---
title: Improvisation
description: This topic covers the principles of unscripted performance and spontaneous creation. Learners will understand how to listen actively, build on others' ideas, think quickly on their feet, and collaborate effectively in comedic or dramatic settings.
category: music-audio
subcategory: theater-and-acting
difficulty: beginner, intermediate, advanced
url: /subject/improvisation-1
---

# Improvisation

This topic covers the principles of unscripted performance and spontaneous creation. Learners will understand how to listen actively, build on others' ideas, think quickly on their feet, and collaborate effectively in comedic or dramatic settings.

## Available Resources

3 Books • 2 Courses • 5 Websites

## Websites

### 1. r/improv Resources Wiki

Community-maintained wiki on the r/improv subreddit collecting book recommendations, exercise lists, class advice and video links. Useful for finding what experienced improvisers actually recommend before committing money to a training program.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://www.reddit.com/r/improv/wiki/resources

**Tags:** improv, comedy, reddit, curated-list, exercises

### 2. acting-studio.com

Acting-studio.com bundles tutorials and courses focused on core acting techniques—Method, Meisner, and Stanislavski. It features technique explanations, practical exercises, scene work guides, and audition tips to help actors apply these approaches.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://acting-studio.com

**Tags:** websites, music-performing-arts, theater-acting

### 3. ucbcomedy.com

UCB Comedy is the online home of the Upright Citizens Brigade, offering improv and sketch videos and clips. It also provides information on their improv classes, workshops, and live performances.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://ucbcomedy.com

**Tags:** websites, arts-design, creative-arts

### 4. secondcity.com

Second City is a legendary improv theatre and school offering classes, workshops, and performances in improv and sketch comedy. The site features class schedules, training programs for all levels, corporate workshops, and tickets to live shows.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://secondcity.com

**Tags:** websites, arts-design, creative-arts

### 5. improvencyclopedia.org

Improv Encyclopedia is an online resource that compiles articles and entries on improvisation theory and practice. It covers core concepts, techniques, exercises, and games for developing scene work, collaboration, and performance skills.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://improvencyclopedia.org

**Tags:** websites, arts-design, creative-arts

## Courses

### 1. UCB Online Improv 101

Learn the fundamentals of improv with UCB Online Improv 101! Develop quick thinking, collaboration, and comedic timing in this fun course.

**Difficulty:** Beginner | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://ucbcomedy.com/online/improv-101

**Tags:** improv, long-form-improv, comedy, ucb, beginner-course

### 2. Jazz Improvisation

**Author:** Gary Burton

Five-module Coursera course from Berklee College of Music, taught by vibraphonist Gary Burton, treating improvisation as a language: chord scales for major, minor and dominant harmony, real-time scale choice, guide tones, and theme and variation. Players learn to build coherent solos over chord changes.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Free

**Link:** https://www.coursera.org/learn/jazz-improvisation

**Tags:** jazz, improvisation, chord-scales, guide-tones, soloing

## Books

### 1. Improvisation for the Theater

**Author:** Viola Spolin

Spolin's foundational handbook of theater games, built around her workshop method of learning through play. Includes over two hundred exercises with side-coaching notes, so a teacher or group can run structured improvisation sessions from the page.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/081014008X?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, music-performing-arts, theater-acting

### 2. Impro

**Author:** Keith Johnstone

Johnstone's 1979 account of teaching improvisation at the Royal Court, covering status transactions, spontaneity, masks and narrative skills. Explains why people block offers and gives exercises for accepting them, the theoretical base most improv training still rests on.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/0878301054?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, arts-design, creative-arts

### 3. Truth in Comedy

**Author:** Charna Halpern, Del Close, Kim Howard Johnson

Manual of long-form improvisation from Del Close and Charna Halpern of iO, explaining the Harold structure, group mind and finding the game of a scene. Gives the vocabulary and drills behind most American long-form training.

**Difficulty:** Intermediate | **Language:** English | **Price:** Paid

**Link:** https://www.amazon.com/dp/1566080037?tag=edmonddante07-20

**Tags:** books, arts-design, creative-arts

---

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