 | by: Charna Halpern, Del Close, and Kim "Howard" Johnson Meriwether Publishing Ltd. ISBN 1-56608-003-7 Copyright MCMXCIV Meriwether Publishing Ltd. This is my favorite book about improvisation. It teaches some basic and advanced concepts about long form comedy. It sets forth the game of The Harold, which is the creation of Del Close – at least according to the book. I would recommend anyone with 2 years of experience to read this book. It may be a little advanced for beginners. |
 | by: Keith Johnstone (with an intro by Irving Wardle) Routledge Publishing ISBN 0-87830-117-8 Copyright 1979 by Keith Johnstone This is a great book for beginners and more advanced improvisers alike. It teaches basic concepts of what improv is. This doesn't mean that it is easy reading. It should be the basics for everyone to build and build upon in improvisation. It's also a really well written and entertaining book. |
 | by: Viola Spolin (Originator of Theater Games) Northwestern University Press ISBN #0-8101-4000-4 Lib. of Congress Cat. #: 63-7579 Copyright 1963, 1983 by Viola Spolin This is the first really great book on improv. Without it and Viola's influence, the other books would have never been written. It's a good book for someone trying to start his own troupe. It gives lots of nice games and such, but it's fairly hard to read. Spolin tends to put out high ideas without giving the reader the basics to build upon. It's still a good book if you can finish it. |