Improvisational theatre: Difference between revisions

Modern theatrical improvisation games began as drama exercises for children, which were a staple of drama education in the early 20th century thanks in part to the [[progressive education]] movement initiated by [[John Dewey]] in 1916.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.interactiveimprov.com/tspwb1hist.html|title=TheatreSports History|work=interactiveimprov.com}}</ref> Some people credit American [[Dudley Riggs]] as the first [[vaudeville|vaudevillian]] to use audience suggestions to create improvised sketches on stage. Improvisation exercises were developed further by [[Viola Spolin]] in the 1940s, 50s, and 60s, and codified in her book ''Improvisation For The Theater'',<ref name="Spolin">{{cite book|title=Improvisation for the Theater Third Edition|author=Viola Spolin|year=1999|publisher=Northwestern University Press |isbn=978-0-8101-4008-0}}</ref> the first book that gave specific techniques for learning to do and teach improvisational theater. In 1977, [[Clive Barker (editor)|Clive Barker]]'s book ''Theatre Games'' (several translations and editions) spread the ideas of improv internationally. British playwright and director [[Keith Johnstone]] wrote ''[[Impro: Improvisation and the Theatre]]'', a book outlining his ideas on improvisation, and invented [[Theatresports]], which has become a staple of modern improvisational comedy and is the inspiration for the popular television show ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (U.S. TV series)|Whose Line Is It Anyway?]]''

Shortform improv consists of short scenes usually constructed from a predetermined [[Theater game|game]], structure, or idea and driven by an audience suggestion. Many short formshortform exercises were first created by Viola Spolin, who called them theatre games, influenced by her training from recreational games expert [[Neva Boyd]].<ref name="Spolin"/> The short-formshortform improv comedy television series ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway?]]'' has familiarized American and British viewers with short-formshortform.

Longform improv performers create shows in which short scenes are often interrelated by story, characters, or themes. Longform shows may take the form of an existing type of theatre, for example a full-length play or [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]-style [[musical theater|musical]] such as [[Spontaneous Broadway]]. One of the better-known longform structures is [[Harold (improvisation)|the Harold]], developed by [[IO Theater|ImprovOlympic]] co-founder [[Del Close]]. Many such longform structures now exist. Actors such as Will Ferrell, Tina Fey, and Steve Carrell found their start in longform improv.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Holloway |first=Dan |date=March 5, 2013 |title=The Difference Between Long- and Short-Form Improv |url=https://www.backstage.com/magazine/article/difference-long-short-form-improv-48935/ |access-date=March 29, 2023 |website=Backstage}}</ref>

Longform improvisation is especially performed in Chicago, New York City, Los Angeles, Austin, Dallas, Boston, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Detroit, Toronto, Vancouver, and Washington, D.C., and is building a growing following in Baltimore,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.baltimoresun.com/entertainment/arts/bs-fe-comedy-20170522-story.html|title = Baltimore's comedy scene continues to grow, nurture aspiring talent| date=24 May 2017 }}</ref> Denver, Kansas City, Montreal, Columbus, New Orleans, Omaha, Rochester, NY,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://rochesterhomepage.net/fulltext?nxd_id=351262 |title=Fall Back Comedy Festival this weekend |access-date=2015-01-29 |url-status=bot: unknowndead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121103093553/http://rochesterhomepage.net/fulltext?nxd_id=351262 |archive-date=November 3, 2012}}</ref> and Hawaii. Outside the United States, longform improv has a [[List of improvisational theatre companies#Improvisational theatre companies in the United Kingdom|growing presence in the United Kingdom]], especially in cities such as London,<ref>[[List ofBristol, improvisational theatre companies]]{{Circular reference|date=May 2017}}</ref> BristolGlasgow, and at the [[Edinburgh Festival Fringe]].

On the west coast, [[Action Theatre (Ruth Zaporah)|Ruth Zaporah]] developed [[Action Theatre (Ruth Zaporah)|Action Theater™Theatre]], a physically based improvisation form that treats language, movement and voice equally. Action Theater™Theatre performances have no scripts, no preplanned ideas and create full-length shows or shorter performances. Longform, dramatic, and narrative-based improvisation is well-established on the west coast with companies such as San Francisco's [[BATS Improv]]. This format allows for full-length plays and musicals to be created improvisationally.

Improv comedy techniques have also been used in hit television shows such as [[HBO|HBO's]] ''[[Curb Your Enthusiasm]]'' created by [[Larry David]], the UK Channel 4 and ABC television series ''[[Whose Line Is It Anyway? (U.S. TV series)|Whose Line Is It Anyway]]'' (and its spinoffs ''[[Drew Carey's Green Screen Show]]'' and ''[[Drew Carey's Improv-A-Ganza]]''), Nick Cannon's improv comedy show ''[[Wild 'N Out]]'', and ''[[Thank God You're Here]]''. A very early American improv television program was the weekly half-hour ''What Happens Now?''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.archive.org/details/radiodailyoctdec49unse/page/n134|title=Tele Topics|work=Television Daily|year=1949}}</ref> which premiered on New York's [[WWOR-TV|WOR-TV]] on October 15, 1949, and ran for 22 episodes. "The Improvisers" were six actors (including [[Larry Blyden]], [[Ross Martin]], and Jean Alexander – Jean Pugsley at the time) who improvised skits based on situations suggested by viewers. In Canada, the series ''[[Train 48]]'' was improvised from scripts which contained a minimal outline of each scene, and the comedy series ''[[This Sitcom Is...Not to Be Repeated]]'' incorporated dialogue drawn from a hat during the course of an episode. The American show ''Reno 911!'' also contained improvised dialogue based on a plot outline. ''[[Fast and Loose (TV series)|Fast and Loose]]'' is an improvisational game show, much like ''Whose Line Is It Anyway?''. The BBC sitcoms ''[[Outnumbered (UK TV series)|Outnumbered]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2008/dec/06/television-bbc|title=BBC sitcom lets kids improvise|author=Ben Dowell|work=the Guardian|date=6 December 2008}}</ref> and ''[[The Thick of It]]''<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/features/the-thick-of-it-back-in-the-loop-1805589.html|title=The Thick of It: Back in the loop|work=The Independent|date=23 October 2011}}</ref> also had some improvised elements in them.

In the growing field of [[Drama Therapy]], [[psychodrama]]tic improvisation, along with other techniques developed for [[Drama Therapy]], are used extensively. The ''[[Yes, and...|"Yes, and"]]'' rule has been compared to [[Milton Erickson]]'s ''utilization'' process and to a variety of acceptance-based psychotherapies. Improv training has been recommended for [[couples therapy]] and therapist training, and it has been speculated that improv training may be helpful in some cases of [[social anxiety disorder]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.sfxmachine.com/docs/yes,_and.pdf|title=Yes, and: Acceptance, Resistance, and Change in Improv, Aikido, and Psychotherapy}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p05xcvc2|title=BBC World Service - People Fixing The World, Improvising Your Way Out of Anxiety|website=[[BBC]]|date=13 February 2018 |language=en-GB|access-date=2018-11-12}}</ref>

[[Brave New Workshop|The Brave New Workshop Comedy Theater]] (BNW), is a sketch and improvisational comedy theater based in [[Minneapolis]], [[Minnesota]]. Started by [[Dudley Riggs]] in 1958, the artists of the BNW have been writing, performing and producing live [[sketch comedy]] and improvisation performances for 62 years &ndash; longer than any other theater in the nation.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bravenewworkshop.com/ |title=Brave New Workshop Main {{!}} stan harry styles for clear skin ;0Improv, Satire and Comedy since 1958 |access-date=November 19, 2019 |quote=The Brave New Workshop has been crafting audacious, hilarious, and thought-provoking original comedy, improv and satire in Minneapolis since 1958 – longer than any other theatre in the U.S. }}</ref> Notable alumni of the BNW include [[Louie Anderson]], [[Mo Collins]], [[Tom Davis (comedian)|Tom Davis]], [[Al Franken]], [[Penn Jillette]], [[Carl Lumbly]], [[Paul Menzel]], [[Pat Proft]], Annie Reirson, Taylor Nikolai, [[Nancy Steen]], [[Peter Tolan]], [[Linda Wallem]], [[Lizz Winstead]], [[Peter MacNicol]], [[Melissa Peterman]], and [[Cedric Yarbrough]].

[[Hoopla Impro]] are the founders of the UK and London's first improv theatre.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Paskett |first1=Zoe |title=London's Best Improv Comedy Clubs and Nights |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/go/london/arts/londons-best-improv-comedy-clubs-and-nights-a3834651.html |publisher=[[Evening Standard]] |date=10 May 2018|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Improv Comedy Club |url=https://www.hooplaimpro.com/improv-comedy-club-london-bridge.html |website=hooplaimpro.com}}</ref> They also run an annual UK improv festival<ref>{{cite web |title=Improv has got big! |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/live/features/improv_has_got_big/ |publisher=[[British Comedy Guide]] |date=25 April 2019}}</ref> and improv marathon.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Holmes |first1=Paul |title=Hoopla Improv Marathon |url=https://thevelvetonion.com/2017/10/17/hoopla-improv-marathon/amp/ |work=The Velvet Onion |date=17 October 2017 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=The Hoopla Improv Marathon |url=https://www.hooplaimpro.com/the-hoopla-improv-marathon}}</ref>

[[Alan Alda]]'s book ''If I Understood You, Would I Have This Look on My Face?''<ref>{{Cite book|isbn = 978-0812989144|title = If I Understood You, Would I Have this Look on My Face?: My Adventures in the Art and Science of Relating and Communicating|last1 = Alda|first1 = Alan|year = 2017| publisher=Random House }}</ref>{{full citation needed|date=February 2021}} investigates the way in which improvisation improves communication in the sciences. The book is based on his work at [[Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science]] at [[Stony Brook University]]. The book has many examples of how improvisational theater games can increase communication skills and develop empathy.