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2012 Noted improv teachers convene in North Bend to plan, play and perform

ILS has invited several noted teachers of Spolin's methods to come to North Bend on Feb. 15 - 19 to begin planning for a world conference on Ms. Spolin and her work.

Viola Spolin is the internationally recognized originator of Theater Games - the basis of improvisational theater. Along with her son, Paul Sills, Viola Spolin created the techniques utilized by the founders of Chicago's Second City as well as thousands of other improvisational troupes worldwide.
Her work is recognized by many sectors of society outside the theatrical circle. It is a respected and cherished tool for directors, educators and psychologists and has benefited many, in their everyday lives, who have been exposed to it.

Teachers from Alberta, Canada, North Carolina, San Fransico, Los Angeles and Massachusetts will spend the weekend not only planning the conference, but will also workshop the games and invite the public to see the results of how using Spolin Games create unique and exciting theater.

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2008 CHICAGO -- Paul Sills, one of the founders of the improvisational comedy group "The Second City," which has turned out some of America's best-known comedians, died Monday June 1, 2008. He was 80.
A note from the Executive Director - Paul Sills was on the advisory board of Intuitive Learning Systems.

I would like our community to know about this important and influential man and his and his mother’s influence on theater in general and the theater scene here in the Snoqualmie Valley in particular.

I had the great gift of working with Paul Sills, whose mother is Viola Spolin, the woman whose work he and I have dedicated ourselves to. I studied with Viola Spolin for seventeen years and was a very close friend to Viola and Paul. Their work has given my artistic career a direction and purpose.

 I utilize the work of Viola Spolin to train and direct local players in all our productions. I also have been offering classes in Spolin’s theater games for both adults and kids for several years. The Valley Center Stage has produced two of Paul Sills’ productions, “Story Theater” and our annual Christmas show, “A Christmas Carol, adapted for the stage by Paul Sills.
The Snoqualmie Valley is a richer place because of Paul Sills and Viola Spolin and I will miss Paul as I do his mother and continue to carry on the tradition and art they created.

2003 Chicago: The Six Annual Chicago Improv Festival (CIF) honored Viola Spolin (posthumously), her son, Paul Sills, and David Shepherd, the founders of the Improvisational Theater Movement over 50 years ago, with a Lifetime Achievement Award.

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