Theatre History Overview - Part 99 - Improv

Improvisational Theatre, or Improv involves an interactive relationship between the cast and the audience. Tom Soter says that improv can be thought of as "comedy of the moment." Improvised performances are as old as theatre itself. The earliest record of improv that we have is from 391 B.C. The play was a comedy that was unscripted and had a group of clowns as the characters.

While it is not certain how it got there, improv theatre continued in 16th century Italy with Commedia dell'Arte. This influenced improvisational theatre through the 18th century. In the 19th century, Theatresports started in England. They were similar to Commedia dell'Arte in that there were some type of structure, but improv was incorporated. However, rather than being purely for entertainment, they were for competition.

In the 20th century, Europeans who had been practicing improv brough the idea to the United States. It then gets tricky to trace the exact origins of improv in the U.S. Soem scholars say that it was Dudley Riggs that popularized audience suggestions. Others credit Viola Spolin. They cite the fact that her theatre games turned into Improv. What is know is that Riggs founded New York City's The Instant Theatre Company in April 1954. Then, in 1946, Viola Spolin founded Hollywood's Young Actors Company.

Spolin's son, Paul Sills, kept improv going by opening Second City in Chicago in December 1959. It was during the years that Riggs, Spolin, and Sills were active that many of the rules for improv were established. Improv theatres grew in popularity and popped up all over the United States. Sills was even involved in helping found the Compass Players in the Chicago of Illinois. This company tried to take their act to Broadway, but it flopped there. This was because improv works better in a more intimate setting.

From there, more and more improv theatre companies were founded around the United States. These inclue companies like The Groundlings and Loose Moose Theatre. Many people come from the world of improv theatre in order to star on Saturday Night Live or be guests on Whose Line Is it Anyway? Improv thatre continues to be popular all over the world. Small improv companies are constantly founded and the genre is enjoyed by many.

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