Impro Blog

Welcome to Patti's Impro Blog!

Click on any of the posts below to read Patti's thoughts and don't forget to leave a comment.

To ‘V’ or not to ‘V’? That is the question.

Posted by Patti Stiles
/ March 10, 2017 / Leave a comment

As a student or audience member of improvisation you may have noticed that the spelling changes. Sometimes impro, sometimes improv. That magical mystery appearing and disappearing V. Frequently I am asked ‘Why do you call it impro when others call it improv?’ Impro or Improv, which is correct?...
“Again !”, une découverte

Posted by Patti Stiles
/ October 26, 2016 / Leave a comment

Again !!! Je suis comme qui dirait enthousiasmée par une découverte que j’ai faite lors d’un atelier Dramaturgie il y a quelques semaines. En regardant les participants, j’ai pensé qu’il serait utile de les entraîner à repérer le moment où la scène doit avancer. La plupart des improvisateurs pèchent à...
Les scènes qui comptent (Scenes That Matter)

Posted by Patti Stiles
/ October 26, 2016 / Leave a comment

Ces temps-ci, j’enseigne un atelier que j’ai appelé Scenes That Matter. Je suis très contente de ce travail et de la réaction des participants. En général, la plupart de mes ateliers s’inspirent de mes réflexions sur la période de mon entraînement auprès de Keith Johnstone, au Loose Moose Theatre. Sur...
Scènes de même sexe

Posted by Patti Stiles
/ October 26, 2016 / Leave a comment

Salut à tous, Aujourd’hui, je voudrais vous parler d’un truc qui me tarabuste. Il y a un peu plus d’un mois, je me suis trouvée à un spectacle où deux hommes s’embrassaient sur scène. Ce baiser a fait rire le public aux éclats. Dans mon coin, je soupirais intérieurement. À...
Playing Mothers, Daughters, Wives and Girlfriends

Posted by Patti Stiles
/ May 11, 2016 / 2 Comments

There has been, of late, a lot of horrifying and enlightening discussions regarding discrimination and sexual harassment in the improvisation community. Each article, blog post and interview adds a deeper level of complexity to an already multidimensional conversation. Though perhaps it isn’t all that complex. Treat people with respect. Simple....
Lazy? Really?

Posted by Patti Stiles
/ December 20, 2015 / 1 Comment

A while back I received an email with a video promoting an improvisation workshop. This video made the following statement veteran improvisers who don’t bring the funny are lazy. Furthermore the video implied that long form was artsy fartsy and, as such, a lesser form of improvisation. It claimed long...
Inspire Your Partner

Posted by Patti Stiles
/ April 26, 2014 / 4 Comments

Hi everyone, Inspire Your Partner is a very important phrase. It goes hand in hand with Make Your Partner Look Good. Both of these are my impro mantras and what I aim towards each time I teach, perform or direct. Time and time again I see a huge difference in...
I’m stealing that!

Posted by Patti Stiles
/ April 25, 2014 / 11 Comments

Hello everyone, I’d like to share my thoughts on a statement that is seeping into the international improvisation lexicon like a horrible mould. A statement I find in complete contradiction to our principals of supporting your partner and valuing them and their ideas. The statement is; I’m stealing that....
Inside Out not Outside In

Posted by Patti Stiles
/ August 6, 2013 / 7 Comments

Internationally there is a Format explosion! Everyone is creating one and festivals now seem to be more focused on format presentation and format workshops, then collaboration between groups and skills development. Many festivals are beginning to feel more like group format showcases. I love seeing a diversity of formats; I...
Breaking Patterns

Posted by Patti Stiles
/ June 5, 2013 / Leave a comment

Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way.– Edward de Bono I like that quote. I just came across it while I was noodling around looking for something else. It reminded me of the workshop I did last...