Improvisation for the Theater: A Handbook of Teaching and Directing Techniques (Drama and Performance Studies)

An essential book for any actor, improviser or performer. You can’t just read it, you have to PLAY it. Find yourself a side coach like Spolin’s granddaughter Aretha Sills. A good coach that can explain the game and keep the focus is essential. Your copy with be dog eared in no time.

This book was written by the under-appreciated Mother of improv/impro.Exactly as described, shipped fast.Good buy!

A great book for many of the games Viola Spolin created. I take Classes in Improvisation for the Theater and this is the book used. The chapter headings in the front of the book describe the games but an index would be handy.

If Viola Spolin is the Grandma Moses of Improv, this is its Bible. If you own this book, Truth in Comedy by Del Close and Chana Halpern as well as the long awaited and recently published UCB Comedy Improvisation Manual by Matt Besser, Ian Roberts and Matt Walsh: you've pretty much got your literature covered in the area of improvisation for stage, film and television, including short form and long form, i. e. the Harold. Read these books, any and/or all of them, form a casual or professional improv group and start performing. Each is these books has excersizes and theater games that will help and inspire any professional or aspiring actor, writer, director, musician, comedian and basically any human being who communicates with other life forms of any kind.The wealth of knowledge available in this book and the others mentioned above are priceless for creative person, especially those working in theater, film and television.Buy this book and the other two, read them and use what you learn from them, your life will never be the same.Here's a beautiful quote from the book:"Everyone can act. Everyone can improvise. Anyone who wishes to can play in the theater and learn to become 'stage-worthy.' We learn through experience and experiencing, and no one teaches anyone anything...If the environment permits it, anyone can learn whatever he chooses to learn; and if the individual permits it, the environment will teach him everything it has to teach. 'Talent' or 'lack of talent' have little to do with it." - Viola Spolin

I use this in my groups at a rehab facility in order to get my clients to get in touch with their body, their intuition, their feelings and emotions. My goal is to normalize this stuff that comes up and to peak their interest in a well lived life where they can tolerate their feelings and emotions and discover the richness they offer rather than self medicating against feeling anything. We carefully unpack deeper meaning and are amazed continually at what a person without drugs can intuitively discover... even feeling and correctly matching the color of an unknown object! Play while learning is a lost art and this book facilitates that goal.

Viola Spolin is known through the theater education and improvisational world for her games and exorcizes that teach theater fundamentals to children and adult alike through practice. What I didn't expect was the beautiful first portion of the book that explains the theory behind her work, and the reason and proof of her methods. She is a philosopher, first and foremost, and it is wonderful.

This is my foundation and bible for teaching improv and acting. I like to create classes that teach these basics of story, form, and comfortable listening/interacting, and let that build into content creation. There is no question that Viola Spolin is one of the absolute greats in this field.

Had this book years ago when I was doing improv. Got it again to learn the games for another purpose.

Wow! She’s such an inspiration! Love this book. I wish I’d had it earlier /my drama teacher had read it at school.A must read & good fun!

A Brilliant book! An encyclopedia on theater games for actors, directors, acting coaches, and others.Industry professionals. Viola was a truly gifted acting teacher specializing in theater.and games and her book has become the driver to overcome all psychological barriers on stageand screen. The book is articulate and robust with real-world application exercises.

Great book for those who wish to teach drama our use drama in their classrooms as a tool for affective learning.

Its not only for the life on stage, its also for the life of everyday situation. This theatre-actors guide gives psychological insights of all kind for people who want to be more aware of what pulls and pushes us to act or resist to act.

Hombre, este libro es un clásico de la improvisación.Dice mucho el hecho de que el libro mítico de Viola Spolin no haya sido traducido aquí en España.