The Birth of Improv

Last week I missed the Fall Improv Show and although I was very disappointed, I learned about someone who transformed the history of theatre. Here is the essay I wrote:

  During the 1950s, Viola Spolin created a series of exercises that would eventually lead to the development of improvisation as a style of performance. The use of improvisational games was originally meant for merely training actors and helping them come up with skit ideas, but Spolin quickly developed them into an actual method of performing (Zeldes). Although she used these games for a variety of purposes outside of theatre, Spolin’s contribution to the dramatic arts in particular has extended the minds of performers to creative extremes.

            The events of Viola Spolin’s life allowed her to find the inspiration for the new world of theatre that she would eventually spur on. Growing up she was involved with various forms of entertainment and theatre, including “family theater amusements, operas, and charades” (The Spolin Center). However theatre was not at the center of Spolin’s career choice as she decided to work with underprivileged children in an inner city settlement home, educating and giving attention to them. It was during this time, though, that Spolin found the spark to begin what would become her life’s work. She learned how to use, “traditional game structures to affect social behavior in inner-city and immigrant children” (The Spolin Center). Soon afterwards, she became the “drama supervisor” and wanted to incorporate this game style of exercise into her teaching of children from all different backgrounds (The Spolin Center). Her creation was similar to the games she had seen before but instead of correcting manners, it used these characteristics as a source of creative inspiration and provocation. With these games in her written work Improvisation for the Theatre, Spolin embarked on a series of entrepreneurial adventures that explored making these games into a style of performance (The Spolin Center). She discovered that the uses for her games reached far beyond the boundaries she could have ever perceived.

            Throughout her lifetime and even today, Spolin’s advancement of the idea that games can inspire creativity has led to an important evolution of the theatre performance. Improv did not even exist as a form of entertainment until she created the games that led the way.There were several unique aspects to what Spolin discovered about working with these games. The first was how to use the space one is in to best communicate the presence of objects of the imagination. Learning about and understanding the various ways that one’s space can be manipulated is key to becoming an effective performer (The Spolin Center). Among the many contributions that Spolin made, one of the most important, though, is her understanding of how the performer interacts with his or her audience. She wanted to merge these two and develop an interactive relationship between them, “eliminating the conventional separation between improvisational actors and audiences who watched them” (The Spolin Center). In Spolin, theatre finds the inspiration to be spontaneous and do the unexpected just for the fun of it. It is because of these groundbreaking ideas “that improv has begun to be perceived as more than a theatrical exercise,” in the last several years (Zeldes).

            Viola Spolin’s role in the development of theatre practices was responsible for the birth of improvisation as an expressive performance. Because of this she is one of the most important names in the recent history of entertainment as she created a completely unheard of practice that has influenced both how actors learn and how they can chose to perform. Through her games, the substance of acting has become a living, breathing, and changing work in progress that each actor can influence.

~Julie

HAIRSPRAY

After weeks of rehearsals and preparation, the cast of HAIRSPRAY was finally ready to throw all of its hard work on the stage for a weekend of sold out performances and ecstatic audiences. Every show was a success and it was probably the biggest, most popular show we have ever done at Holy Cross. For the cast and crew, however, the show was really a process, a growing experience as individuals and as a community.

I would be lying if I said that the experience was purely pleasure and a time for relaxation outside of school. However, what I discovered is that no matter the challenges and frustrations along the way, I love that rush of adrenaline on opening night, born out of pride in knowing that you have accomplished something great and are ready to share it.

~Julie

Punchdrunk

The history of theatre throughout the world includes countless  methods of communication and presentation. Every era in each nation has used its own style to perform theatrical expressions that are meaningful to their people. But theatre also evolves over time. So in a world where companies like Cirque du Soleil uses technology to captivate their audiences with complex entertainment, where can we go next?

One answer is Punchdrunk. This British theatre company takes over old, abandoned buildings, and turns them into a story. Using only the electricity and the capacity of the building itself, the goal is to create an interactive performance that takes place throughout and is different for each individual. The audience members wear masks, but are welcome to interact with the props, furniture, etc. Separated from anyone you might know, you are left to follow the characters you want and understand the events you witness. Everybody sees a different show and has their own 2 hour performance. Ultimately, though, Punchdrunk returns the building to its original state so that no trace is left of the experiences had its rooms.

The style of theatre that Punchdrunk has created intrigued me from the moment I entered their utterly confusing website and continues to do so everyday as I discover new information about them daily. But the actors themselves are what interest me the most about such a complex style of performance. Each and every one of them is in character throughout the entire show, discovering what happens to them when they leave the stage in a traditional theatre setting. Although the idea of creating an entire show around your character is necessary in Punchdrunk's performances, it is really necessary for all actors.

I called on this tactic constantly throughout the process of piecing together my character, Prudy Pingleton in our production of HAIRSPRAY. I was not on stage for the majority of the production, particularly in Act 1, and so I had to figure out exactly what was happening to Prudy off of the stage. Why does she treat her daughter like a baby? What happened to her husband? How does she learn that Penny has been on North Avenue? The list of questions goes on and on but the possible answers are endless. This was one of the most exciting aspects of participating in a production for me and is what makes me so interested in Punchdrunk. Imagine if all of the stories and character developments you have spent weeks brainstorming, could be seen by the audience and add to the story. As both actor and spectator, I can't think of any other kind of performance that could bring you closer to understanding the character than this.

~ Julie