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The Resource Improv nation : how we made a great American art, Sam Wasson

Improv nation : how we made a great American art, Sam Wasson

Creator
Author
Summary
  • A history of the uniquely American art form of improv, from its beginnings during the McCarthy Era through the rise of such institutions as Second City, the Groundlings, and the Upright Citizens Brigade and such performers as Tina Fey, Steve Carell, and Bill Murray
  • "From the best-selling author of Fosse, a sweeping yet intimate-- and often hilarious-- history of a uniquely American art form that has never been more popular. At the height of the McCarthy era, an experimental theater troupe set up shop in a bar near the University of Chicago. Via word of mouth, astonished crowds packed the ad hoc venue to see its unscripted, interactive, consciousness-raising style. From this unlikely seed grew the Second City, the massively influential comedy ensemble, and its offshoots-- the Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade, SNL, and a slew of others. Sam Wasson charts the meteoric rise of improv in this richly reported, scene-driven narrative that, like its subject, moves fast and digs deep. He shows us the chance meeting at a train station between Mike Nichols and Elaine May. We hang out at the after-hours bar Dan Aykroyd opened so that friends like John Belushi, Bill Murray, and Gilda Radner would always have a home. We go behind the scenes of landmark entertainments, from The Graduate to Caddyshack, The Forty-Year-Old Virgin to The Colbert Report. Along the way, we commune with a host of pioneers-- Nichols, Harold Ramis, Dustin Hoffman, Chevy Chase, Steve Carell, Amy Poehler, Alan Arkin, Tina Fey, Judd Apatow, and many others. With signature verve and nuance, Wasson shows why improv deserves to be considered the great American art form of the last half century-- and the most influential one today."--Dust jacket flap
Language
eng
Work
Publication
Extent
xiii, 449 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates
Note
"An Eamon Dolan book."
Contents
  • Hi, how are you?
  • We the Jews: 1940-1968
  • We the punks: 1969-1984
  • We the nerds: 1984-
  • Goodnight, everyone
Isbn
9780544557208
Instance
Label
Improv nation : how we made a great American art
Title
Improv nation
Title remainder
how we made a great American art
Statement of responsibility
Sam Wasson
Creator
Author
Subject
Language
eng
Summary
  • A history of the uniquely American art form of improv, from its beginnings during the McCarthy Era through the rise of such institutions as Second City, the Groundlings, and the Upright Citizens Brigade and such performers as Tina Fey, Steve Carell, and Bill Murray
  • "From the best-selling author of Fosse, a sweeping yet intimate-- and often hilarious-- history of a uniquely American art form that has never been more popular. At the height of the McCarthy era, an experimental theater troupe set up shop in a bar near the University of Chicago. Via word of mouth, astonished crowds packed the ad hoc venue to see its unscripted, interactive, consciousness-raising style. From this unlikely seed grew the Second City, the massively influential comedy ensemble, and its offshoots-- the Groundlings, Upright Citizens Brigade, SNL, and a slew of others. Sam Wasson charts the meteoric rise of improv in this richly reported, scene-driven narrative that, like its subject, moves fast and digs deep. He shows us the chance meeting at a train station between Mike Nichols and Elaine May. We hang out at the after-hours bar Dan Aykroyd opened so that friends like John Belushi, Bill Murray, and Gilda Radner would always have a home. We go behind the scenes of landmark entertainments, from The Graduate to Caddyshack, The Forty-Year-Old Virgin to The Colbert Report. Along the way, we commune with a host of pioneers-- Nichols, Harold Ramis, Dustin Hoffman, Chevy Chase, Steve Carell, Amy Poehler, Alan Arkin, Tina Fey, Judd Apatow, and many others. With signature verve and nuance, Wasson shows why improv deserves to be considered the great American art form of the last half century-- and the most influential one today."--Dust jacket flap
Cataloging source
CGL
http://library.link/vocab/creatorName
Wasson, Sam
Dewey number
792.02/80973
Illustrations
  • illustrations
  • portraits
  • plates
Index
index present
LC call number
PN2071.I5
LC item number
W37 2017
Literary form
non fiction
Nature of contents
bibliography
http://library.link/vocab/subjectName
  • Improvisation (Acting)
  • Comedy
  • Stand-up comedy
  • HISTORY / Social History
Label
Improv nation : how we made a great American art, Sam Wasson
Instantiates
Publication
Copyright
Note
"An Eamon Dolan book."
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages [384]-435) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
  • text
  • still image
Content type code
  • txt
  • sti
Content type MARC source
  • rdacontent
  • rdacontent
Contents
  • Hi, how are you?
  • We the Jews: 1940-1968
  • We the punks: 1969-1984
  • We the nerds: 1984-
  • Goodnight, everyone
Control code
on1012843387
Dimensions
24 cm
Extent
xiii, 449 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates
Isbn
9780544557208
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations (some color), portraits
System control number
  • 1266801
  • (Sirsi) o1012843387
  • (OCoLC)1012843387
Label
Improv nation : how we made a great American art, Sam Wasson
Publication
Copyright
Note
"An Eamon Dolan book."
Bibliography note
Includes bibliographical references (pages [384]-435) and index
Carrier category
volume
Carrier category code
  • nc
Carrier MARC source
rdacarrier
Content category
  • text
  • still image
Content type code
  • txt
  • sti
Content type MARC source
  • rdacontent
  • rdacontent
Contents
  • Hi, how are you?
  • We the Jews: 1940-1968
  • We the punks: 1969-1984
  • We the nerds: 1984-
  • Goodnight, everyone
Control code
on1012843387
Dimensions
24 cm
Extent
xiii, 449 pages, 16 unnumbered pages of plates
Isbn
9780544557208
Media category
unmediated
Media MARC source
rdamedia
Media type code
  • n
Other physical details
illustrations (some color), portraits
System control number
  • 1266801
  • (Sirsi) o1012843387
  • (OCoLC)1012843387

Subject

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