Will Hines. How to Be the Greatest Improviser on Earth. Self-published, 2016.
A practitioner's guide organizing improv around behavioral mantras: Be Present, Be Changeable, Be Brave, Be Playful. Deeply influenced by Del Close and Keith Johnstone, translated for contemporary UCB-lineage performers.
Key concepts drawn from here:
- "Be Present" as a chapter-level principle — matches our second principle exactly
- "Be Changeable" — "It's not just changing the present. It's changing the past. You are adjusting who you are with every line."
- "Be Brave" — courage to initiate, to act before ready
- The fact/opinion distinction in accepting offers — accept facts, retain agency over opinions
- Initiation etiquette — "When you initiate, tell the other person who they are"
- The cult of the obvious (extending Johnstone)
Also referenced: Will Hines' Substack articles at willhines.substack.com, including "Accepting Offers," "Three Ingredients," "Rewrite History," and "Second Line: Big Choice or Gentle Yes?"
Referenced by atoms: be-present, be-changeable, be-brave, obvious-choice, accepting-the-offer, initiation