by Gary Schwartz | Jan 24, 2021 | Improv Games, Lecture / Explanation, Sensory Awareness, Spacewalks, Viola Spolin, Warm Up Games
Theater Games for the Classroom Project Or Sameaj Montessori in Mexico City teacher/student training program In 2019 I was invited by film director and founder of Or Sameaj Montessori, Jack Zagha Kababbie to conduct a series of Spolin Improv workshops for teachers at...
by Gary Schwartz | Jan 25, 2020 | Games, Improv Games, Improvisation for the Theater, Refining Awareness, Viola Spolin
Showing and Telling Story Telling and Story Theater This is a variation of Story Telling and Once Upon a Time, found in Improvisation for the Theater 3rd Edition (Pg. 283 & Pg. 290). It is also the roots of a unique theater style created by Paul Sills...
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 18, 2018 | Improv Games, Lecture / Explanation, Viola Spolin
Paul Sills tells an anecdote about how Viola Spolin began writing her book.
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 18, 2018 | Improv Games, Lecture / Explanation, Viola Spolin
This is part of a documentary series on Improvisation in general and it starts of course with Viola Spolin.
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 18, 2018 | Improv Games, Lecture / Explanation, Sensory Awareness, Spacewalks, Viola Spolin, Warm Up Games
Welcome to the Spacewalks Page SIDE COACHING SPACE WALK GAMES/ EXERCISES Space walks should be given often as warm-ups and the side coach must participate actively in these exercises. Spacewalks are appropriate for any group, (classroom, workshop, or show warm-up). It...
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 18, 2018 | Improv Games, Orientation, Viola Spolin, Warm Up Games
High energy warm-up Play for fun and also to get everyone used to seeing and using space objects. The fun is as important as the developing skill. But don’t make any recreational game into a “lesson”. It spoils the fun.
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 18, 2018 | Give and Take, Improv Games, Lecture / Explanation, Refining Awareness, Sidecoaching, Viola Spolin
Converge and Redivide variation: Lone Wolf Viola Spolin in a rare video conducting a workshop in Utah in 1972. Here she has three groups do Lone Wolf a version of Converge and Redivide. Her coaching is wonderful to watch.
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 18, 2018 | Improv Games, Orientation, Viola Spolin, Warm Up Games
Steal the Bacon Viola Spolin in a rare video conducting ending a workshop session with the traditional game of Steal the Bacon or Bring Home the Bacon. From a workshop at the University of Utah in 1972
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 18, 2018 | Improv Games, Lecture / Explanation, Refining Awareness, The Where, Viola Spolin
Viola Spolin on the Young Actors Company Viola Spolin in this rare video talks about how her work developed from directing her Young Actor’s Company in Los Angeles and the wonderful results she got from her kids by working with “Where” and with games...
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 18, 2018 | Improv Games, Viola Spolin, Warm Up Games
Save a Friend Tag Viola Spolin in a rare video, shows her group of players “Save-a-Friend-Tag’ from the Handbook of Recreational Games by Neva Boyd (her teacher and inspiration). This was part of the workshop session to get energy up, keep people involved...
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 18, 2018 | Improv Games, The Where, Viola Spolin, Who Games
Viola Spolin coaches Who Am I? with a group Viola Spolin in this rare video does a variation of the single player version of Who Am I? by asking the group to show the player who doesn’t know who they are through relationship to that person and the where. From a...
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 18, 2018 | Improv Games, Refining Awareness, The Spolin Players, Verbal Agility, Viola Spolin
Singing Dialogue Viola Spolin was aware that singing uses another area of the brain and is important to help ‘unhook’ your dialogue from the meaning. New rhythms and patterns emerge and can also help memorized dialogue in scripted material, as a...
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 18, 2018 | Follow the Follower, Improv Games, Refining Awareness, Sidecoaching, The Spolin Players, Viola Spolin
Action / Interaction / Transformation One of the most gratifying games to play for me is Transformations. Finding new relationships in partnership with another player in a kaleidoscope kind of way is so invigorating. No Urgency / No Motion / Heighten and...
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 18, 2018 | Follow the Follower, Improv Games, Lecture / Explanation, Mirror Games, Refining Awareness, Verbal Agility, Viola Spolin
Focus on Reflection vs. Content Mirror Speech gives a good example of true improvisation. It is not turn-taking or mimicking. Rather it allows both players to explore ideas and let the story (such as it is) go where it will. It will often become a flight of fanciful...
