Commentary, Opinion, thoughts
REMEMBERING KEITH JOHNSTONE 1933 – 2023 Keith Johnstone passed away. The lights have dimmed for the last time on March 11, 2023. I’d like to share my thoughts, for what their worth, about Keith in life and what he passed on to me… His work and ideas are reflected in Read more…
ARTIFICIAL IMPROVISATION (part-001/003) What is this?!?! As the field of artificial intelligence continues to advance, many improvisers are beginning to consider the possibilities of incorporating AI into their work. With the ability to generate unique ideas and responses in real-time, AI has the potential to revolutionize the art of improvisation Read more…
When will Improvisation get you fired? Some people HATE improvisation. If that person happens to be your boss, then your impulsive attitude towards spontaneous expression could get you kicked to the curb. There are some surprising examples where impro has been the reason for dismissal. Damon Wayans, Adrian Brody, Milton Read more…
A PINCH OF EXPRESSION!!! THIS? OR….THIS? What’s the difference between these two pictures of my French improvising friends, Arnaud, Raphael, Chenny, Jérémy, and Cyril? Which group would you rather hang out with? And WHY is there such a big difference here? There’s a physical truth in the people on the Read more…
MEMORABLE MOMENTS (round 2) DON’T LOOK UP! Meryl Streep, Leonardo DiCaprio, Jennifer Lawrence and Jonah Hill It wasn’t in the script. It wasn’t planned. These are the moments the Director says “CUT!!! – Where did that come from??!! Let’s keep that!” It’s getting more and more common for directors to Read more…
MEMORABLE MOMENTS (round 3) LET THEM ALL TALK – Meryl Streep, Diane Weist, Candace Bergen, Steven Soderbergh Directed by Steven Soderberg, LET THEM ALL TALK was shot in 10 days while crossing the Atlantic on the Queen Mary 2 surrounded by 2600 passengers and virtually no film equipment. It was Read more…
MEMORABLE MOMENTS Improvisation by great actors that made the cutGEORGE C. SCOTT It takes balls to trick a great actor into improvising and then to use that performance without the actor’s approval. But, that’s what the equally great director Stanley Kubrick did to George C. Scott. The great actor cared Read more…
WHAT’S YOUR QUESTION??? How can I feel more comfortable using improvisation in my work? Improvisation skills are superpowers for therapists, psychologists, and social workers. I find it strange that improvisation classes aren’t formally prescribed for students in these fields. Psychologists and Social Workers in my classes often send me questions Read more…
I DON’T DO THAT!!!! Tina Fey admits, “I can’t do music!” She can. Sort of. She just doesn’t want to. And that’s OK! Talking to Seth Meyers, Fey described improvising with ‘Freestyle Love Supreme’, the Broadway Improvised RAP show. (Haven’t seen them? Check them out on You Tube: ) Fey said Read more…
DON’T DO YOUR BEST Working with Keith Johnstone has been a great honour in my professional life. I remember arriving at the Loose Moose Theatre late in my teens… or was it early in my twenties? In any case, I didn’t know who Keith was. In fact, my first improvisation Read more…