games that will help and inspire any professional or aspiring actor, writer, director, musician, comedian and basically any human being who communicates with other life forms of any kind.

The wealth of knowledge available in this book and the others mentioned above are priceless for creative person, especially those working in theater, film and television.

Buy this book and the other two, read them and use what you learn from them, your life will never be the same.

Here's a beautiful quote from the book:

"Everyone can act. Everyone can improvise. Anyone who wishes to can play in the theater and learn to become 'stage-worthy.' We learn through experience and experiencing, and no one teaches anyone anything...If the environment permits it, anyone can learn whatever he chooses to learn; and if the individual permits it, the environment will teach him everything it has to teach. 'Talent' or 'lack of talent' have little to do with it." - Viola Spolin

I use this in my groups at a rehab facility in order to get my clients to get in touch with their body, their intuition, their feelings and emotions. My goal is to normalize this stuff that comes up and to peak their interest in a well lived life where they can tolerate their feelings and emotions and discover the richness they offer rather than self medicating against feeling anything. We carefully unpack deeper meaning and are amazed continually at what a person without drugs can intuitively discover... even feeling and correctly matching the color of an unknown object! Play while learning is a lost art and this book facilitates that goal.

The master text for improvisation. I had the pleasure of meeting Spolin years ago, and working on a couple games with her. She was brilliant in her understanding of the human soul. Most people do not realize these exercises were originally intended, not for actors, but for orphans and troubled children. The heart of Viola Spolin comes through in this excellent work. Highly recommended.

This is my foundation and bible for teaching improv and acting. I like to create classes that teach these basics of story, form, and comfortable listening/interacting, and let that build into content creation. There is no question that Viola Spolin is one of the absolute greats in this field.

If you can't take a improve class, read this book!

this is THE book to read if you're interested in improv. spolin painstaking describes each exercise in a way that is accessible to non-theatre folk.

If you are doing any play directing no matter what level you will find this book indispensable. Spolin's work is a must have for any director of theatre. Her games and exercises draw our the performance directors are looking for from their actors. Not only that, but her methods a simply fun. This book helps you make theatre fun for your actors young and old alike.

I love this book. Spolin is a great read for those in the theatre industry. If your a teacher in the arts or a student I recommend this book. It's filled with activities and ideas for the theatre classroom.