Santa Barbara Improv Workshop

I was just directed to a Santa Maria improv group named Mission Improvable by someone from work (thanks Rick). I recognize some of the players in the group from John Kinde’s days running the Theatresports franchise up there, including Jeanne Sparks who was always a political oasis for me. Several of us from the Santa [...]

I want to direct you to series of posts by Ben Whitehouse in his blog Improvoker (which is a great name). He’s going through a UCB (Upright Citizen Brigade) class in New York: Improv 201. At this point, there are only two entries, but the class is focusing on long form work and “finding the [...]

Dyna Moe at Nobody’s Sweetheart is putting together an Improv Infographic that explains a Harold. Roughly in the form of a flow chart, all the phases (beats) are illustrated along with an indication of the flow, timing, and points of focus. It’s a pretty fun graphic although she hasn’t finished it, yet. It’s possible that [...]

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 [...]

Bill Arnet is an experienced improviser at I.O. Chicago (Improv Olympic) and wrote a short piece about various ways of approaching an improv scene, especially at the opening. It definitely got me thinking, and I plan on trying his “slice from typical life” opening this Wednesday during the last hour.
By the way, the heading for [...]

I just read an interesting article by Jeff Miller titled Emotional Truth in Improvisation. He discusses the problem I see in a lot of improv scenes (mine very much included) where the player is so focused on an interesting response, that he or she loses any real (or believable) emotional reaction to an offer. He [...]

I came across the Improv Everywhere website which organizes what I would call “street improv” in NYC. In their own words, “Improv Everywhere causes scenes of chaos and joy in public places”.
I have a real fondness for this form of guerrilla theater, and envy/admiration for what they’ve already accomplished. I [...]

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.