Truth in comedy : the manual for improvisation

Cathy Haase; Netlibrary, Inc

Though I am not an actor, I always admired the craft and wanted to know more about what an actor goes through. I also wanted to learn some of the skills actors use to create and project a persona so that I could use them in my business and personal life. Following some of the advice and techniques in this book awakened the thespian in me. I found application of the advice extrodinarily helpful when giving presentations, for example, and even in regular conversation. I especially enjoyed the practice of studying my environment, notepad in hand, and jotting notes on what I see, hear, smell, touch and taste. I am much more aware of my surroundings as a result. Auditioning is not only for actors. We all face a audition of some sort now and then. This book helped me have a greater chance of "getting the part". Read more…

By Mel Helitzer With Mark Shatz

This book is extremely informative as well as entertaining.As someone doing a fair share of writing, and appreciating the use of humor in writing, I have found great value within these pages. I recommend it highly.It convinces you that trying to inject humor into your writing, without studying some of the actual structure and types of humor, puts you at a disadvantage. For anyone interested in adding some humor to increase the impact and lessen the boredom in their written work, this book is a must-have for your personal library. Read more…

Goodman, Katie

"A practical, fascinating, and funny guidebook. I've already begun applying hints from Improvisation for the Spirit, and I'm hoping that from now on, when people point and laugh at me, it will be for more appropriate reasons. A delightful read, filled with wonderful strategies." - Martha Beck, Life Coach Columnist for O, The Oprah Magazine, and author of Steering by Starlight Wish you could gag your Inner Critic? Feeling blocked creatively? Want to make a big change, but fear taking the leap? Comedy improv requires quick thinking, collaboration, getting out of your own way, and being in the moment without being a perfectionist. Katie Goodman, an internationally touring improv comedian and comedy writer, uses her witty and encouraging style to show you how to acquire the skills of improv comedy and apply them to every aspect of daily life. Along the way Goodman shares hilarious and insightful stories from her experiences onstage, as well as step-by-step exercises from her popular self-discovery workshops and retreats. Packed with creative, original, and, most importantly, fun exercises, Improvisation for the Spirit offers a truly transformational guide for anyone wanting to get more out of life. "Bottom line: Katie is funny. She teaches you to live your life like an improv scene - no fear and fully committed." - Wayne Brady, improv comedian, Whose Line Is It Anyway? and Don't Forget the Lyrics "Katie Goodman's writing fl ows and then jumps with anecdotes and... Read more…

By Melvin Helitzer

Actual line from the book: "Many of the masks of comedy, such as The Vaudevillian, The Old Timer, and The Ventriloquist, have not been performed on a regular basis for years, and no one can explain why." A QUESTION FOR THE AGES. Read more…

Patricia Ryan Madson

In an irresistible invitation to lighten up, look around, and live an unscripted life, a master of the art of improvisation explains how to adopt the attitudes and techniques used by generations of musicians and actors. Let's face it: Life is something we all make up as we go along. No matter how carefully we formulate a "script," it is bound to change when we interact with people with scripts of their own. Improv Wisdom shows how to apply the maxims of improvisational theater to real-life challenges -- whether it's dealing with a demanding boss, a tired child, or one of life's never-ending surprises. Patricia Madson distills thirty years of experience into thirteen simple strategies, including "Say Yes," "Start Anywhere," "Face the Facts," and "Make Mistakes, Please," helping readers to loosen up, think on their feet, and take on everything life has to offer with skill, chutzpah, and a sense of humor. - Publisher. Read more…

Keith Johnstone; With An Introduction By Irving Wardle

Keith Johnstone's involvement with the theatre began when George Devine and Tony Richardson, artistic directors of the Royal Court Theatre, commissioned a play from him. This was the year of Look Back in Anger in 1956. A few years later he was himself Associate Artistic Director, in particular helping to run the writers' group. The techniques and exercises evolved there to foster spontaneity and narrative skills were developed further in the actors' studio, then in demonstrations to schools and colleges and ultimately in the founding of a company of performers called The Theatre Machine. Divided into four sections, "Status", "Spontaneity", "Narrative Skills" and "Masks and Trance", arranged more or less in the order a group might approach them, the book sets out the specific techniques and exercises which Johnstone has himself found most useful and most stimulating. The result is a fascinating exploration of the nature of spontaneous creativity." If teachers were honoured in the British theatre along-side directors, designers and playwrights, Keith Johnstone would be as familiar a name as are those of Jocelyn Herbert, Edward Bond and other young talents who were drawn to the great lodestone of the Royal Court Theatre in the late 1950s. As head of the script department, Johnstone played a crucial part in the development of the 'writers' theatre '" (Irving Wardle) Read more…

By John Vorhaus

This is a straightforward, often humorous workbook approach to comedy writing as creative problem-solving. In it, veteran Hollywood comedy writer John Vorhaus offers his tools of the trade to writers, comics, and anyone else who wants to be funny. Among these indispensable tools are Clash of Context, Tension and Release, The Law of Comic Opposites, The Wildly Inappropriate Response, and The Myth of the Last Great Idea. Readers will learn that comedy = truth and pain (the essence of the comic situation), that fear is the biggest roadblock to comedy (kill the ferocious editor within and rich, useful comic ideas will flow), and much more. Read more…

[Compiled By] Lowell D. Streiker

Speakers and pastors can use this large collection of humorous stories to spice up their sermons and add zest to their illustrations. The author of more than 20 books, Lowell Streiker has collected humorous material for his long career as an ordained minister. Read more…

Mike Sacks; Buck Henry; Stephen Merchant; Harold Ramis; Dan Mazer; Merrill Markoe

In this entertaining and inspirational book, you'll hear from 21 top humor writers as they discuss the comedy-writing process, their influences, their likes and dislikes, and their experiences in the industry.;Buck Henry (Get Smart, The graduate, Catch-22, To die for) -- Stephen Merchant (The Office, Extras) -- Quick and painless advice for the aspiring humor writer, part one : getting hired as a sitcom writer -- Harold Ramis (National Lampoon's Animal House, Caddyshack, Groundhog day) -- Quick and painless advice for the aspiring humor writer, part two : getting humor published in magazines -- Dan Mazer (Da Ali G Show, Borat, Bruno) -- Quick and painless advice for the aspiring humor writer, part three : finding a literary agent for your humor book idea -- Merrill Markoe (Late Night with David Letterman) -- Paul Feig (Freaks and Geeks, Kick me, Superstud) -- Irving Brecher (The Wizard of Oz, At the circus, Go West, Meet me in St. Louis) -- Bob Odenkirk (The Ben Stiller Show, Mr. Show with Bob and David) -- Todd Hanson (The Onion) -- Marshall Brickman (The Tonight Show, Annie Hall, Manhattan, The Muppet Show) -- Quick and painless advice for the aspiring humor writer, part four : getting your humor piece published in The New Yorker -- Mitch Hurwitz (Arrested development) -- Quick and painless advice for the aspiring humor writer, part five : acquiring an agent or manager for your script -- David Sedaris (Naked, Me talk pretty one day) -- George Meyer (Army man, The... Read more…

Greg Dean; Foreword By Steve Allen

if You Think You're Funny, And You Want Others To Think So Too, This Is The Book For You! Greg Dean Examines The Fundamentals Of Being Funny And Offers Advice On A Range Of Topics, Including: writing Creative Joke Material rehearsing And Performing Routines coping With Stage Fright dealing With Emcees Who Think They're Funnier Than You Are getting Experience and Lots More. Essential For The Aspiring Comic Or The Working Comedian Interested In Updating His Or Her Comedy Routine, step By Step To Stand-up Comedy Is The Most Comprehensive And Useful Book Ever Written On The Art Of The Stand-up Comedian. Read more…

Gene Perret

The whole range of tricks for successful comedy writing is examined in this book. The author, one of Bob Hope's top writers, analyzes what he does to produce one-liners, anecdotes, monologues, formular jokes, cartoon captions and teaches the reader how to master the skill. Read more…

Sally Holloway

How To Write Jokes for Fun & Profit This comprehensive joke writing masterclass has been devised for beginners and experienced joke writers alike. The techniques you will learn can be used again and again to write funny and original material for: Stand-up comedy; Speeches; Political satire; Monologues; TV, Stage & radio; Witty articles & blogs; Comedy sketches; Sitcom scripts; Cartoons & Comic-Strips; Business Presentations. You hold in your hands the key to unlocking your inner comedy genius. When you read this book you will discover... * Simple yet powerful ways to write hilarious material on any subject * Insider tricks professionals use to get going and keep going * Where jokes really come from and why this makes writing easier * Techniques for creating simple puns and wordplay for laughs * How to tap into a continuous stream of comedy consciousness * Creative tools such as Joke-Webbing and the Hadron Joke Collider * How to mine newspapers and headlines for topical comedy gold * Ways to take jokes in weird and wonderful directions with surrealism * How to hone your jokes to maximise laughs and minimise memorisation If you want to write comedy of any kind this book is for you... Read more…

Judy Carter

This book has helped me take my performance up at least one notch, maybe two. Of course, I don't really know how many notches there are out there, but I got better after reading and applying the advice in the Comedy Bible. Read more…

By Tom Salinsky And Deborah Frances-White

The most comprehensive, smart, helpful and inspiring guide to improve available today. Applicable to comedians, actors, public speakers and anyone who needs to think on their toes.From __The Improv Handbook__: __The problem for improvisers is anxiety. faced with a lot of nameless eyes staring at us, and feeling more than anything else like prey, we are likely to want to display very consistent behavior, so that anyone who looks at us, looks away and then looks back sees the same thing. Thus we become boring, we fade into the background, and we cease to be of interest.__ __T____he Improv Handbook__ provides everything someone interested in improvisational comedy needs to know, as written by a husband and wife comedy duo with years of experience and teaching in the field. in addition to providing a comprehensive history of improvisational theater as a backdrop, it also looks at modern theories and practices of improvisation on a global scale, including how the form of comedy has evolved differently in different parts of the world, from Europe to the UK to the Chicago scene. __The Improv Handbook__ also contains an essential performance segment that details different formats of improvisation. Chapter topics include Theatresports, Micetro, Gorilla Theatre, and the inventions of Keith Johnstone and Del Close as well as other popular forms of improv, like those on "Whose Line is it Anyway." The core section of the book is called simply, "How to Improvise" and delves into... Read more…

Steven Kaplan

"While other books give you tips on how to "write funny," this book offers a paradigm shift in understanding the mechanics and art of comedy, and the proven, practical tools that help writers translate that understanding into successful, commercial scripts. The Hidden Tools of Comedy unlocks the unique secrets and techniques of writing comedy. Kaplan deconstructs sequences in popular films and TV that work and don't work, and explains what tools were used (or should have been used)."--Amazon Read more…

Joe Randazzo; Illustrations By R. Sikoryak; Foreword By John Hodgman

It takes guts to be a comedian, and it takes smarts to make a living off it. In this insider's guide, former Onion editor Joe Randazzo delivers a funny and insightful blueprint for those looking to turn their sense of humor into a vocation. Explaining how it works and how to break in, Joe provides tips and guidance, outlines successful career paths, and solicits advice and stories from the likes of Judd Apatow, Jack Handey, Joan Rivers, Tim & Eric, and more. From writing for TV to doing standup or developing a successful YouTube channel, Funny on Purpose gives readers the knowledge and inspiration to launch a career in comedy with confidence. Read more…

David Nihill

"Public speaking can be terrifying. For David Nihill, the idea of standing in front of an audience was scarier than cliff jumping into a thorny pit of spiders and mothers-in-law. Without a parachute or advanced weaponry. Something had to change. In what doesn't sound like the best plan ever, David decided to overcome his fears by pretending to be a comedian called "Irish Dave" for one full year, crashing as many comedy clubs, festivals, and shows as possible. One part of the plan was at least logical: he was already Irish and already called Dave. In one year, David went from being deathly afraid of public speaking to hosting a business conference, regularly performing stand-up comedy and winning storytelling competitions in front of packed houses. And he did it by learning from some of the best public speakers in the world: stand-up comedians. Do You Talk Funny?: 7 Comedy Habits to Become a Better (and Funnier) Public Speaker shows how the key principles of stand-up comedy can be applied to your speaking engagements and presentations to make you funnier, more interesting, and better looking. (Or at least two of the three.) Whether you are preparing for a business presentation, giving a wedding toast, defending your thesis, raising money from investors, or simply want to take on something you're afraid of, this book will take you from sweaty to stage-ready. You'll learn how to: - Craft a story and content that your audience will want to listen to - Find the funniest parts... Read more…