Article written by LaVonne Czech
Photo courtesy of Amy Goray Photography
What do you get when you cross improv entertainment and giddy school kids? Happy, loud, giddy school kids of course! At a recent Pierce Downer assembly, students received a brief introduction to improv comedy by the Chicago Improv Festival Productions. Improv, or improvisation, is a spontaneous performance without specific preparation that generally consists of funny skits and anecdotes.
The four young and vibrant actors from the production group explained general improv terms to the students, described acting techniques and shared secrets of the trade. Part history lesson, part improv workshop, part writing tool, and all around fun, the Chicago Improv Festival Productions also used improv games to teach students the history of improvisation and its ties to Chicago; the rules of improv, and how to create characters, settings and stories. The hilarious scenes and comical characters they created kept the kids truly engaged.
A few eager volunteers from the audience joined in the fun, making their debut on the improv stage. The results were bar none! The kids absolutely loved it, and the teachers and parents all enjoyed the laughs. By experiencing the fun and creativity of improv firsthand, perhaps some of the Pierce Downer kids will apply this new experience to the Destination Imagination program, where they can create their own improv performance and story lines. The possibilities are endless!
Destination Imagination is an international program that encourages teams of students to complete challenges related to STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), the arts and service learning. It hosts annual competitions at the regional, state and global level. In District 58, school PTAs organize the program. Last spring, several Pierce Downer Destination Imagination teams traveled all the way to the global competition!
For more information about the Chicago Improv Festival Productions, please visit online at www.chicagoimprovproductions.org.