Podcasts about spolin

Send us a textIf you haven't made space for a little play in your life, maybe take a little inspiration from this week's author, educator, and improvisor Viola Spolin. Spolin revolutionized play as a tool for community building and connection, using games to help struggling members of her community in Chicago and beyond. Her work combined improvisation with principles of social work, literacy, and more. Her impact can be felt today in classrooms, theater companies, community centers, Hollywood Blockbuster movies and beyond! Join us this week and bring a sense of magic back to your life. 

Join us for the first episode in our Founding Mother Series! Viola Spolin developed a complete system of education which she called Theater Games and her methods are the roots of contemporary improv.  While the power of Viola's system is widely recognized in the theater education community, her fundamental contribution to improvisation is just beginning to get full recognition. Spolin's non-authoritarian methods are about direct personal expression and are used in diverse fields to foster creativity, empathy, and self-knowledge.Our Hosts Lauren Torres and Dawn "Sam" Alden talk with Aretha Sills (Viola's grandaughter) about Spolin's fascinating history. We also discuss a powerful second Founding Mother: Neva Boyd.  Aretha was featured on the PBS Documentary about Viola Spolin Inventing Improv, to view visit: https://www.pbs.org/video/inventing-improv-fjrunv/ To learn more about Viola Spolin, find her books, or take workshops in her empowering methods visit: https://www.violaspolin.org/

In the first interview of our ADD series, Madeline Spolin aka Spo tells us how she realized she had ADD, why it took until her late 20's for someone to figure this out and what gender has to do with it.    Find us at: Patreon.com/bipolarbicoastal Facebook.com/groups/bipolarbicoastalsecret On Facebook and Instagram by searching "Bipolar Bicoastal"

Jude Leak is the writer and director of a new documentary called Inventing Improv, about the mother of improv, Viola Spolin. We talked to Jude about her documentary and how Spolin created the theater games that have been used to teach improv ever since, how her idea to get suggestions from the audience came about, and her huge influence at The Compass Players and Second City. Improv started with Viola Spolin, this is a great episode to understand the history of improv.

Max Schafer leads Spolin workshops around the world. He is the author of “Viola Spolin's Theater Games for the Classroom” Multimedia CD. He has studied under and was directed by Viola Spolin. He was stage manager for Paul Sills. He also studied with Carol Sills, Aretha Sills, Alan Arkin, Dick Schaal, Avery Schrieber, Bob Moyer, and Gary Schwartz. Max teaches Spolin improvisation around the world. He has been a distinguished certificated classroom teacher for over 40 years. He is a computer programmer and software publisher. He is a toy inventor and president of a toy company. He is originally from Detroit, Michigan. He now lives in Los Angeles. He runs a Music Improv group. His current Spolin workshop in England on Zoom can be found at https://www.eventbrite.com/.../online-improv-elective... Max runs the World Spolin Network, Musical Improv Network, and Dance Improv Network on Facebook. His "Art Rods" can be found at www.funartrods.com.

Chris & Randall discuss Improv on famous television shows The Office, Reno 911, and Curb Your Enthusiasm. Topics discussed include: Improv Viola Spolin Compass Players Nichols and May Alan Arkin Ed Asner Second City Del Close Long Form Improv Theater in Chicago Mort Sahl Truth in Comedy (book) Impro (book) Spolin's Theater Games (book) Improv rules Dramatic Improv writing for actors Cynthia Seghetti The Office (US TV series) Reno 911 (TV series) The Harold Cinéma vérité Brandon Burkhart Curb Your Enthusiasm (TV series) Woody Allen Ken Loach Mike Leigh Recorded August 24, 2020 Visit us at https://chrisandrandall.com/

Project Woo Woo: Real Conversations with Imaginary People Who is Gary Schwartz: Gary Schwartz is an actor, writer, and improv coach. He is the protégé of Viola Spolin, considered to be the Mother of the American Improvisation. He is the founder of Improv Odyssey, an exciting approach to changing the way people work and play, based on Spolin’s techniques. Gary’s Rising Sign: Cancer Gary’s favorite Career Highlight: My first professional job was as a mime at 13 opening for Pete Seeger’s Clearwater Sloop concerts in the 1960s. What did Gary learn from playing Krishnamurti: Krishnamurti’s wisdom and doing him, made me once again realize that the potential for happiness resides in each moment and is available to everyone. I keep forgetting. Where you can find Gary: Gary Schwartz Spolin Games Online Improv Odyssey Where to find Lisa: Lisa Orkin Creative

Episode 2: Conversation with Marcy Willis - Theatre actress and improvisor integrating both joys into facilitating transformational leadership experiences. In this episode, Marcy shares her theatre training background and how we can find our voices through applying improv and exercises to practice before conversations & public speaking, especially for introverts! In this challenging time amidst the pandemic and Black Lives Matter movement, Marcy shares more about the emotional roller coaster experiences we may feel through the behavioral change curve. ABOUT MARCY A trained theatre actress, improviser and member of the Screen Actors' Guild, Marcy's appeared in plays, independent films, national commercials and training videos. Marcy integrates modalities of theatre training and improv into transformational leadership experiences. ABOUT AT HER BEST Minji Wong is the founder of At Her Best and the host of the At Her Best Podcast. Our podcast features conversations with modern courageous women who pursue their passion amongst adversity and hustles with heart. At Her Best partners with Fortune 500 companies and individuals to help achieve goals to help YOU be at YOUR best. For more episodes, visit: atherbest.co/podcast ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Fear of change? Improv can help: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/277707 Presence, voice and being in “second circle” https://youtu.be/Ub27yeXKUTY Tips for applying improv to business: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/277707 Take an online improv class with Viola Spolin's granddaughter: https://www.violaspolin.org/bio Marcy's note: Viola Spolin is the mother of improv in America, as we know it, because she worked at the Hull House in Chicago under a social worker named Neva Boyd and with Neva's mentorship and her theatre background, got really good at devising games to support non-actors in what we would today call social-emotional learning (emotional intelligence, communications skills, etc.) Viola Spolin was the mother of Paul Sills, one of the founders of Second City. Her granddaughter and Paul Sills daughter, Aretha, teaches pure Spolin work, here in Los Angeles and is now moving to do this online. It's a great time to explore improv games, as you don't need to drive anywhere! Executive Producer: Pauline Ang

Aretha Sills discusses her grandmother, the legendary Viola Spolin, who invented an entire discipline and whose book Improvisation for the Theater is a fundamental text for generations of theatre artists. Viola's son (and Aretha's father) Paul Sills took Viola's teachings "to the world," where they became the foundation for more than sixty years of American acting and comedy. Aretha discusses Viola's early training with Neva Boyd at the Jane Addams Hull-House in Chicago and with the Group Theatre in New York; early exposure to opera from her policeman father; how Viola's work inspired the Playwright's Theatre, the Compass Players, and Second City; the value of Spolin’s theatre games in de-colonizing authoritarian teaching methods; and the importance of understanding and honoring the origins of this work (play). (Length 22:47) (Photo courtesy of the Estate of Viola Spolin, www.violaspolin.org.) The post Appreciating Viola Spolin appeared first on Reduced Shakespeare Company.

This episode of Go Fact Yourself features quick wits and facts about hit flicks! Jena Friedman is a comedian and longtime contributor to television, perhaps her best known work was as a producer on "The Daily Show." She’ll talk about how she was so dedicated to her work on the show that she was willing to risk her life if it meant getting the shot that she needed. Jena’s new series "Soft Focus" is on Adult Swim. Jena’s opponent is Jack O’Brien, co-host of "The Daily Zeitgeist" podcast. Before that, he was the co-founder of Cracked.com. How did he turn the website into such a success? Well, he decided to take everything that worked about the original Cracked magazine… and completely ignore it. He’ll explain. The guests will take a deep dive into the lore of the Jaws franchise, the history of comedy and why it is never a good idea to take a bath at a funeral. What’s the Difference: Emergency What’s the difference between a fire engine and a fire truck? What’s the difference between a pandemic and an epidemic? Areas of Expertise Jena Friedman: The TV show "Ghostwriter," the history of improv and the ebola virus. Jack O’Brien: The film Jaws 2, the film Rocky IV and Wu-Tang Clan solo records from 1993 to 1997. Appearing in this episode: J. Keith van Straaten Helen Hong Jena Friedman Jack O’Brien With guest experts:

Billy Merritt, along with Will Hines, came out with a book called Pirate Robot Ninja: An Improv Fable. The book expands and explains a theory that Billy developed in his teaching that improvisers are either naturally Pirates (driven more by the right brain/emotion) or Robots (driven more by the left brain/logic and facts) — with the Ninja one who was able to access either tendency when needed in the moment. It’s much more, though, than a discussion of that topic. In fact, it’s almost an improv workshop in book from from two high level instructors. This episode includes a discussion of Billy’s early days in improv, trying to figure out improv with some college friends out of Spolin’s book, Theater Games, and then with the National Improv Theater before connecting with the UCB. Billy continues to improvise and teach at the UCB in LA — although he first began with UCB in New York. He was a founding member of The Swarm, one of the best regarded improv teams from UCB in New York, and now performs with The Smokes at UCB LA. You can find Billy on social media at: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/billy.merritt Twitter: https://twitter.com/BillyMerritt Pirate Robot Ninja is available at Amazon in both a hardcopy and a Kindle version. You can also learn more about the book at www.piraterobotninja.com.

Gary Schwartz is an award-winning, TV and film actor, director, comedian and a master improvisational acting coach whose 30 years as a performer and improv teacher has helped transform the lives of thousands of people, both on- and off-screen. It was Gary’s 18-year association with world-renowned theater educator and author, Viola Spolin – famous for training the very first improvisational theater troupe in the US which led to the creation of today’s well-known Second City improv troupe – that has provided the foundation for his work today. In 1988 Gary co-founded the Spolin Players improv troupe (www.spolinplayers.com), and is the only master teacher to have ever earned an endorsement from both Viola Spolin and her son, the legendary original director of Second City, Paul Sills. Originally from New York State, Gary began his professional career as a mime at age 13, performing up and down the Hudson River with Pete Seegar, Arlo Guthrie and other great folk entertainers of the 60’s. In the 70’s and 80’s he appeared in numerous film and television projects including the Oscar-winning feature film Quest for Fire and 65 episodes of the Emmy-winning TV series Zoobilee Zoo, with Ben Vereen. Since then, as a voice actor, Gary has gone on to work with Robert Redford, Barbra Streisand, Tim Burton, Kenneth Brannagh and many other well-known directors. Details of his extensive acting career are available at IMDB.com. (www.imdb.com/name/nm0777229). Today, Gary is a passionate, dynamic improv coach and facilitator. He is the founder of Improv Odyssey, an exciting approach to changing the way people work and play, entirely based on Spolin’s techniques. He served on the counsel of the newly formed Actors Guild SAG-AFTRA, Seattle branch for 5 years. Currently Gary resides in North Bend WA. He is founder of The Valley Center Stage, North Bend’s Community Theater. He teaches theater games locally and around the world. He also teaches acting for animation and writes on Spolin’s work. His first novel, The King of Average has been selected at a “Best Book of 2016” by Kirkus Reviews and IndieReader. www.gary-schwartz.com

This week on Why Am I Laughing, Ben and RJ talk about Improvisational Comedy! Improv is basically just a fancy way of saying “making it up on the spot”. So set your brain to shuffle and trust your instincts: this podcast doesn’t think twice. 1:17 - Netflix: Garfunkel and Oates: Trying to Be Special and Gabriel Iglesias: I’m Sorry For What I Said When I Was Hungry 4:10 - Television: Felicity Jones will host SNL on Jan 14th! 8:15 - Improvisational Comedy 8:58 - Why is Improv Funny? 11:00 - Brief History of Improv 14:01 - 10 Rules of Improv 29:10 - Neuroscience and Improv 30:52 - Improv Games 37:24 - Ben’s Wacky Facts 45:50 - #WAILMAILoftheWeek Want us to read your email on next week's show? Send your words to whyamIlaughingpod@gmail.com You can always find our podcast on: iTunes Podcast app : goo.gl/p8BOlU Google Play : goo.gl/rsldp9 Stitcher : goo.gl/mtIGvk TuneInRadio: goo.gl/XkpKdr Twitter: @WAILPod https://twitter.com/WAILPod Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/whyamilaughing/ PodTyrant: goo.gl/srVA3P Check out other amazing podcasts on the PodTyrant network at Podtyrant.com or GeekTyrant.com Spider-Tears https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bU_iWAQcBBg Monster’s University Improv Club https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e-tJAl4O5gs Classic Whose Line Is It Anyway Sketch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QR55hXaha9M

Normandie Wilson, one of my current students, drops by to talk about her thoughts and feelings starting out in the long form improvisational world and how the lessons she learned studying improvisational dance relate.

Kevin Ford returns to talk about different forms with me within a cloud of paint fumes.

Sami Klein of Opening Night: The Musical, Side Project and Local Heroes and I talking about improvising in auditions.

The first half my interview with Craig Cackowski in which we speak about his history in improvisation. He talks about his early days with IO Chicago and Second City and his beginnings in teams such as Baby Wants Candy and Dasariski.

Tom Gibis of Knife Fight tells me about his long history in improvisation, his work in the Brave New Workshop, and being on stage with Chris Farley. Then we dive into initiation.

My guest Dorien Davies and I now remember all the great female performers we should have mentioned while recording this conversation about her background and women in improvisation.

Knife Fight's Ed Galvez speaks with me about his experiences in improvisation and different openings for long form shows.

I continue my conversation with Great Adventure's Jeff Sloniker about playing the Game.

Part one of my conversation with Great Adventure's Jeff Sloniker about his history in improvisation and the Game.

This week I speak with fellow Great Adventure player Kristopher Germain about following your fear.

I interview Kevin Ford of the Great Adventure, and we discuss Group Mind and it's effects on improv.

Kenny Stevenson and I compare and contrast the skills, techniques and mindsets different in performing Long Form improvisation as opposed to Short Form.

Josh Meindertsma and I discuss find and using characters in scenes.

I discuss Conflict and Agreement on Stage with fellow Great Adventure performer Chris Mosier.