
Improvisation for the Theater

Having thus to look to others to tell us where we are, who we are, and what is happening results in a serious (almost total) loss of personal experiencing. We lose the ability to be organically involved in a problem, and in a disconnected way, we function with only parts of our total selves. We do not know our own substance, and in the attempt to l
... See moreViola Spolin • Improvisation for the Theater
The problem-solving technique used in workshop gives mutual objective focus to teacher and student. In its simplest terms it is giving problems to solve problems. It does away with the need for the teacher to analyze, intellectualize, and dissect a student’s work on a personal basis. This eliminates the necessity of the student having to go through
... See moreViola Spolin • Improvisation for the Theater
Though the gifted student will always seem to have more to give, yet if a student is participating to the limit of his powers and using his abilities to their fullest extent, he must be respected for so doing, no matter how minute his contribution. The student cannot always do what the teacher thinks he should do, but as he progresses, his capaciti
... See moreViola Spolin • Improvisation for the Theater
if we direct all our efforts towards reaching a goal, we stand in grave danger of losing everything on which we have based our daily activities. For when a goal is superimposed on an activity instead of evolving out of it, we often feel cheated when we reach it.