The Improv Reference Guide
A cross-referenced, multi-tradition analysis of improvisation. Sourced claims, counter-positions, and the first knowledge graph that holds Johnstone, Spolin, Close, UCB, and Annoyance in one linked structure.
Who this is for
- Writers, teachers, researchers, and advanced practitioners studying improvisation seriously.
- Learners who want source-grounded claims and competing traditions in one place.
Before you start
- A willingness to study improv as a system rather than as a starter curriculum.
What you'll get
- Navigate the graph by concept, tradition, type, and disagreement.
- Understand how the major improv lineages agree, diverge, and source their claims.
- Use the graph as a research and synthesis tool rather than a linear curriculum.
Course syllabus
Move in order. Each thread builds on the one before it.
Traditions in Tension: Where the Schools Disagree
There is no single "improv." There are at least five major traditions, each with distinct philosophies, and they disagree on fundamental questions.
The System Underneath: Why Improv Works
Before you learn the moves, learn the physics. Improv isn't a collection of arbitrary rules.
The Physics of Every Room You'll Ever Walk Into
Let's name what we've been building toward. Five principles. Accept what's offered. Stay in the present moment. Treat surprises as gifts.
Diagnosing Scene Failure: A Vocabulary for What Went Wrong
You know the scene didn't work. You can feel it. But when someone asks "what happened?" all you can say is "I don't know, it just...