Viola Spolin (1906–94) was an American theater educator, director, and acting coach, recognized as a pioneer of improvisational theater. Her innovative Theater Games system revolutionized actor training, emphasizing spontaneity, creativity, and present-moment awareness.
Born in Chicago, Illinois, she trained as a settlement worker (1924–26) under Neva Boyd, whose teachings on group dynamics and play shaped her theater approach. While working with the Works Progress Administration (WPA Recreational Project) 1939–41, she developed interactive games to help actors overcome cultural and linguistic barriers.
Spolin’s most influential book, Improvisation for the Theater (1963,) introduced her Theater Games methodology, becoming a foundational text for actors, directors, and educators. It was later expanded in 1983 and 1999. Other works include Theater Game File (1989,) a collection of exercises, and Viola Spolin’s Theater Games for the Classroom (1986,) adapting her techniques for education.
Her son, Paul Sills, applied her methods in founding The Second City, shaping modern improvisational theater.
More: Wikipedia • READ: Works by Viola Spolin
First teach a person to develop to the point of his limitation and then-pfft!-break the limitation.
—Viola Spolin
Leave a Reply