Improvisation for Actors and Writers: A Guidebook for Improv Lessons in Comedy

I've studied at the Groundlings and at Second City, and this book has the info you need all in one place:

--Basic Short Form Guidelines in a list
--Advanced Improv Scene Techniques (The "game", positive start, circling up)
--Instructor Side Coachings (be warned)
--Comedic Character Guidelines (labeling, physical and vocal changes, rolodexing, psychological defense mechanisms, character "game", celebrity impersonations.)
--Montage Long Form Guidelines
--Sketch Comedy (Structures like one-upsmanship, contamination, split screen, and character flaw; how to edit dialogue, devices, endings, reveals.)
--Instructor Side Coachings for Sketches (be warned)
--List of Class Exercises (only the ones the schools use)

I've seen students go through an entire program, and never really grasp some of the major concepts. This is an 'all-in-one-place' reference. Buy it. You'll be ahead of the pack, and confident in your own knowledge and skill, before, during and after your class.


A complete handbook for the aspiring improv actor   July 5, 2004
Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
5 out of 7 found this review helpful

Improvisation For Actors And Writers: A Guidebook For Improv Lessons In Comedy by Bill Lynn is a complete handbook for the aspiring improv actor and organized into five specific sections: Comedy Schools; Improv Comedy Basics; Developing Comic Characters; Long Form Improv; and Writing Sketch Comedy. This informed and informative "how to" manual is enhanced with an extensive appendix of improv exercises. Improvisation For Actors And Writers is a clearly valuable addition to theatre department reference collections and "must" reading for anyone who has an interest in writing or performing improv on the stage or for television.


Maria, "Second City" conservatory alumni   May 18, 2004
2 out of 4 found this review helpful

This book is pretty good. It's more "Groundlings" than "Second City" Chris Kattan's father, Kip King an orginal Groundling wrote the preface. It is helpful that this book is from a students eye view. I went through both programs and used the book as a tool to guide me through the process. It helped with technique and sketch writing.


great overall description of U.S. schools of improv   September 5, 2004
Improv Ment (NYC)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

I am bi-coastal and have wound up taking classes at the Groundlings, UCB, and several smaller unknown venues. I felt I didn't really need this book (it was a gift), but after reading it, I felt my views on the different improv homes I've become a part of had come into better focus, via the perspective offered by the knowledge of the other schools of improv thought I had not yet been a part of. And the ones I didn't know in depth seemed much more accessible.

Bill Lynn's book (and Kip King's, though I suspect he was more of an "idea man" than an actual sit-down-and-write-it author) is basically a list and explanation of the different games and styles of teaching the different schools of improv across the country have to offer. He does not espouse a new take on improv or performance, nor does he pretend to. As if anyone's going to top Del Close, Viola Spolin, or Keith Johnstone. Or Dario Fo for that matter.

It is a useful, well written guide to what other people have already created in the improv world, and it purports to be nothing more. It includes some useful info on the Groundlings, Second City, Improv Olympic, etc....and some lesser known teachers like Stan Wells who works at a place called the Empty Stage, which I have since checked out, taken classes at, and found to be an great skill-sharpening experience, in conjunction with my other classes/shows.

If you're looking for new or bar-setting ideas on what improv is/should be (as some confused readers clearly have done), this is not the book for you; Viola Spolin's work is your next stop in that case, but if you're shopping around for your next stint at an improv school, this is your book.

Goes by quickly too. Clean, simple prose.


Good overview for budding comedians in the art of improv   August 29, 2010
Ken Newbury (Ohio)
A good short book that provides ample exercises to help individuals interested in the art of improv.