"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."
Using improvisation to create comedy, understanding comedic timing, recognizing and developing various comedic forms.
Basic Improv Techniques: This includes elements such as "Yes, and" mindset, character development, active listening, and accepting offers from other players.
Short-Form Improv Games: These are games with a specific set of rules and structure that are commonly used in improv performances. Examples include "Whose Line Is It Anyway?" style games such as "Props" and "Scenes from a Hat.".
Long-Form Improv: A more complex and unstructured form of improvisation that involves creating a longer, more narrative-driven piece of comedy or theatre.
Comedic Timing: The ability to deliver a punchline with the perfect timing is one of the most important things to learn when it comes to comedy.
Character Work: Creating unique and memorable characters is essential to creating successful comedic sketches or performances.
Physical Comedy: The use of physical movement, facial expressions, and body language to create humor on stage.
Writing Comedy: Understanding the mechanics of comedy writing, including creating premises, punchlines, and callbacks.
Stand-Up Comedy: Learning how to tell jokes, handle hecklers, and develop a stage persona.
Sketch Comedy: Writing and performing in various comedic sketches, including political satire, parodies, and spoofs.
Improv Performance: The final step is to perform in front of an audience, incorporating all of the above elements into a cohesive and entertaining piece of comedy.
Stand-up comedy: A comedian performs in front of a live audience, delivering a monologue usually consisting of humorous observations, stories, and jokes.
Sitcom: A comic television show that follows the lives of a group of characters, often in a recurring setting, using a combination of verbal and visual humor.
Sketch comedy: A type of comedy that features a series of short scenes or skits, often satirical, performed by a group of actors.
Improv comedy: A form of spontaneous comedy that is made up on the spot, with performers taking prompts from the audience and building on each other's ideas.
Roast comedy: A type of comedy that involves making fun of a specific person or group of people, usually in a public setting.
Parody: A comedic imitation of a work of art, literature, or music that exaggerates and satirizes its original form.
Satire: Use of humor, irony, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's vices, particularly in politics or society.
Physical comedy: Comedy that relies on physical or visual gags such as slapstick, pratfalls, and exaggerated facial expressions.
Black comedy: A type of comedy that deals with dark or taboo subjects such as death, crime, and illness, often with irreverent humor.
Surrealist comedy: A type of comedy that uses absurd or nonsensical situations and humor to challenge conventional thinking and expectations.
"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."
"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 teamwork abilities."
"...as a way to develop communication skills, creative problem solving, and supportive teamwork abilities."
"It is sometimes used in psychotherapy as a tool to gain insight into a person's thoughts, feelings, and relationships."
"...dialogue, action, story, and characters are created collaboratively by the players."
"...most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted, created spontaneously by the performers."
"It can be an important part of the rehearsal process."
"Improvisational techniques are often used extensively in drama programs to train actors."
"It is sometimes used in film and television, both to develop characters and scripts and occasionally as part of the final product."
"Develop communication skills, creative problem-solving, and supportive teamwork abilities."
"Used in businesses as a way to develop communication skills."
"Used in businesses as a way to develop... creative problem-solving."
"Most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted."
"It is sometimes used in film and television, both to develop characters and scripts."
"Used in classrooms as an educational tool."
"Skills and processes of improvisation are used by improvisational ensemble players."
"Used in businesses as a way to develop... supportive teamwork abilities."