Behind the Scenes: Improvising Long Form Paperback – December 21, 2015 by Mick Napier

Description

Author: Mick Napier

Brand: Meriwether Publishing

Edition: First

Package Dimensions: 15x216x308

Number Of Pages: 224

Release Date: 21-12-2015

Details: Product Description
“Mick has been the catalyst for the most messed-up, funny, smart, low-budget, loud, subversive, hilarious, mind-expanding improv shows of his time.” Bob Odenkirk, star of
Better Call Saul

In this follow-up to his highly regarded book
Improvise. Scene from the Inside Out, globally acclaimed improviser, director, and instructor
Mick Napier focuses on the complexities and theories of long form improvisation. This extended form of improvisation invites performers to be inspired for at least thirty minutes by a single suggestion as they push their creativity to the limit.

Napier taps into more than 30 years of experience and distills his tools for success into practical, engaging lessons:

-The art of introductions and edits
-Different approaches to openers
-Pros and cons of the back line
-Why it’s okay to be funny
-Finding the dominant energy
-Sustaining a strong character

Review
Napier, founder of Chicago’s Annoyance Theater and a veteran Second City director, is the author of my favourite how-to improv book,
Improvise: Scene from the Inside Out. In this new book,
Behind the Scenes, Napier rips apart every aspect of putting on an improv show: from hosting and getting a suggestion to running order and how to end it. This book won’t be of much use to new improv students, but for producers and experienced performers, it is gold. –Chris Hannay, Improv Embassy, Ottawa, Canada
About the Author
Mick Napier is the founder of the acclaimed Annoyance Theatre in Chicago and New York, as well as a
Director and Artistic Consultant for The Second City, the most influential and prolific comedy theater in the
world. Napier is known both nationally and internationally as an innovator and creative force in comedy,
improvisation, and theatre. His first book,
Improvise: Scene from the Inside Out has become required
reading for many improv students.

With the Annoyance, Mick has spent more than 25 years developing and cultivating a style of work and
production that has been both acclaimed and imitated. As a Director and Artistic Consultant for the globally
renowned Second City, he made his mark, having directed more than 10 revues there including the 40th and 50th
Anniversary revues, and
Paradigm Lost, which earned him a Joseph Jefferson Award for Direction. Throughout
his career, Mick has directed such high profile actors and writers as Aidy Bryant and Vanessa Bayer (
Swear Jar),
Tina Fey, Jason Sudeikis, and Stephen Colbert (The Second City), Martin Short (
Martin Short & Friends), Jeff
Garlin (
I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With), and David and Amy Sedaris in their Obie Award-winning hit
OneWoman Shoe.