Process: An Improviser's Journey [Paperback]

Mary Scruggs (Author), Michael J. Gellman (Author), Anne Libera (Foreword)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 19, 2007

 

Author, teacher, and improviser Michael Gellman was given a mission by Del Close himself: “[T]o create improvised one-act plays of literary quality from scratch.” Already steeped in the world of improvisation, he took it upon himself to do this, in the form of a class for other improvisers in which they would build the skills necessary to execute such a seemingly tall order. Scruggs and Gellman’s book, modeled after Stanislavski’s timeless An Actor Prepares, follows a fictional young actor taking Gellman’s real-life class.

            Scruggs and Gellman introduce readers to Geoff, who has just moved to Chicago to pursue acting. He undergoes the standard trials of audition and rejection before he takes the advice of a fellow actor and turns to improv classes at Second City. At first, Geoff thinks improvisation is about laughs and loosening up, but he soon learns that it is a powerful tool as well as an end in itself. Through Geoff’s eyes, the book introduces readers to key tenets of improvisation: concentration, visualization, focus, object work, being in the moment, and the crucial “yes, and.” His experiences with the basics of improvisation do serve to get him a few roles, but his real breakthrough comes when he signs up for an improvised one-act class with Michael Gellman. He and his classmates arrive unprepared for the challenge, but with Gellman’s prompts and advice, they slowly move through process to performance over the course of three seasons in Chicago.  The class culminates with their final project: a completely improvised one-act play performed in front of a live audience.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Process: An Improviser's Journey has truly captured that exhilaration we've felt performing long-form improv for the stage. It's this collaborative process, the controlled accident, that generates unforgettable theatre. When we worked with Michael Gellman at the Organic Theatre creating scenario plays, we experienced that first-hand. He carries on the work of Viola Spolin, Paul Sills, and David Shepard, who all saw the potential of improvisation to produce compelling theatrical experiences. An indispensable guide for teachers, students, and anyone interested in the creative process."  --Deb Lacusta and Dan Castellaneta, writers, performer, The Simpsons

About the Author

Mary Scruggs is an actress, director, playwright, and educator.  She is currently the head of writing and education programs at The Second City Training Center in Chicago, where she lives with her husband and son. 

 

Michael J. Gellman is the head of The Second City New York program.  He was a resident company member of The Second City Chicago for three years and he has directed at The Second City since 1980.  In addition to The Second City Training Center, Gellman has taught at Columbia College, Northern Illinois University, and Artistic New Directions.

 

Product Details

• Paperback: 184 pages
• Publisher: Northwestern University Press; 1 edition (December 19, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810124726
• ISBN-13: 978-0810124721
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #115,365 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Highly Recommended for experienced improvisors, April 25, 2009

By 

NC "Nick" - See all my reviews

This review is from: Process: An Improviser's Journey (Paperback)

I would recommend this book to people with a reasonable level of improv experience. If you haven't taken workshops / lessons I think it might be really hard to relate to what is happening in the book. If you do have a decent level of experience, I think you will find this book well worth reading.

The narrative style means you can better experience many of the 'hard to explain' concepts that are often referred to in improv teaching. For example, I have read several improv books and done countless workshops, but I don't think I really ever understood what it meant to be 'up in your head' until reading Process. I have already felt this improve my performance. If you don't quite get what I'm saying, it's probably a good example of how trying to explicitly explain improv so often fails! This book's narrative approach skillfully overcomes this challenge.

Many improv books will explain how to succeed, but this one explains really well how Geoff (and the other students) are failing, how they feel about that and how it relates to what is going on in their heads at the time. It's great to read how the process can be so frustrating - this was something I really appreciated hearing. It is encouraging to know that other people feel the same way, because so often in workshops everyone makes such a big effort to be positive about the experience so you don't really talk about the frustrations.

I really enjoyed that the book focussed on long form story telling, rather than on being funny. It is this type of improv which interests me the most and the book focuses 100% on creating truthful stories and characters.

The book loses just one star because at times I felt like the story was a bit contrived. But, this is definitely not a reason to ignore this otherwise great book. Just be aware that at times you may need to consciously suspend your disbelief, but in doing so you will learn a lot.

I think I'm going to be re-reading this book a lot in the future, because many of the lessons are embedded in the story I expect to pick up new tips with subsequent reads. Well done to the authors - a genuine service to those of us who can't access your training in real life. Thank you.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, February 8, 2008

By 

Smartmoo (Chicago, IL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Process: An Improviser's Journey (Paperback)

Process: An Improviser's Journey is a great book. It is very well written and a pleasant surprise.

This is an excellent resource for improvisers-especially students- because it is written from a student's perspective. There is such a long list of things that you shouldn't say or do in a scene but it goes a step further to explain why you shouldn't do these things and the resulting consequence on the scene if you do. It also spells out many guidelines that move a scene forward and make it a success. As a current student at Second City, it is also a relief to read that other students (even fictional ones) go through the same struggles in remembering all of these rules!

I would definitely recommend this book for students because it makes you realize that you are not alone in having difficulty grasping seemingly simple improv concepts. This is also a must-read for teachers because you may always know why a scene is going wrong but it may help you reconnect with your students and better explain the process. If you have never taken an improv class but are interested in doing so, it may be a little difficult to visualize or understand some of the games and exercises mentioned in the book but don't let that prevent you from reading!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great For Actors and Improvisor's, February 22, 2008

By 

W. Wiebler "Wiebs" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Process: An Improviser's Journey (Paperback)

Being new to Chicago and Second City, I purchased this book to get a better understanding of improv and who better to learn from then author Michael Gellman. I found that the format of the book made it an easy read and it really got into the details of Second City improv and how to use these rules and other aspects to create improvised one act plays. The book follows a fictional Chicago actor as he figures out what to do to better himself as an actor, an improviser, and how to balance his job and acting. This book is ideal for both improvisers and directors, but I believe it would be even more beneficial to the beginning actors in Chicago. It not only educates you as if you are in a class with Mr. Gellman himself, but it also gives you some insight into how to better yourself as an actor and how the Second City system works. I highly recommend this book and it is a must read for anyone interested in acting or improvising.