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Hunter McMillianHonors Theatre IIINovember 30

, 2008

Improvisation: Not Limited to Games

Considered the mother of modern improvisation, Viola Spolin has lived acareer worth addressing including the implementation of her own teaching styles.While improvisation is not limited typical classroom games as shown by outsideorganizations and occurrences throughout the national media, it is also an artthat elicits authentic qualities from not only actors but anyone who strives to growas person.The late Viola Spolin (1906 - 1994) has had many years of experience inthe world of theatre and specifically improvisation. At the transitional age of 18,Spolin studied at Neva Boyd’s Group Work School in Chicago in hopes tobecome a settlement worker. At that very school she learned the importance of communication, group work, and also leadership. These qualities wouldessentially result in Viola’s inspiration for her games. With a continued interest ina field with these qualities, Spolin eventually became the drama supervisor in theChicago branch of the Works Progress Administration. With the experience thatshe gained through her job as a drama supervisor and the knowledge that shehad gained from Neva Boyd, Spolin took the initiative to create games based onqualities that she had learned over the years. Spolin’s theatre games are whatshe was truly known for.

(Master Acting Teacher Biographies: Viola Spolin)

Five years

after Spolin’s job as a drama supervisor in the Chicago branch of the WorksProgress Administration, Spolin found herself in Hollywood where she foundedthe Young Actors Company. At the “Young Actors Company in Hollywood”, Spolinwould train potential actors over the age of six using her truly innovative gamesand some games that she was still in the process of developing. Nine years later,the “Young Actors Company” came to end in 1995. Although her company hadcome to an end, Spolin was not out of work for long. She left her home inHollywood to go back to the familiar Chicago to take part in two jobs. One jobwas directing for the Playwright’s Theatre Club and the other was to teachworkshops of her theatre games at the first professional improvisational actingcompany known by the name of Compass. At the age of 54, Spolin worked as aworkshop director for Second City; a company owned by her son, Paul Sills(1927 - 2008). Second City’s success has been proven by its existence eventoday with locations in Chicago, Toronto, Detroit, and Los Angeles.

(The SecondCity)

Without Paul Sills, no “Saturday Night Live” would even exist says a ChicagoTribune writer. Perhaps that is true, but I say Viola Spolin should receive mostcredit as she was the foundation for American improvisation to begin with. Soonafter, while working with her son Paul at Second City, Spolin wrote a book withthe title, “Improvisation for the Theatre” which consisted of over 200 games.While it appears that everything was going quite swell for Spolin, there weremoments in her career that were not as bright as others. In 1965, she workedwith her son again and co-founded Game Theatre in Chicago. It wasn’t verysuccessful as shown by its closing only after a few months. However, that was

hardly a hindrance to Spolin’s success. At the age of 64, Spolin worked as aconsultant for productions for the Sill’s Story Theatre. The Sill’s Story Theatrelaunched not only in Los Angeles and New York but also on television. Precedingher efforts as part of the Sill’s Story Theatre, Spolin held improvisation workshopsin California. In 1970, Spolin showed her work as an actress playing a mother ina movie called

Alex in Wonderland.

This movie garnered generally unfavorablereviews. In 1975, Spolin published another work entitled, “Theatre Game File”.This is hard to find today as prices start from $66.95 on Amazon.com.

(Amazon)

Atthe age of 70, Spolin was still working hard. She created the Spolin TheatreGame Center in Hollywood, California and had continued working there for a longwhile. In 1978, Spolin was awarded with an honorary Doctor of Arts degree fromthe Eastern Michigan University. In addition she has also received the MonteMeacham Award for Life Time Achievement from the Children’s Theatre in 1983.Spolin even got some praise from President Regan for her work.

(Spolin BiographyPage)

Unfortunately, not long after, it was the end for Spolin.Viola Spolin wasfound dead in her Los Angeles home on November 22

, 1994. She was 88 yearsold. We know Viola Spolin, but something that everyone may not know about her is her methods or her techniques behind her games.

(Master Acting Teacher Biographies: Viola Spolin)

What makes them special or even worth noticing? The simplest answer isthat they were innovative. These games were created for the actor to get out of the conventional ways of thinking about things. They were created to thinkoutside the box. They often focused on thinking about technical things andrequired concentration. Communication was another vital factor in her games

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ViolaSpolinImprov

I had to do a research project for my theater class at Weaver Academy in downtown Greensboro, North Carolina so I decided to do my report on Viola Spolin and Improvisation in ge... (More)

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