Newsload

02/23/2026

Eve Cohen joined our last improv course downtown and has this terrific play in the works at Manor Park Memorial Hall Feb 27 to March 1st. https://www.alvegoroottheatre.com/tenminute.html

Every successful actor has some background in improv. If acting is about embodying your characters and staying in the moment, the mental muscles to get into that groove are often born, and certainly honed, in the arena of improv.

01/02/2026

In 1976, John Cleese co-founded the Secret Policeman's Ball—a series of benefit shows for Amnesty International that would forever change British comedy. This rare convergence brought together Monty Python's scripted genius with the rising stars of improvisational comedy.

Backstage at Her Majesty's Theatre, two generations collided: the Pythons (Cleese, Palin, Jones) shared green rooms with Billy Connolly, Rowan Atkinson, and Stephen Fry—comedians who would define improv's future.
The pivotal moment came during a live performance when John Cleese—known for meticulously scripted sketches—stepped on stage with Peter Cook, a master of spontaneous wit. Cook's unpredictable style forced Cleese into uncharted territory, creating a historic bridge between scripted and improvisational comedy.

Filmed and broadcast worldwide, these performances didn't just raise money for human rights—they inspired an entire generation of improvisers, proving that comedy could evolve while staying true to its purpose.

This is the story of how one benefit show united comedy's past and future.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7xPnGyPU7EWhen Monty Python Met Improv: The Secret Policeman's Ball Revolution (1976-1989)

In 1976, John Cleese co-founded the Secret Policeman's Ball—a series of benefit shows for Amnesty International that would forever change British comedy. Thi...

01/01/2026

Ring in the New Year with the most spontaneous art form ever invented! 🎊

From Ancient Roman masked mayhem to midnight disasters on stage, discover how improv comedy became the ultimate "no script, no net" celebration of chaos and creativity. Watch as we journey through 2,000+ years of comedic genius—from the Atellan Farce to Commedia dell'Arte, Viola Spolin's revolutionary theater games, Second City's terrifying opening night, The Groundlings' groovy LA vibes, and the legendary New Year's Eve show where EVERYTHING went wrong (in the best way possible).

Featured Historical Moments:
🎭 Ancient Rome (391 BC) - Where it all began
🎨 Venice (1580s) - Commedia perfects the craft

🎪 Chicago (1950s) - Viola Spolin changes the game
🌟 Second City (1959) - The birth of modern improv
☀️ The Groundlings (1974) - California adds sunshine
🎆 New Year's Eve (1985) - The prop wall collapse heard 'round the world

YES, AND... improv comedy still thrives every chaotic New Year's Eve! Here's to spontaneity, quick thinking, and embracing the beautiful disasters that make life (and comedy) worth celebrating.

Happy New Year from the art form that taught us to always say "Yes, And!" 🥂✨

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkL0qN_VtxYYES, AND... HAPPY NEW YEAR! 🎉 The Hilariously Chaotic History of Improv Comedy

Ring in the New Year with the most spontaneous art form ever invented! 🎊From Ancient Roman masked mayhem to midnight disasters on stage, discover how improv...

12/31/2025

In 1618, a crooked-nosed puppet named Pulcinella hit the streets of Naples—and changed comedy forever. Armed with a wooden paddle called the batacchio, this violent, crude, anarchic character beat everyone on stage: wives, babies, authority figures. Audiences couldn't get enough.

By 1662, Pulcinella sailed to England and became Mr. Punch, the infamous star of Punch and Judy shows. The violence got darker, the humor more shocking—but the crowds kept roaring.

Was it tasteful? Absolutely not. But Pulcinella's chaotic slapstick cracked open the door for every wild joke that followed: Monty Python, absurdist theater, and the "crazy" humor we love today.

This is the untold story of how Renaissance street theater's most unhinged character laid the groundwork for modern comedy.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xDtieSyWp3oHow a Violent Puppet Invented Modern Comedy | The Pulcinella Story

In 1618, a crooked-nosed puppet named Pulcinella hit the streets of Naples—and changed comedy forever. Armed with a wooden paddle called the batacchio, this ...

12/30/2025

In 1920s Vienna, psychiatrist Jacob Moreno had a wild idea: what if people literally acted out each other's problems? He called it psychodrama, and it was revolutionary. Role reversal became his signature move—switch positions, embody the other person, feel their reality. Turns out, pretending to be someone else actually builds empathy.

By the 1960s, theater nerds discovered exercises like "Pass the Face"—transmitting emotions through silly expressions without words. Communication training disguised as playground games. Fast forward to today, and corporations pay thousands for these exact same exercises, now rebranded as "non-verbal communication training" and "empathy development workshops."

Making weird faces at coworkers and role-playing conflicts is now considered professional development. Jacob Moreno's theatrical psychology experiment became a corporate training staple. He'd probably be confused and proud.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cMc0axmxq28From Psychodrama to Corporate Ice-Breakers: The Weird History of Making Faces

In 1920s Vienna, psychiatrist Jacob Moreno had a wild idea: what if people literally acted out each other's problems? He called it psychodrama, and it was re...

12/29/2025

In 1960s London, Keith Johnstone was creating weird collaborative theater games at the Royal Court Theatre. There was just one problem: public improvisation was literally illegal, so he had to call performances "workshops" to avoid arrest. His Theatre Machine toured Europe with exercises like the "One Word Story"—where people built narratives one word at a time, forcing absolute interdependence. It was terrifying, magical, and completely spontaneous.

By 1979, Johnstone documented these exercises in his groundbreaking book "Impro," proving that synchronized spontaneity wasn't just entertaining—it actually rewired how brains collaborate. Decades later, therapists realized these "illegal" comedy games force active listening, kill self-consciousness, and build genuine human connection.

Today, licensed clinicians use the exact same one-word storytelling exercises as clinical interventions. Comedy games became therapy. Accidentally genius.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OFAjBW_h9mkThe Illegal Theater Game That Cured Social Anxiety

In 1960s London, Keith Johnstone was creating weird collaborative theater games at the Royal Court Theatre. There was just one problem: public improvisation ...

12/26/2025

From weird 1950s stretching exercises to Instagram-worthy sensory galleries—this is the absurdly true history of how therapists accidentally turned panic management into a wellness trend.

In the 1950s, Alexander Lowen discovered your body hoards trauma like newspapers. By 1979, Jon Kabat-Zinn convinced skeptical doctors that sitting quietly was "revolutionary medicine." Then therapists created the ultimate hack: count backwards through your senses to stop catastrophizing. Fast forward to today, and art galleries are charging admission for you to touch fuzzy walls and sniff things while calling it "immersive sensory experiences."

Clinical grounding techniques went from therapy offices to museum exhibitions, and honestly? We're not mad about it.

#543-21Technique https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x0dROARrLtYHow Anxiety Counting Became Bougie Art: The 5-4-3-2-1 Story

From weird 1950s stretching exercises to Instagram-worthy sensory galleries—this is the absurdly true history of how therapists accidentally turned panic man...

12/25/2025

Venice, December 1587. The Teatro Grimani promised nobles the finest Christmas nativity play ever staged. What they got instead was the most hilariously chaotic theatrical disaster in Renaissance history—and the birth of comedy improv as we know it.

When the star of Bethlehem prop collapsed five minutes in, crushing actors left and right, the legendary Gelosi troupe did what they did best: they improvised. Arlecchino claimed baby Jesus was too fat. Three actors fought over who got to be Joseph. Colombina juggled live chickens as "gifts from the Wise Men." And when the entire stage collapsed, the cast turned their tumbling disaster into an elaborate death scene.

The nobles declared it the greatest Christmas entertainment ever witnessed. Chaos became the troupe's signature style, and theatrical improvisation was forever changed.

This miniature history brings you 8 scenes of Renaissance comedy gold in stunning tilt-shift style—because sometimes the best performances are the ones that go completely, gloriously wrong.

🎪 History • Comedy • Theatre • Renaissance • Commedia dell'Arte • Improv • Christmas • 1587 • Venice • Miniature https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eMDjpJxG-DkThe Commedia dell'Arte Christmas Disaster of 1587 | When Improv Saved the Nativity

Venice, December 1587. The Teatro Grimani promised nobles the finest Christmas nativity play ever staged. What they got instead was the most hilariously chao...

12/24/2025

Before Harlequin, comedy belonged to nameless clowns. After him, the actor—and the power of spontaneous genius—changed theater forever. This episode traces the revolutionary moment in 16th-century Italy when the brilliant performer Tristano Martinelli took the traditional peasant mask of the zanni and transformed it into Arlecchino (Harlequin).

What Makes This Moment Historical:
-From Peasant to Patron: Discover how Martinelli's improvised acrobatics and wild energy elevated him from street performer to a star patronized by the Duke of Mantua and invited to perform for the King of France.
-The Actor Defined the Character: This clip demonstrates the critical shift where the improvisational genius of the performer, not the pre-written script, defined the role—a principle that is the cornerstone of all modern improv.
-Birth of Modern Improv: Martinelli's success proved that improvisation was not just street chaos, but a powerful art form capable of creating enduring characters and achieving massive fame.

This moment is essential for understanding the artistic legitimacy and star-making power of improvisation. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j77kpJKW5j0The Improv God: How Harlequin Invented the Celebrity Actor

Before Harlequin, comedy belonged to nameless clowns. After him, the actor—and the power of spontaneous genius—changed theater forever. This episode traces t...

12/23/2025

By the early 2000s, corporate America faced a panic: employees had the "social skills of feral raccoons," crippling collaboration and quarterly earnings. The solution? Improv comedy. This episode dives into the unlikely, yet highly effective, adoption of Improv training by the world’s leading tech companies and MBA programs.

In this 30-second episode, you will learn:
-The Corporate Crisis: Why traditional training failed to fix collaboration problems in major companies.
-The Improv Solution: How humiliating-sounding games (like pretending to be a toaster or playing invisible ball) forced hyper-analytical workers to talk and connect authentically.
-The Power of "Yes, And": Discover how applying improv's core rules became an essential corporate weapon, smoothing out communication, driving innovation, and making capitalism more efficient.

This isn't just a funny anecdote—it's the documented beginning of Improv as a legitimate, powerful corporate training tool for team building, communication, and leadership. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6O53mjYHQEHow Google & Facebook Tamed the Feral Raccoons

By the early 2000s, corporate America faced a panic: employees had the "social skills of feral raccoons," crippling collaboration and quarterly earnings. The...

12/22/2025

Second City trains you to become famous. Railway City Improv trains you to stop having panic attacks at parties. Same exercises. Wildly different life goals. Perfect for anyone considering improv classes who wants to understand whether performance training or wellness/therapeutic improv is right for their goals.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ksIs4-lWa8ITwo Types of Improv: Fame vs. Not Crying at Parties

Second City trains you to become famous. Railway City Improv trains you to stop having panic attacks at parties. Same exercises. Wildly different life goals....

12/19/2025

For decades, improv was just weird theater people being extra. Then scientists actually studied it and were absolutely shook. Clinical trials show improv significantly reduces social anxiety, uncertainty intolerance, and perfectionism. It's exposure therapy with jazz hands. Your brain on improv? Measurably better. 🧠✨

This video breaks down the peer-reviewed evidence in tilt-shift miniature format, because even science deserves to look adorable. 🎭📊🧠

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B_rVbPGshp4Jazz Hands vs. Anxiety: Science Picks a Winner

For decades, improv was just weird theater people being extra. Then scientists actually studied it and were absolutely shook. Clinical trials show improv sig...