Improv Theater

At the height of the McCarthy era, an experimental theater troupe set up shop in a bar near the University of Chicago. Via word-of-mouth, astonished crowds packed the ad-hoc venue to see its unscripted, interactive, consciousness-raising style. From this unlikely seed grew the Second City, the massively influential comedy theater troupe, and its offshoots - the Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade, SNL, and a slew of others. Sam Wasson charts the meteoric rise of improv in this richly reported, scene-driven narrative.

In 1963, 30-year-old Friedman - who had recently quit his job as a Boston advertising executive and returned to his hometown of New York to become a theatrical producer - opened a coffee house for Broadway performers called the Improvisation. His goal? Simply to make a living, and if all went according to plan, to also make enough professional contacts to be able to mount his first Broadway show within a year's time. Later shortened to the Improv, its first West 44th Street location was in a seedy section of Manhattan's Hell's Kitchen.

Whether you’re just starting out or leveling up, this book unlocks your inner instructor and helps you deliver memorable, effective, and fun improv classes. Discover the essential tools and insider tips that will take your improv teaching from unsure to unforgettable!

Divided into four sections - Status, Spontaneity, Narrative Skills, and Masks and Trance - and arranged more or less in the order a group might approach them, the audiobook sets out the specific techniques and exercises which Johnstone has himself found most useful and most stimulating. The result is both an audiobook of ideas and a fascinating exploration of the nature of spontaneous creativity.

Nine heiresses are missing in Gilded Age New York with no ransom demand. Journalist Miriam Cole's sister was the first to vanish twelve years ago. The only connection? They all attended the exclusive Pembroke School. Now, a bizarre murder has Miriam on the run, questioning the very nature of reality as she joins forces with a handsome ex-Pinkerton agent, a reluctant psychic, Mark Twain, and the NY League of Skeptics. Can Miriam save the girls or will New York City be destroyed in the crossfire?

This sequel to The Tao of Improv drills down to the subatomic level of good scenes. It's a personal way of looking at improv, focusing on how to do more things without thinking so you can devote your brain power to extending your creativity. Loaded with real-word tips based on experience and analysis, as well as a sprinkling of nerdiness for those so inclined. Tao Two Quantum Impro is a helpful audiobook that proves one basic premise: This stuff is easy.

Blood-sucking vampires and vegan psychics don’t mix. But to save the world from a magic-stealing madman, they’re going to have to. The Delta Underground Operatives, humanity’s last line of defense against evil threats, only enlist the brightest and the best. Clara and Damien fit the bill. So when a threat like no other can only be stopped by a perfect assassin team, the organization recruits these two unlikely vigilantes with complementary skill sets.

Improv: Wisdom Without Thinking for an Eventful and Luxurious Social Life will teach you four of the most popular improv rules that will help you maximize and seize your day. With exciting activities and easy-to-understand explanations, this book will show you how improvisational concepts can give you the best days of your life!

Applied improvisors have critical knowledge and skills that are needed in healthcare. Many want to help make our hospitals, doctor’s offices, and clinics safer and more compassionate. AND, the medical/nursing world desperately needs the ‘soft’ skills that applied improv can help us with. In order to most effectively apply improv in healthcare settings, it is important to understand common cultures and human dynamics that persist in the USA and other countries. This special edition will help improvisors be more effective in healthcare as they learn: - How ‘soft’ skills impact ...

When Thalia, Kalliope, and Charis set off to Regency London for their first Season, they each have clear goals―few of which include matrimony. Thalia means to make her mark among the intelligentsia and publish her poetry, Charis hopes to earn her place among the scientific elite, and Kalliope aims to take the fashionable ton by storm. But this Season, it doesn’t take long for things to fall apart. Can this roller-coaster Season find its happily ever after?

Prepare to be entranced by "Paranormal POV presents: Aliens, Witches, & Ghosts, Oh My!"—an enchanting compilation of short stories that will transport you to the captivating crossroads of the supernatural and the unknown. Dive into a realm where the ordinary collides head-on with the extraordinary, and where the unexplained transforms into the thrillingly suspenseful action and adventure.

In this fresh and provocative view of a seven-million-year evolutionary journey, Finlayson demonstrates the radical implications for the interpretation of fossils and technologies and shows that understanding humans within an ecological context provides insights into the emergence and spread of Homo sapiens worldwide.

In his autobiography, emergency medicine physician Dr. Derek J. Robinson recounts his upbringing in an unconventional African American family in Shreveport, LA, where the path to college, let alone medical school, was wrought with the barriers of prejudice, loss, doubt, and low societal expectations. With the love of family and friends, the help of dedicated mentors who saw the extraordinary in him and his own self-determination, Dr. Robinson defied the odds, becoming a celebrated Chicago-based physician, healthcare executive, dedicated husband and father of two, and community servant.

This hybrid engineering reference and improv manual gives practical tips on how to boost design skills and design thinking with improv exercises. It pushes designers to trust their teams, take initiative, focus on the customer, and better transform abstract ideas into reality. Engineers, artists, makers, software developers, and entrepreneurs will find the most benefit from this guide, especially if they work in teams and strive to innovate. Teachers and trainers can also use this guide to supplement their lessons in design.

American Alexandra Freemar isn't about to put up with any flak from the uptight - albeit gorgeous - Scotland Yard inspector who accuses her of breaking and entering. She doesn't have time. She has two months in London to write the perfect romance novel - two months to prove that she can succeed as an author. Luckily, reserved Englishmen are not her cup of tea. Yet....

Packed with action, humor, and shocking twists, Improbable Bob is a fantasy thriller that turns the hero’s journey on its head. As Bob fights against impossible odds, he learns that sometimes the greatest strength lies in embracing the improbable—and in standing up when the world needs you most. With an epic final battle that will leave listeners breathless, Bob’s story is a testament to resilience, humor, and the surprising power of a stubborn gardener with a glowing rock.