Let What You See, See You

Space Walk Commentary (from the Theater Game File Handbook by Viola Spolin: published by Northwestern University Press) Space Walks and Feeling Self with Self, more than just physical sensory and perception exercises, are organic ways of perceiving/sensing/experiencing the environment (space) around us as an actual dimension in which all can enter, communicate, live and be.. read more →

The Layers of the Onion

Silent Tension without Who, What and Where* It had been maybe two years of Wednesday afternoon workshops with Viola before we did an exercise called Silent Tension without Who, What and Where. “I don’t do this one right away.” she said to us. “But now that you have No-Motion and some games behind you, I.. read more →

The Language of Authority

Do this, don’t do that! Like this! Here’s how I want it! That’s better! That’s rotten! That’s not funny! Now that was FUNNY! That’s what I want! — spoken by a director at a recent improv workshop I attended. If you teach or direct, you must be mindful of your role as leader and work to be.. read more →

Improvisation and Life are Beautiful by Joshua C.D. Robinson

This is an excellently written piece on Spolin. IMPROVISATION AND LIFE ARE BEAUTIFUL #NOIRONY Joshua C. Robinson POSTED BY JOSHUA C. ROBINSON ON FEBRUARY 12, 2014 IN COMEDY, DISCOVERY, FREEDOM,IMPROV, STEPHEN COLBERT, SUPPORT, THEATRE, VIOLA SPOLIN Many of the Master’s of Arts Management candidates managed, created or performed art in some way before they came to Columbia College Chicago;many of them still do. I certainly love to create in.. read more →

The Fear Factor and My Ghostly Voices

The Scene: Improv Class with the legendary Viola Spolin. “Alright.” she says. “Who wants to go next?” I hesitate. The ‘What if…?’ dialogue: “What if I can’t do it?” That’s where it starts for me. I get afraid. “Afraid of what?” “Not being able to do it? Then people will laugh at me?” “Hey! I’m.. read more →

What I Learned at the House of Genius

The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away. – Pablo Picasso read more →

Why Improvisation is Important

Improvisation is the new learning: Schools teach us how to collect information and tests our retention.Improvisation teaches us how to collect new experiences and how to integrate that experience into each moment of our life. read more →

Join an exciting Kickstarter Project to bring Spolin Games to the World.

This is time sensitive: Please Help make this a reality. read more →

Transcend the known and knock on the door of the Intuition

The Games of Viola Spolin are designed to teach more than theater. They are doorways into an unknown. And by playing, we go forth unafraid and with joy! read more →

Some Thoughts on Improvising

I was looking through my journal trying to find what to write about as my next blog entry. I came across a stream of consciousness document I simply called “Ramblings”. I often ramble on trying to find a subject to expound on. In re-reading this old journal entry, I found it was pretty good advice.. read more →