History Of Improv Comedy In Illinois Featured In New Documentary

New documentary to feature the history of Improv Comedian in Illinois.

My Favorite Kind Of Entertainment

When I get a little bit of free time, I enjoy relaxing on the couch and watching some television to whine down after a long day or week. I will usually start with comedy. It can be a funny movie, sitcom, or stand-up special. I like them all.

Another direction I can go is a documentary, especially if it is about music, sports, or another subject I enjoy. Sometimes I will catch one about a comedian and that is even better. Who does not like to laugh? It is a nice escape from reality.

Comedy Has A Long History In Illinois

If you hit up the great Google machine to find out how many comics got their start in Illinois and Chicago, that list would be huge. There would be lots of famous people included in it too. The TV show, Saturday Night Live, basically uses Chicago as its minor league, to compare it to sports.

Best Of Both Worlds 

Every once in a while, I get lucky and run across a documentary that features comedy or a comedian. I will sit and watch that stuff all day. There is a new one coming out and I am very excited about it.

New Documentary About Improv Comedy In Illinois

I am really excited to see a new comedy documentary this Friday night at 8 PM on PBS / WTTW. It is called "Inventing Improv." For more info, HERE.

According to wttw.com, 

"The origins of improvisation aren’t in comedy. The roots of the art form are actually in social work, specifically at Hull House, the settlement house where the “Mother of Improv,” Viola Spolin, discovered the benefits of play for Chicago’s immigrant population."

"Spolin’s work at Hull House eventually culminated in her creation of the theater games that became the foundation of improvisation."

"WTTW's upcoming documentary, Inventing Improv: A Chicago Stories Special, explores Spolin's story and the history of improv."