Santa Barbara Improv Workshop

I’ve added another website with a list of improv games to the post on improv game sites. I’ve seen this site referenced, but the links were always broken. I’ve just come across the current link:
The Living Playbook hasn’t been updated for awhile (the current list is dated from 2001), but it is a long list [...]

I am thinking about creating a list of critical improv aphorisms or ‘rules’. But, I’ve come across a lot of exisiting lists that are available of the web and before I publish mine, I thought it would be a good idea to reference some other (and possibly better) lists.
The first list is The Eleven Commandments [...]

There are a variety of websites that have lists of improv games. Some are comprehensive lists that are compiled with the help of many contributors. Some are the list of games a particular troupe use for their shows. As of today, Sept. 6, 2006, this list is accurate. I will try and update this post [...]

There’s a pretty good glossary of improv terms at the Improv Encyclopedia. Some of the definitions are a little thin and some are circularly referential (what is advancing?), but overall it’s got a lot of good information.

I had a chance to read Chris Compton’s article Every Part of the Buffalo from the playimprov.com newsletter. It’s a great discussion of not dumbing down to the audience, not getting caught up in your head, and using what you know in a piece. I particularly liked his suggestion of naming characters using the [...]

John is a magician, improvisor, teacher, speaker, businessman, and all around damn nice guy. He’s also a prolific writer and marketer. Part of his improv education happened with SBIW, but he’s someone who went out and actively educated himself on improv, and then built an environment in which he could continue to learn and [...]

In future posts, I plan on discussing various improv related books that I have and am willing to lend out to anyone in the Workshop. However, as I was cleaning out a bookshelf today, I came across something I forgot that I own and just have to mention.
Comic Theory in the Sixteenth Century by Marvin [...]

I came across this group a couple of weeks ago, and they’re doing interesting work with improv. They are the Applied Improv Network, and the’re focused on applying improv skills in organizations. The key sentence from their mission statement is:
Our members are business professionals and academics who use improv tools, experience, and theory for human [...]

Playimprov.com is an online magazine that’s focused on the LA improv scene. It has class and performance calendars from a variety of groups, some of which are outside of the LA area. There are quite a few articles and short videos, a forum, and an Amazon based bookstore.
All in all this is a [...]

The New Improv Page website tries to keep current with improv groups, festivals, and workshops all over the world. Their games list is actually a set of links to other sites that maintain their own game lists. They’ve also got a pretty handy RSS feed to notify you of any additions or changes to [...]