Improv Miami is quickly becoming a force in the improv world of South Florida. With information about the various troupes and the history of improv, we hope to provide you with the information that you need to appreciate this art form and begin seeing shows from the various troupes in the area.

If you would like to view ImprovMiami specific merchandise from Cafe Press, you can view our online store by clicking here.

Books of Interest: In order to help educate our audiences about the world of improv, we have created this page to assist you in finding books that can help you understand the artform and appreciate its history and nuances. Feel free to browse these books and choose those you might have an interest in.

The Essentials  Improvisation for the Theater  Viola Spolin Improvisation didn't start out as a performance art. It began as a technique to train actors, to get them out of their own heads and force them to connect with other performers onstage. Viola Spolin was the pioneer in the field, and this book is still the "bible" of improv, and the techniques are suitable for performers of all ages and all levels of experience. Now available in a newly updated third edition. Highly Recommended Buy it now! Impro Keith Johnstone Working independently of Spolin, Keith Johnstone's book added significant insight into personal status relationships as well as free association and imaginative techniques. Johnstone later applied his techniques to create the popular Theatresports franchise. His methods for tapping into creativity are useful for authors as well as actors, and are also well-suited for children. The last several chapters explore acting with masks. Highly Recommended Buy it now! Truth In Comedy: The Manual of Improvisation Charna Helpern, Del Close, Kim Howard Johnson, and Arthur L. Zapel A guide to long-form improvisations, from the founders of Chicago's ImprovOlympic. The late Del Close was the teacher who inspired John Belushi, Chris Farley, and Mike Myers, among countless others. Highly Recommended Buy it now! Directing Improv: Show the way by getting out of the way Asaf Ronen, the editor-in-chief of YESand.com and improvisor shows his personal techniques for directing, coaching and teaching improvisation. Chapters cover a multitude of topics including giving notes, sidecoaching, working with children and dealing with troupe member issues. Highly Recommended Buy it now! An exclusive excerpt from the book, Chapter 10: Being a Director and Performer, is also available on the site by clicking here.

The Second City Almanac of Improvisation

Anne Libera The Second City Almanac of Improvisation - like the theatre itself - is a collection of diverse ideas, viewpoints, and memories, written by a vast array of teachers, actors, and directors who all got their start at the legendary comedy theatre. Fred Willard recalls his introduction to The Second City style in the mid-Sixties; Tim Kazurinsky gives a hilarious visual demonstration on the art of object work; "Saturday Night Live" star Tina Fey talks about re-improvising material as a mode of writing revue comedy; noted director Mick Napier takes on the thorny debate between long-form improvisation and short-form improvisation. Second City Resident Director Anne Libera guides the reader through each essay by providing a road map for understanding how The Second City method of improv-based comedy has become the industry standard. Highly Recommended Buy It Now!

Theater Games for the Lone Actor

Viola Spolin Aimed at the advanced actor rather than the beginner, this book offers exercises and techniques aimed at benefiting the solitary actor, whether it be onstage, oncamera, or in audition situations. Buy It Now!

Impro for Storytellers

Keith Johnstone This expanded work is a goldmine of techniques for stimulating spontaneity in anyone, whether they are professional actors, non-performers, schoolchildren–anybody! Highly Recommended Buy it now

Improvise: Scene From the Inside Out

Mick Napier The first really innovative book to hit the improv scene in years, written by one of Chicago's top improv teachers.

Highly Recommended Buy It Now!

Theater Games for Rehearsal

Viola Spolin More exercises aimed at using improvisation as a tool for rehearsing scripted plays. Buy it now!

Theater Games for the Classroom

Viola Spolin Games designed to spark creativity and cooperation in students. Buy it now!

Theater Game File 

Viola Spolin The famous Spolin Theater games arranged in a handbook and on index cards for easy reference. Buy it now!

Improv! A Handbook for the Actor  

Greg Atkins Written by a consultant for the television series Whose Line is It Anyway?, this book offers over 150 exercises to help actors liberate spontaneity and think quickly on their feet. Buy it now!

The Ultimate Improv Book: A Complete Guide to Comedy Improvisation

Edward J. Nevraumont, Nicholas P. Hanson, Kurt Smeaton A how-to book designed to train high school-age improvisers and get them started in improvisational performance, organized into 24, class-length lessons. Buy It Now!

Improv Comedy  

Andy Goldberg A general overview of comedy improvisation as an entertainment medium, including chapters on organizing an improv troupe, putting a show together, finding a performance venue, and contract do's and don'ts. Buy it now!

Acting Games: Improvisations and Exercises: A Textbook of Theatre Games and Improvisations

Marsh Gary Cassady, Theodore O. Zapel (Editor) Buy it now!

The Art of Play: The New Genre of Interactive Theatre

Gary Izzo From interactive event shows like Tony and Tina's Wedding, to murder mysteries solved by the audience, improvisation has been blended with environmental theatre and Commedia del Arte to create a new artform which eliminates the barrier between the audience and the actor. The book is a practical guide to creating and performing interactive theatre.  Buy it now!

Acting Interactive Theatre: A Handbook 

Gary Izzo A detailed outline of the rehearsal process, with over 150 annotated workshop exercises to aid in the creation of an interactive show. Buy it now!

Action Theatre: The Improvisation of Presence

Ruth Zaporah The author approaches improvisational theatre from her experience as a dancer and dance teacher, in contrast to the dialog-driven approach of some other improv teachers. Buy it now!

Comedy Improvisation: Exercises and Technique for Young Actors

Delton T. Horn, Theodore O. Zapel (Editor) Buy it now!

The Italian Comedy: The Improvisation, Scenarios, Lives

Fred Eggan Commedia Dell'Arte, its structure and its stock characters explored in detail. Buy it now!

Commedia Dell'Arte: An Actor's Handbook

John Rudlin This traditional Italian improvisational theatre form dates from the Renaissance, when troupes of players toured villages and towns throughout western Europe creating improvisational plays. Buy it now!

Improvisation Starters: A Collection of 900 Improvisations for the Theater 

Philip Bernardi A collection of sample plot premises for improv scenes. Buy it now!

Improvisations in Creative Drama: A program of Workshops and Dramatic Sketches for Students 

Betty Keller A program of workshops and dramatic sketches for students. Buy it now!

Acting Out: The Workbook: A Guide to the Development and Presentation of Issue-Oriented and Audience-Interactive, Improvisational Theatre

Mario Cossa, Sally S. Fleischmann Ember, Lauren Grover Hazelwood, Sally S. Fleischmann Improvisation can be more than a comedic performance form or a technique for training actors. It can also be used as a counseling and educational tool, allowing young people to act out scenarios from real life, allowing them to address issues of health and personal responsibility. Buy It Now!

Mask Improvisation for Actor Training & Performance: The Compelling Image 

Sears A. Eldredge Many novice performers find masks to be liberating, giving them the freedom to explore character choices that would otherwise embarrass them. Buy it now!

How to Be Funny: Discovering the Comic You

Steve Allen, Jane Wollman, Bill Maher Steve Allen was a modern Renaissance man. A successful talk show host, actor, and author, he entertained millions when his groundbreaking TV shows first hit the airwaves in the 1950's, and he remained active as a writer and lecturer until his untimely death in December, 2000. Buy it now!

Stop the Show: A History of Insane Incidents and Absurd Accidents in the Theater

Brad Schreiber. A collection of often amusing stories from live theatre where the stature of the scripted page turned into bedlam. Many of the stories feature top performers through history dealing with the unpredictable to the absurd. To read a review of the book, click here. Or, Buy it now!

Copyright 2008 - ImprovMiami.com - All Rights Reserved