Going Long: The Art of Long-Form Improvisation for Stage and Screen

Improvisational comedy has exploded over the last several decades, a wildly popular genre that can be found everywhere from venues like The Second City and Upright Citizen’s Brigade to college campuses and corporate retreats. But there’s more to improv than the short, jokey, and game-based version that has become familiar to audiences. In fact, the quick-witted, gag-focused approach of shows like Whose Line Is It Anyway? is of little help when it comes to successfully pulling off long-form improvisation. Long-form provides exciting new challenges and opportunities for improvisational performers that go far beyond simple comedy--but it demands an entirely different skill set, careful preparation, and genuine courage.

Drawing on author Jo McGinley’s more than 30 years of experience onstage and in the classroom, Going Long provides a clear and practical framework for both beginning and experienced improvisers. It includes mental exercises specifically developed for long-form work, best practices for rehearsals and collaboration, techniques for connecting with the audience, and principles for making in-the- moment decisions that support an overarching narrative. It also includes tips on specific genres tales--that show how to use familiar narrative conventions and produce a memorable, engaging, and even moving improvised story.

Jo McGinley is a founding member of the renowned Impro Theatre in LA. A pioneer of narrative improv on theatre stages and live streaming online, Jo has performed and taught numerous styles throughout the US and internationally in Edinburgh, Amsterdam, Oslo, Wurzburg, Dubai, and Paris. Jo has also introduced the use of improv tools for leadership training at all levels in the corporate world. Companies she has worked with include Kaiser Permanente, Salesforce, Mini Cooper, Pepsi, The Discovery Channel and animators at DreamWorks and Disney Animation.