The Art of Spontaneous Theater

How to Improvize a Full-Length Play - The Art of Spontaneous Theater
Kenn Adams
Allworth Press 2007 - 16.95 USD

A very interesting but a-typical improv book. The claim it makes it to teach the reader how to do Long Form , but what it really is is an introduction into (possible) structure of (good) stories, followed by an approach to using this understanding into the mechanics of a full-length improvised play.

We would not classify this book as the definite work on improvising plays; it is *one* technique which may or may not be helpful to you. Those of you used to longform structures such as the Harold may find the approach a bit bizarre. Nonetheless, a recommended book.

Story Spine

Description

This is an idea/tool about the spine of any story. The whole point of the tool is to provide a model for a well-constructed story with a beginning that establishes a routine, an event that breaks the routine, a middle that shows the consequences of having broken the routine, a climax that sets the resolution to the story in motion, and the resolution. It goes like:

Once upon a time...
Every day...
But, one day...
Because of that...
Because of that...
Because of that... n
Until, finally...
And, ever since then...

And, here's how the lines correlate to the different sections of a well-constructed story:

The Beginning that establishes the routine: Once upon a time... Every day...

The Event that breaks the routine: But, one day...

The Middle that shows the consequences of having broken the routine: Because of that...
Because of that...
Because of that...

The Climax that sets the resolution to the story in motion: Until, finally...

The Resolution And, ever since then...

This little structure teaches performers to advance a story by changing things. There are hundreds of variations known to this, one of which we`ll present here as well:

The balance: Once upon a time ... and every day ...
The un-balance: But then one day ...
The quest for a resolution: ... and because of that ... and so ... until finally ....
The new balance: ... and ever since that day ....

Origin
The original story spine was created by Kenn Adams who also kindly offered the summary text above to this site. Kenn has a book published on this topic: The Art of Spontaneous Theater .