Spontaneous Performance: Acting Through Improv

by Marsh Cassady

You might think improvisational theatre is nothing more than acting without the opportunity to rehearse lines or blocking. But it's much more and a far more valuable learning exercise than many realize. Doing improvisation correctly means learning within an ensemble to watch, listen and think on your feet. It helps to develop confidence, build characters and understand the various aspects of acting and drama. In this valuable resource, over 300 improvisational exercises and theatre games are offered to develop creative abilities and acting skills. Many different types of improvs are presented, ranging from the serious to the hilarious. All are easily producible, requiring only simple sets and props. This text has more breadth than most improv books and includes four specific Conflict Among Individuals; Conflict with Non-Human Forces; Body Positions, Opening Lines and Objects; and Improvising Plays. Tips and examples are included on how to present or initiate each improv or scene.

189 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Ricki · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good look at ways to further improv skills through monologues and scenes. The last chapter, on using improv to write a play, was the best and probably the one I will draw from the most.