What will you get out of studying Johnstone Style Improv?
A great improv teacher has the ability to allow students to make deep changes. There have been a few teachers who have had a lasting affect on the world of improvisation. Viola Spolin, Del Close and Keith Johnstone are the top three for me. You’re lucky if you’ve had a teacher who knew how to inspire and empower in a way where you thought that they were uncovering something that was there all along.
I asked the FaceBook community to share what they had learned from studying with Keith Johnstone. The answers below are a good sampling.
To get a better idea the value of Keith Johnstone’s approach to improv …read one his two books, take a workshop with him or take a workshop with people who have studied with him for years. [hint]
What have you learned about acting from the work of Keith Johnstone?
- Let the audience paint the emotions onto you rather than trying to show them emotion. ~Richard Ross
- That in developing ideas for a show or a character, you don’t have to hold onto what you think is a good idea. There are a million (or so) other ideas . . . the chances of some of them being better are pretty darn good. ~Drew Letchworth
- Say yes…trust your first idea…don’t hold out for a ‘good’ idea, don’t be clever. ~Johnny Kearns
- Work and play cooperatively with others and ideas will come in more abundance! ~Beth Palmer Hart
- All will be well if your scene partner is a penguin. ~Toby Hussein Butterfield
- Apart from everything? It’s all about fear. ~Paul Killam
- Dare to be boring. ~Brenny Rabine
- Connect with your partner(s) kinesthetically and emotionally. ~Patricia Colley
- Delight your partner. ~Brett Bavar
- Do not do your best, be average. ~Roberto Alicino
- Slow down. use less effort. ~Rebecca Stockley
- Let your actions serve the story. ~Martin Ganapoler
- The statuses must change during the scene. If you know your status, you know what to do. ~Ann Feehan
- Trying to please my partners. I forget it most of the time, but the percentage is a little better than it was. ~Janie Summers
- The audience should want to take you home with them. ~Charles Souby
I want to thank the FB imrpov community for sharing what they’ve learned. What are you interested in learning?
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William Hall is a founder of BATS Improv in San Francisco and has been bringing Improvisation to theater companies and business around the world since 1986.
He is the author of The Playbook: Improv Games for Performers a fun guide to improv games and formats. [http://www.ImprovPlaybook.com]
He trains and coaches executives in leadership communication.
He improvises and performs regularly.
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