Viola Spolin Papers 1925-2003

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Viola Spolin Papers 1925-2003

http://findingaids.library.northwestern.edu/catalog/inu-ead-spec-archon-624

Viola Spolin has been called the "high priestess of improvisational theatre".  Born in Chicago in 1906, Spolin is best known as the creator of theater games, originally created as a series of exercises to aid students in the study of drama.  In 1955, Spolin conducted workshops for the Playwrights Theater Club, and later at the Compass Theater.  In 1960 she began running improvisation workshops for the cast of Second City.  As an outgrowth of her work with Second City, Spolin published Improvisation for the Theater in 1963, which resulted in much critical acclaim and solidified her reputation in improvisational theater.  Her papers include writings, transcriptions, interviews, journals, drafts of theater games, and other materials that chronicle her work in improvisation and educational theater.

56.00

eng,

Charles Deering McCormick Library of Special Collections

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SNAC Resource ID: 6348778

Related Entities

There are 7 Entities related to this resource.

Spolin Center

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6mq8dfg (corporateBody)

Compass Players

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w60d85wq (corporateBody)

United States. Works Progress Administration. Recreation Division

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6m74wgc (corporateBody)

Sills, Paul, 1927-2008

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6zk8crt (person)

Second City (Theater company)

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6tb68kx (corporateBody)

Shepherd, David, 1924-

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6hr8nrt (person)

Spolin, Viola

http://n2t.net/ark:/99166/w6r9340j (person)

Viola Spolin has been called the "high priestess of improvisational theatre".  Born in Chicago in 1906, Spolin is best known as the creator of theater games, originally created as a series of exercises to aid students in the study of drama.  Spolin learned these techniques while studying experimental theatre and play theory with Neva Boyd at Hull House's Recreational Training School in 1924-1926.  Boyd moved the school to Northwestern University in 1927 when she was appointed to the...