Where did we all come from?
Do you need to know all this to perform improv? Do you need to know the full Stanislavski life history to act?
NO!
But I feel like knowing where we came from connects us to a deeper meaning. By understanding how the trailblazers discovered our future gives us context. Also, understand multiple iterations of technique helps us find what works best for us.
1000s of “actors” emerge almost weekly in New York. A few of these come here from fully-fledged trained talent with MFAs, walking wiki for the theater. A few more took one class, performed one show in high school, or just worked on set as background. Most are somewhere in between.
I have seen folks from all levels find work. BUT I cringe everytime I meet an “Improvisor” that has never heard of Viola Spolin, Paul Sills, Compass players, etc.
PLUS knowing how Viola gave birth to our art anchors the WHY! While generating characters, worlds, stories, and laughter, the root of improv comes from social work. Viola started witj children at play. Then this use of play and story is brought into adult theater creating the most exciting theater and eventually into the corporate world to train through play and story.
New York Improv Theater is so proud of our public shows and classes, but like an iceberg, the biggest part of our operation is just oit of public site in schools, Conference rooms, college campus and even private homes.
Through our Improv 4 Kids program, we bring Improv to the schools. Improv was SEL decades before Social Emotional Learning was the popular trend.
Via our corporate workshops we teach adults to play, leaving ego and insecurity in our dust, developing better teammates, leaders, sales and service skills.
More and more friends and family discover how much fun playing improv games at birthday parties makes for a memorable event.
Discover the world of improvisation.
