What are /r/improv's favorite Products & Services?

From 3.5 billion Reddit comments

>I'm going to run an improv group at an adult mental health clinic. But I never did improv.

Not to be a stick in the mud, but are you sure this is a good idea?

If you absolutely have to do this, check out this book for games. But, please, give it some thought. That maybe trying to teach something you're not proficient at, with a group of emotionally vulnerable people, where you're asking those people to do necessarily emotional work, may be a volitile situation you're not totally prepared for.

I've been doing and teaching improv for over a decade and this is the kind of thing I would sit down and have a really long, careful, think about before I did it. What I did would also be HIGHLY dependent on what the patients were in the clinic for.

I'm assuming that you guys are all experienced enough to teach the concepts, that's not the problem, the real question is about dealing with junior high students.

The one thing I know about kids is, in general, they looooove talking in pop culture and meme references. This is because these are "safe" sources of pre-approved, non-ostracizing humor. Which of course runs a bit antithetical to how improv works. So you're gonna have to spend a little extra time up front building that atmosphere that praises risk and originality and discourages exclusion and judgement.

Asaf Ronen's Directing Improv has a chapter devoted teaching kids and teens that I recommend checking out, and he covers the above concept.

I get the concept, and it makes sense that people who are improvising a movie would need a shared history. Scenes are probably going to be shot out of order, scenes will be shot without all the actors present, they'd need to have some kind of baseline so they don't contradict each other.

But this isn't something I've heard of in any improv context ever. This is probably something you'd find more information on in writing forums than improv forums. Like this, for example

Charlie Sheen is not known for improv. I get the sense that you don't really know what improv even is and just heard vaguely from someone that it can help with self-confidence. I mean, I get it, it's okay, but you really should experience a bit more so that you can ask productive questions. If you feel confident and are able, go to one of the theaters you are considering, watch one of their shows, and decide if that's the kind of thing you want to do.

In addition to the suggestions by /u/Nescritus, watch TJ and Dave if you have Amazon video. Middleditch and Schwartz if you have Netflix. Heck, even old Whose Line Is It Anyway will give you an idea of what improv can look like. Watch those and decide if that is indeed what you are looking for. Improv might not be what you need. Improv is supposed to be a fun thing to do with others and not a laboratory for your issues.

Katy Schutte’s book is relatively newish, she is UK improv royalty, you can get it on US amazon if you want. It’s super good.

The Improviser's Way: A Longform Workbook https://www.amazon.com/dp/1848427387/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_DpuQCb5MTRCPT

No complaints from me. I've been trying to convince people of this for years. (The Complete Improviser, pg. 36)

How much time do you actually have with them? By two weeks, do you mean two long sessions once a week, or do you mean ten short sessions every school day for two weeks? Also, what do you expect to accomplish by the end?

This book is specifically geared towards teaching school kids improv fundamentals. It's broken down lesson by lesson, exercise by exercise.

Okay, we assume you already know that your behavior is no good, so we don't have to dwell on that.

Improv, and any art or performance really, is not about attention and validation. Yeah, sure, maybe that's why we get in to it in the first place, but we stay because we have something to say. Attention and validation are beasts that always hunger. No number of jams or shows will ever be enough for you if you don't move beyond that, if you don't figure out a good reason for being on stage. Validate yourself.

Why do you do this? I dunno. Usually someone somewhere in your past didn't give you enough of what you wanted. Sometimes it means the person is deep down a narcissist. The good news is, that by posting this, you've admitted there's something you don't like and now we can start working on it. Read some Martin de Maat quotes and read the last few chapters of Improvising Better, they'll give you some good ideas.

You're trying to be rigorous about this, which is probably the wrong direction to go. The competition is just a theatrical gimmick, and if you start taking the points legitimately seriously, it gets a less fun real quick.

But... if you want to go for tech gimmick, check out poll everywhere: https://www.polleverywhere.com/ Folks can text you their votes and you can see the results in realtime. There are free and inexpensive options, and it's just on a monthly basis that you can cancel or shift anytime. And you can safely assure everyone that they won't get any sms junk as a results (it's a great and legit service that I've used for years with group facilitation work).

Books are cool. In my opinion, most improv books are written from the POV of "You've done a bit of improv, now here are some ideas to push you to the next level." In other words, they sorta assume the basics and don't teach/focus on those at all. Which means I don't think they'll maximize your experience yet.

When I was first learning, I would go to shows a lot and think about things I saw. I would get ideas for stuff I wanted to try out and stuff I wanted to avoid. I know that's hard right now. In lieu of that, here are two things you can watch that I think might be good if you have that streaming service.

From 2018 thread:

Improvisation at the Speed of Life: The TJ and Dave Book by TJ Jagodowski, Dave Pasquesi and Pam Victor

Of all the improv books I've read so far, this is the only one I need to go back and give an honest re-read of. The first time I read Improvisation at the Speed of Life I probably came in with the wrong expectations about what this book would be and the material it would cover...in fact, the very beginning of the book caveats that it is not normal in its format with how chapters are formatted and the script-style conversational interludes with TJ and Dave (and Pam).

Thinking back on my first read (and even thumbing through the book as I write this), while there are some solid improv takeaways and nuggets in the text--it feels a step removed and you have to do a little work to pull from the text. Honestly, It may simply be that I prefer the direct, raw, unfettered style of a Mick Napier screed versus the filtered, measured, musing tone of TJ & Dave filtered through Pam.

You get insight and backstory of how they came to perform together and how the show evolved into what it is. Along the way you get their specific takes on scenic skills and how they use them in their show. One concept they share is "Heat and Weight" where Heat equals intensity and intimacy of the relationship and Weight refers to the tone and import of the situation you are in. In the 2 1/2 years since this book came out, I've only heard Heat and Weight referred to once by any improvisor anywhere--whether online or in person.

I'd love to hear other people's thoughts on this book because I definitely need to re-read it and give it a fair shake.

2020 Update:

I have yet to go back and reread this book, but I've referred to other books on this list in interim multiple times. Take from that what you will.

Nice! I'm certainly not opposed to being wrong, but I'd be interested to see whether or not it's just a rehash of the whole vaudeville/medicine show thing. Not to say they weren't talented performers, but from what I've read they mostly tended to either quote or build "instant" humor on this guy's work ... which is not all that useful for improvising.

There used to be a site where you could collaborate on stories with others in a live environment. It was called Neovella and it's not used anymore (though it spawned some ebooks). The creator of that site is working on a new one, though, called Pen.fm. He's got an indiegogo going right now and I think it's ending soon, in fact:

http://www.indiegogo.com/penfm?a=1660301

Not sure when the site'll be active for everyone, but $5 gets you beta access now.

In regards to believing what you say: I want to be clear, because I've tried to explain this before and it seems to suggest that means the actor should essentially hallucinate, be delusional, or become schizophrenic and completely detached from the real world. That's not what we're looking for. It's about the difference of playing at an action in order to indicate that you feel a certain way as opposed to just doing an action and letting the feeling become apparent.

A better explanation than I can give is in the book The Actor's Art and Craft: William Esper Teaches the Meisner Technique.

Of course, I like to think that sometimes our lines come from a place of writing, and sometimes our lines come from a place of acting. So not every line is meant to be a lost-in-character utterance, nor is every line a calculation of maximized information. Sometimes we move, sometimes we are moved.

I'm starting a podcast. I'd like to interview anyone with an interest in improv. The show has nothing to do with improv, and I don't want to talk about improv, or even mention that you're interested in improv.

If you'd like to participate, you can book a slot at https://calendly.com/podcastexperience/signup.

I'll call you and we'll talk. You can choose to use your improv skills or not.

I think you should just say fuck it and start practicing! What I mean is, you learn a lot about improv just by doing it. I recommend doing a couple of quick warm-up games to get comfortable with looking silly first, and then just play simple open-ended scenes or a few exercises based on a theme. Here's a list of games that you can look at and pick ones that sound like fun to you. As you and your friends play, just notice what makes things feel easy and fun, and what makes things feel hard and terrible for everybody*. Do more of the first category and you'll be golden.

Here's a book designed for teachers running improv classes. It breaks down some basic skills and describes exercises to help foster those skills. Basically go through the book and you'll have the fundamentals down in no time. Don't get intimidated! Yeah, there's a craft to this, but also this is an activity meant to be fun. The craft, in my opinion, facilitates fun. The first time I did improv, I had fun and that's what made me stick in it. The improv I did was terrible, looking back, but that's okay. It was the first time we did it. The important things is that we had a good time being creative. So no matter what you do, as long as that happens you will have a successful first session.

*Some things are fun for only one person. We want fun for everybody.

From 2018 thread:

Group Improvisation (Second Edition) by Peter Gwinn and Charna Halpern

First and foremost, Charna's contribution is limited to the preface and a short section on Tag Outs, so don't be immediately turned off by seeing her name in the byline.

Secondly, this book is best utilized by coaches, teachers and directors--it is a book of warm up games, organized into categories such as Bonding, Focus, Energy, etc. There are 61 games listed, not including variations or increasing levels of difficulty included their entries.

The games are clearly described with simple examples provided. Unlike some of the other breezy improv books you may find on this list, this is a dense 135 pages of small font typeface that gets right to it.

If you've been around the block, some of these warm-ups (or your local version of it) are old hat to you...however, having these all in one place is handy and when you're looking for a silly pattern warm-up that you might have forgotten about long ago.

If you're a performer, you can pass on this book. If you're teacher or coach and the internet is failing you when it comes to warm ups, this makes a nice addition to your library and is a complementary pick up to Asaf Ronen's Directing Improv and Jason Lewis' How to Teach Improvised Comedy: Using the Science of Expertise to Develop Masterful Improvisors

From 2018 Thread:

Truth in Comedy by Charna Halpern, Del Close and Kim Johnson

Art by Committee: A Guide to Advanced Improvisation by Charna Halpern

Well, these are going to be shit on, right?

Ok, so I guess context before roll our eyes and move on: Truth in Comedy was published in 1994 before longform improv, the Harold and iO were on anyone's radar. And let's face it, they're still not on the radar. Anyways, it makes sense that this book is somewhat self-aggrandizing with celebrity namedrops to give the work legitimacy and is basically a book-length ad for taking Harold classes at iO.

This book presents the very basics of improv theory (with name drops), then walks us into longform improv techniques (with name drops) and then culminates with explaining a very basic, training wheels Harold (with name drops). For a pure absolute improv noobie, this is a decent basic book to read...even if the name drops and references are ~~a bit~~ very dated. For anyone with a modicum of experience, it can be a bit of slog to find a nugget of wisdom--that was probably already parroted to you by one of your teachers or coaches.

Loan your copy of Truth In Comedy to an improv noobie then tell them too keep it.

As for Art by Committee, honestly, I was so bored by reading it I skimmed most of of the pages. It also kept referring me to check out a mentioned technique or style on the included DVD (which I still haven't watched). If you're wondering about the 13 pages of just iO photos, I can assure you Charna is in 1/3 of them.

I'll let someone else speak to the DVD and the quality of production and improv therein, but I'm pretty confident that Art by Committee is probably among the lowest tier of improv books on this list.

2020 Update

Remember when there was an iO?

From 2018 Thread:

The Art of Chicago Improv: Short Cuts to Long-Form Improvisation by Rob Kozlowski

This book is purely for improv nerds. Published in 2002, this is a history of Chicago improv to that point. While it briefly touches on the origins of forms (and gives a basic explanation), this book is primarily focused on the history and evolution of long form improvisation and improv theaters in Chicago.

But, /u/sambalaya, it says "Short Cuts to Long-Form Improvisation" right in the title!

Yeah, the publisher made him put that in the title.

If you're an improv nerd like me, you'll probably like this book...otherwise you can give this a pass.

From 2018 thread:

Improvising Better: A Guide for the Working Improviser by Jimmy Carrane and Liz Allen

In the preface, the authors explain that Improvising Better was a result of people asking them to write a book about their Top 10 Blind Spots for Improvisors--which was a marketing piece for their workshops. At a slight 71 pages, this book is direct, to the point and an extremely quick read.

Each "chapter" lays out the big point with their explanation, provides an exercise or two with teaching tips and warnings (for things to avoid). I put chapter in quotes because with 18 chapters in a 71 page book, most chapters are 3ish pages long.

Being published in 2006, some of the advice has aged poorly--a chapter on playing the opposite sex is not really that groundbreaking anymore and a chapter about challenging yourself to play politically incorrect characters and talk about taboo topics would definitely need a more modern perspective and caveats.

While there are some interesting thoughts and nuggets of wisdom in this very slim book, read this only if you can get your hands on a cheap copy or borrow it from a friend.

From 2018 thread:

The Complete Improviser by Bill Arnett aka /u/btarnett

(Full Disclosure: I've taken classes from Bill and currently perform at Chicago Improv Studio)

Clocking in at 188 pages, Bill's book is a solid, clear and thoughtful read about his philosophy and thoughts on improv. Sidebars with examples and explainations are common throughout the book.

The first half works through Bill's five assumptions about improv audiences and provides "sound, actionable advice for strong improv play based on each assumption." Each assumption gets its day in the sun and is clearly explored and explained.

The back half introduces and explains show games, scenic techniques, some sample forms and finishes with a few exercises you can do. This second half may not be as engaging to advanced or veteran improvisors.

As a whole, The Complete Improviser is definitely worthwhile for improvisors of all levels.

This looks great! Not strictly improv, but Comedy Writing Secrets by Mel Helitzer is like the comedy bible to me. I learned so much from it when I started out in stand up and improv.

>how to construct physicality, gestures, voices, and accents to create characters

Specifically in regards to that, I don't think there's much out there. Most improv books I've read are about mindset and how to more strongly utilize the spirit of Yes-And. Like, I'm not aware of any books that go "In order to create a physicality, follow these steps:"

You may find some value in Jill Bernard's Small Cute Book of Improv which discusses her idea of VAPAPO, a simple acronym mnemonic to key into characters. But it, like most improv books, kind of assumes you already know how to change your voice to sound different or change your posture to move differently. (VAPAPO is, if I recall correctly, Voice, Attitude, Posture, Animal, Prop, Obsession.)

You may also find some value in Viewpoints which breaks movement down into three basic vectors. Playing with varying degrees and combinations of the vectors can change your physicality and thus the character you're creating. Applying that thought process to other things (like for voice, adjusting timbre, pitch, tempo, volume) may help.

I personally wouldn't try to do accents in improv. Save that for when you're with a vocal coach working on a scripted piece that calls for a specific accent. In improv, accents tend to lean toward unfair and un-fun biases and stereotypes.

Oh, THAT's what you're looking for. Huh.

Any Londoners have any strong opinions on anything here?

This books is a phenomenal review of the history of the Harold. I believe TJ and Dave have a chapter. Whole book will be worth reading for the project as it informs how the improv community got to the place to allow tj and Dave to be as successful as they have been

https://www.amazon.com/Long-Form-Improvisation-American-Comedy/dp/1137376570/ref=nodl_?dplnkId=3b5dd640-0d03-4903-be70-ea28d632f8b6

Improv Nation by Sam Wasson (link wasn’t working) is another fantastic history book. Tj and Dave definitely have a chapter in this one. Also another essential read for any improv history buff

Hey there, I've got a temporary link to my Google Drive account. Download it if you like--if not, the real links will hopefully be up within the next day or so. Thanks again!

Word-at-a-time or maybe Sentence-at-a-time Story. (Name is self-explanatory, let me know if you need more details.) Also check out this book and this book. They're geared towards working with children, you'll definitely find at least one exercise that resonates with your teaching style in them.

To follow up on "choose to know", Will Hines' book presents the mantra "Know, Care, Say". So your character should know what's going on, they should have a strong opinion about it, and they should say it out loud so that the scene partner and the audience knows they know and care about it.

Instead of "What time does this conference start?" try "We're an hour late for the conference and I AM FREAKING OUT!"

The first option tells us there's a conference, and that it's not important enough for your character to even know when it starts. Boring.

The second option is a big choice, it adds stakes, and it adds emotion.

Question: who is teaching these workshops?

Oh, one thing I thought of in terms of cruise survival. My cruise went through Cozumel. Whatever you do, do NOT rent a scooter or really any vehicle at all. You will get ripped off. They may seem a bit expensive, but pay for taxis.

Also, check out:
Freedom in Paradise Restaurant and Beach Bar
No Name Bar

I'll just leave this here: http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-magnet-theater-podcast/e/44-susan-messing-38037050

I'm not sure if I agree totally with Susan Messing, but her take on this issue is basically THE game of the scene = writing on your feet = good but not as fun / well rounded for her as multiple games of scene, no straight man, everybody's got their own weird deal improv.

Fair Deal: An Improvised Mediation

Episode 5: Devon (Sam Abrams, Courtney Farrell, and Tom Hannigan) now available. Listen anywhere you get your podcasts!

https://www.buzzsprout.com/1736321/8338531-devon-sam-abrams-courtney-farrell-and-tom-hannigan

The Backline Podcast (Rob and Adam) posted theirs six days ago. Glad to see people are being constructive rather than poo-pooing those who don't have a coach.

I'll also add this. Two of my former Improv Teachers have a podcast they started this year. One of their episodes was on Short form improv. This might be interesting for you to hear.

http://www.stitcher.com/podcast/the-backline/e/21-shortform-36304121

At the risk of being immodest I’ll suggest my book “The Triangle of the Scene” (https://www.amazon.com/Triangle-Scene-practical-approaching-improvisation/dp/1539733718/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=1L7SKN6VSKQN7&keywords=triangle+of+the+scene&qid=1640928956&sprefix=teiangle+of+the+%2Caps%2C126&sr=8-1) people find it helpful. Also I run a free YouTube channel full of improv resources (YouTube.com/c/PVIMPROV) Hope these help and good luck on your improv journey.

I’ve written a book you might like. Check it out. https://www.amazon.com/You-Will-Never-Funny-Introduction/dp/B095GCZL9D/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?crid=18WPKNDWKK0H4&keywords=drew+mccreadie&qid=1640925969&sprefix=drew+mccreadie%2Caps%2C340&sr=8-2

This Will Hines article gives an excellent and concise breakdown of long for improv.

The UCB Manual is very useful, but reads like a university text book, and I could imagine that being off-putting for a beginner.

My advice would be to take an in-person introductory long form course, then read Will Hines' book. It answered most of the questions I had after my first course, and is very accessible.

I'm of the opinion that if perfect practice makes perfect, imperfect practice makes imperfect. If all you practice is bad scenes with notes after, all you'll have are bad shows with notes after.

The best coaching happens in the moment and focuses on what you should be doing, rather than waiting until after to tell you what you did wrong.

This is true of coaching and teaching methodologies all the time--a piano teacher doesn't let you hit wrong notes over and over again without correcting you in the moment. A football coach makes you run drills over and over until you're hitting tackles correctly, and reminds you after every missed or slipped or failed tackle exactly what you should do right the next time. They don't wait until practice is over to go over what you did wrong.

While there is sometimes merit to letting players improvise without stepping in, I rarely find value in letting players do 3-4 minute scenes and then correcting them after the fact. In fact, it's probably one of the least useful methods of teaching I've experienced.

If you want more info, I cannot recommend Jason Lewis' book How to Teach Improvised Comedy enough.

The Backline podcast had an episode last week about bulldozing, and how to deal with it. It gives some solid advice for the situation you're describing.

I am not a musician, but I've done some musical improv. Here's her book which is geared to musical directors. It's pretty solid. I'd say check that out first and if you want more, then maybe get the video course.

Hiya - just thought I d let you know that so far on the Io intensive there are 35 people registered so far - I don't know what their cut off point - I was just invited into a group chat introduction on slack.com - thought I d pass on the info at least . I did the one week last year and it was brilliant.

You happen to be talking to a person with a visual arts background who has a lot of art theory and history classes under their belt. To answer your question, I turn to Dutton's The Art Instinct which lays out 12 cluster criteria for identifying a work of art cross-culturally (Chapter 3, What Is Art?). Sports lacks at least half of them by my judgement. Most notably a sport lacks emotional saturation; it does not express anything beyond the action itself, whereas art expresses a feeling or state of mind not literally present in the artwork itself.

Yes, people can get emotionally excited over watching their favorite team win. But so can a parent watching their child walk for the first time. This alone does not make the two things art. Remember: It's a cluster criteria.

Elements of a sport and the things surrounding it may be artful, but that also does not make the sport itself art.

To your friend's possible point, well, without further elaboration I can't say for sure. But they may be offering a take on Scott McCould's definition of art, that is anything not related to survival is art. I take that idea to mean much of what we do is performative in the sociological sense, which is a semantically different concept than art.

You might be interested in the work of TJ and Dave. In their book, their definition of improv is much broader; to them it is about being interesting and communicating to your scene partner. (I would add the qualifier of in a theatrical manner, but perhaps that unspoken part is unneeded.) However they also talk about how some difficult topics might be beyond their skill as actors to portray. To that point, I find what might be true to TJ and Dave is definitely true for most improvisers. We don't see dramatic improvisation often because most people can't make it.

And to the point of their broader definition of improv: Improvisation is simply a process. All sorts of artists improvise. The difference in those other forms is that the product is refined, edited, packaged. In improv, the process is the product. And the process often tends towards comedy because the process generates surprising moments, and surprise is pretty much the biggest element of comedy.

But improv as a process can definitely be used to generate drama or talk about difficult topics. It's just that, in those contexts, it's part of a larger process; devising a play, getting in touch with a character, drama therapy even. It's rarely presented as product in that manner.

If they don't already have it, Will Hines' improv book would make a great gift: https://www.amazon.com/How-Be-Greatest-Improviser-Earth/dp/0982625723

There’s lots of good books out there. One book I constantly go back to is ‘The Improv Handbook’’ by Deborah Francis-White and Tom Salinsky. Well worth checking it out

You can read Asaf Ronen's book and Jason Lewis' book for a little grounding in running a rehearsal and giving feedback, but the best thing to do would be shadowing teachers and coaches, watching what they do, and debriefing afterwards to learn why they did what did (and how).

I figured out the problem and pushed an update to the Google Play store. It is version 1.6 of the app. I would suggest using this link to find it because as of this reply Google hasn't put the app in the search results yet. https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.httpsptik.oozebear

So crazy that I got the exact same phone model as you posted this today. Thank you so much for letting me know about the error message

Cool and clever! It's also $135 less than the StreamDeck, but I don't regret shelling out the money, because the streamdeck's software has some great integration with OBS and other apps.

https://www.amazon.com/Elgato-Stream-Deck-Controller-customizable/dp/B06XKNZT1P/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?dchild=1&keywords=stream+deck&qid=1594669095&sr=8-1-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFRU1NKUzA1U0FQT1AmZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTAwODQyODQxV0U4VjFXS09aSjdRJmVuY3J5cHRlZEFkSWQ9QTA0MzMwNzFPWDYwT0VITlY1OFUmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGYmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

I would suggest this book by a former professor of mine: Amazon Link

It's a healthy part of variety in any show, especially a written sketch revue. This old book has a few improv exercises that'll help gear your brain to creating satire.

Part of being a better improvisor is being aware of what's going on in your world. Satirical scenes just provide a lens through which you can talk about what you know and what your opinion of it is. Satire is not the be-all, end-all of improv, and a show can do without it. But you will a stronger improvisor if you can work with it.

• Your Brain Is (Almost) Perfect: How We Make Decisions
• I Am a Strange Loop

— These books are pretty much my baseline for reasoning my own thought processes. I think that's a big part of improvisation, learning to reason about and create mental models of your own thought processes.

• The Black Swan

— This book had a profound effect on my approach to and my understanding of knowledge. This book made me focus on the nature of what I know, and the nature of what I can not know until it happens.

• Impro

— The first section of this book that deals with status and classroom environments is, I think, the most important idea to be presented in improv literature. Full Stop.

• The Inner Game of Tennis
• Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance

— Great perspective on how learning works, and how... dissecting things into categories and subjects works.

• Chapters 2 & 3 of: A Small Matter of Programming: Perspectives on End User Computing

— Addresses the very applicable concepts of 'formal systems', 'activity theory', and, I shit you not: a field of research called 'distributed cognition'.

• Process: An Improviser's Journey

— The end is in the beginning, and for me this book was a perfect narrative exploration of an "advanced beginner" seeing the extreme core fundamentals again in a new light.

The Triangle of the Scene: A simple, practical, powerful method for approaching improvisation by Paul Vaillancourt

Long-Form Improv: The Complete Guide to Creating Characters, Sustaining Scenes, and Performing Extraordinary Harolds by Ben Hauck

Long Form Improvisation and American Comedy: The Harold by Matt Fotis

The Comedy Improv Handbook: A Comprehensive Guide to University Improvisational Comedy in Theatre and Performance by Matt Fotis

A further discussion on mantras can be found in Johnstone's Impro for Storytellers. Short version: repeating simple phrases like "I'm so happy" inside your head will lead to your character being more positive, or whatever choice you want to see. I've also found repeating an improv note ("Listen more," for example) reminds us to actively do that one note. Many times, focusing on one single note allows the rest to fall into place.

For improv books check out Improvising now: a practical guide to modern improv by Rob Norman. He founded the Longform program at Second City Toronto and is widely respected as one of the best teachers in the city. He also has a podcast with Adam Cawley called the Backline which is worth a listen!

https://www.amazon.ca/Improvising-Now-Rob-Norman/dp/1497408407

Theater Games for the Lone Actor might help you do stuff on your own.

But finding/forming a practice group would be the best thing.

What level are you in?

This is a big question that people have tried to answer many times before, and a gigantic question if you ask it about things other than improv.

I don't know, but my latest book to read while commuting is Hit Makers by Derek Thompson - I'll let you know what I find out.

Having him come to a practice is an excellent idea!

They make blank face decks of playing cards, FYI. Get a sharpie and you can write whatever you want on them.

If Toronto's your destination, then I recommend Improvising Now by Rob Norman; he developed the longform program at Second City Toronto and his book is geared towards beginner level students.

Are you putting pressure on yourself to make the "right decision?"

There is no right decision. The only "wrong" decision is no decision. Any choice can be made to work. And since you're new, you are more than allowed, nay, ENCOURAGED to make choices and fuck them up. You're learning, so do things to see where they go!

Do not worry about letting the other player down. Remember, they have just as much an idea of what's going on as you do: none. You can't fuck them up. (Anyone who claims you did fuck them up is a jerk, don't listen to them.) Instead, switch your brain to "being supportive." Anything you do, however small, to support your scene partner is more than welcome.

Also, read: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MY67HVI/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

There is a great book called 'Improv Ideas.' It lists just the kind of scenarios you're describing, but also provides exercises when they are useful. In addition, there is a CD to download the scenarios so you can print them out to take to rehearsals or auditions. I've found it super helpful.

Here's a link: https://www.amazon.com/Improv-Ideas-Book-Games-Lists/dp/1566081130/

Also recommend Improvising Now. It's a British improv book, so it's a unique look at the process of being in a scene.

Lots of stuff about how to stay present and in the now. Helped understand the concept of listening better.

http://www.amazon.ca/Improvising-Now-Rob-Norman/dp/1497408407

One thing I learned is that cost denotes value. Discount too much, and you run the risk of looking like an amateur hour organization.

Now I'm basing a lot of what I learned from theater marketing books - like this one. Communication is great, continuous communication is better. Get an email list going and maintain it. Make it someone's job to regularly communicate with emails, Facebook, etc., because you need to retain people. Fall off on posting a little too long, and you lose people and need to rebuild.

(I design book jackets and have a degree in Illustration, so) In regards to your flyers: shell out a couple extra bucks to ask a friend who knows design to make flyers for you. Yours scream "I was made by someone who doesn't know what they're doing in Microsoft Word!" Instead, think about your image, your brand (YEAH, your BRAND, fuck it, you need to) and what you want people to think about you. What's the "personality" of your classes? Now start choosing images from there.

This is an expanded and revised version of his first book. It includes his Paradigm Lost directing journal (previously online a long time ago but taken down and put here) and a few more tips and tricks. His new book isn't out yet, but it's listed here.

If you're digging Christian's performance in this (he's the one speaking), you might want to check out his book Aerodynamics of Yes on Kindle: Here

And there's a good podcast interview with him Here

I've taken several workshops from Christian and can't say enough good things about him.

I really want to know more...

http://smile.amazon.com/The-Bible-Improv-Seeing-Living/dp/0310287707

Doesn't seem to have much to do with stage improv, but in seeing the bible as a story and not just a bunch of lessons and rules. Not sure what they mean by "jazz metaphor" though.

Read Directing Improv. Do your best to treat the coach position in as egalitarian way as possible—everyone must act as though they are all learning together.

At the same time, I feel like improv has spread everywhere. There's gotta be someone in your town, or nearby. Are you absolutely certain you've dug deep enough?

Okay, are we seriously talking about you being a rape survivor? Because there is a world of difference between not being able to come up with a good word during One-Word Story and being a rape survivor. And it's insulting to rape survivors to even put that in the same category, or to have heightened from one to the other.

Look, I've never been involved with rape in any way that I'm aware of. I don't know that much about it, so I could be wrong about a lot of this. Whatever the other person's intentions, this is not real life. This is an improv stage. This is the place where you are now empowered. You are able to, in fact you are encouraged to, take ownership of yourself and your situation. No one else can put you in your head except for you.

I encourage you to learn more about Susan Messing, and read Amy Seham's book Whose Improv Is It Anyway? http://www.amazon.com/Whose-Improv-Is-It-Anyway/dp/1578063418

Keep improvising!

Great stuff! I want to take your class.

There were some great exercises for building comedy routines in this book. One of my favorites.

I guess you'd probably want to start with the rules of improv, and later the rules of comedy. Unless you already have experienced improvvers' in your group.

I honestly don't know. The book recommendation is all I got.

Coming up with the exercises would be the funnest thing.

I imagine writing a sentence on the board but leaving off the last word for others to improv on would be hilarious. Probably a MSTK3 themed video session would be great too.