by Gary Schwartz | Feb 11, 2019 | Blog
This post is an esoteric one, but an important one. I am always at a loss when I send out a side-coach and, in the words of Viola Spolin, it doesn’t penetrate. My first thought is to say it again or louder, but if it makes no sense to the players, I am only referring...
by Gary Schwartz | Mar 31, 2018 | Blog
“Information is a very weak form of communication” – Spolin I have been working with Spolin Games for the last thirty years. I first began in an improv comedy class learning how to be fast and funny with a group of very talented actors, who are still playing. Then, by...
by Gary Schwartz | Oct 23, 2015 | Blog
Or Debriefing the Debrief Remember when we played for fun? I’ve been playing games most of my life. The games we play shape us as people and as a society. In the same way lion cubs and kittens, cavort, pounce and chase around, play equips them for being cats in later...
by Gary Schwartz | Jun 5, 2015 | Blog
Viola Spolin’s Writing Game Any number of players and one sidecoach Materials: 4 pieces of paper or one divided into quadrants, pen or pencil Label each paper 1, 2, 3 and 4. Title #1 My Dream, #2 How To, #3 A Story and #4 A letter (or any 4 disparate subjects or...
by Gary Schwartz | Feb 19, 2015 | Blog
Giving our full effort is, in effect fulfilling our potential. By testing our limits we ever increase the possibility of going further and further. It is in our nature to explore via play. Remember that in all games, the rules are made to be broken – we forget this....
