- "Improvisational theatre, often called improvisation or improv, is the form of theatre, often comedy, in which most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted, created spontaneously by the performers."
How to think on your feet and create comedy in the moment, often through collaborative exercises and games.
Character creation: The ability to create unique and interesting characters for improvisation performances.
Scene work: The basic framework for improvisation that involves creating the setting, the characters, and the plot of a scene.
Teamwork and collaboration: The ability to work with others to create a cohesive performance and build on each other's ideas.
Physicality and movement: The use of physical movements to enhance the performance and convey emotions or actions.
Improvisational techniques: The different techniques that can be used during improvisation to create interesting and engaging performances.
Observational skills: The ability to observe the world around you and incorporate those observations into your improvisation performance.
Creativity and imagination: The ability to come up with creative and original ideas that can be used in improvisation performances.
Spontaneity and adaptability: The ability to react to unexpected situations and incorporate them into the performance.
Timing and pacing: The ability to use timing and pacing to build tension, create humor, or evoke emotion in an improvisation performance.
Improvisation genres: The different types of improvisation, such as short-form, long-form, musical, or sketch, and the rules and techniques specific to each genre.
Improvisation games: The different games and exercises used to practice improvisation and develop skills.
Improvisation theory: The study of the principles that underlie improvisation performances, such as the importance of listening, supporting your scene partner, and finding the game of the scene.
Stage presence: The ability to project confidence, energy, and charisma when performing on stage.
Audience connection: The ability to engage and connect with the audience during a performance.
Humor and comedy: The ability to create and deliver jokes, comedic situations, and comedic timing in improvisation performances.
Short-form: This is the kind of Improvisation typically seen on shows like "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" where performers are given a scene or prompt and are expected to improvise dialogue and actions on the fly in a comedic fashion.
Long-form: Long-form Improv typically involves performers creating longer, more complex scenes or storylines with multiple characters and settings, often in a more dramatic or emotional style.
Musical: Musical Improv combines the spontaneity of improvisation with the structure and storytelling of musical theater. Performers create songs and choreography on the spot, often with the help of audience suggestions.
Improv Comedy Games: These are common types of Improvisation where performers play games like "freeze tag" or "alphabet soup" to create scenes and sketches.
Immersive: Immersive Improv takes place in non-traditional theater spaces like classrooms, parks or even trains, and involves performers improvising with their environment, sometimes using audience members as part of the performance.
Experimental: Experimental Improv is more about exploring new ideas and pushing the boundaries of traditional improv, often using avant-garde techniques or incorporating other art forms like poetry or dance.
- "In its purest form, the dialogue, action, story, and characters are created collaboratively by the players as the improvisation unfolds in present time, without use of an already prepared, written script."
- "Improvisational theatre exists in performance as a range of styles of improvisational comedy as well as some non-comedic theatrical performances."
- "It is sometimes used in film and television, both to develop characters and scripts and occasionally as part of the final product."
- "Improvisational techniques are often used extensively in drama programs to train actors for stage, film, and television and can be an important part of the rehearsal process."
- "However, the skills and processes of improvisation are also used outside the context of performing arts."
- "This practice, known as applied improvisation, is used in classrooms as an educational tool and in businesses as a way to develop communication skills, creative problem solving, and supportive team-work abilities that are used by improvisational, ensemble players."
- "It is sometimes used in psychotherapy as a tool to gain insight into a person's thoughts, feelings, and relationships."
- "Improvisational theatre, often called improvisation or improv..."
- "Most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted, created spontaneously by the performers."
- "The dialogue, action, story, and characters are created collaboratively by the players as the improvisation unfolds in present time..."
- "Improvisational theatre exists in performance as a range of styles of improvisational comedy as well as some non-comedic theatrical performances."
- "In its purest form, the dialogue, action, story, and characters are created collaboratively by the players as the improvisation unfolds in present time, without use of an already prepared, written script."
- "To develop characters and scripts and occasionally as part of the final product."
- "Improvisational techniques are often used extensively in drama programs to train actors for stage, film, and television and can be an important part of the rehearsal process."
- "Develop communication skills, creative problem solving, and supportive team-work abilities that are used by improvisational, ensemble players."
- "It is sometimes used in psychotherapy as a tool to gain insight into a person's thoughts, feelings, and relationships."
- "Develop communication skills, creative problem solving, and supportive team-work abilities that are used by improvisational, ensemble players."
- "Without use of an already prepared, written script."
- "Improvisational techniques are often used extensively in drama programs to train actors for stage, film, and television and can be an important part of the rehearsal process."