Managed Mischief

Improvisation is MAKING something fun happen—and not just onstage before an audience, but ANYWHERE. Improv training is not only in demand to train entertainers, but also to help people to shed fear of public speaking and social interaction, to trust their own creative ideas, and even to improve team dynamics in the grownup workplace.“Managed Mischief” is an improv how-to kit, helping parents and teachers celebrate everyday creativity with the kids in their lives. Whether or not you have any prior improv experience, this book will walk you through how to teach and play these self-guided games that boost creativity, confidence, and collaborative thinking. You can play these games in the classroom, the car, the playground, or even in a public space. These games don’t need an audience, and you “win” by working together to create something delightful. There are games to challenge different abilities, from verbal to physical to artistic—writing, drawing, painting, dancing, and making music. The book is called a “toolkit” because it contains some improv philosophy, guides for teaching and playing the exercises, and plenty of tips for mixing things up on your own. With background knowledge on improv and a fundamental understanding of how games work, there are no limits: you can combine games, string them together, change the rules, or even make up your own games!Whether you’re shy or a showoff, these games let people of all ages practice vital life skills such as: trying new things, voicing your own ideas, championing others’ ideas, working together to make something, taking turns being in charge, being unafraid to be “weird,” and taking joy in the world all around.Author Mandy Khoshnevisan has spent 20 years studying and teaching improvisational theater, and also working as a teaching artist for kids ranging from preschool to high school. This book contains the games that she and her students have the most fun playing together. The games are organized according to the skills they help build, and cross-referenced to make it easy to find and revisit favorites.

Author Mandy Khoshnevisan has spent 20 years studying and teaching improvisational theater, and also teaching theater to kids ranging from preschool to high school. She was introduced to improvisation while studying at Stanford University. She stayed in the San Francisco Bay Area after graduation, performing with the Stanford Improvisors and BATS Improv among other groups, and worked for over 10 years with Un-Scripted Theater Company as an actor, director, and company manager. Currently, she lives and works in Portland, OR, and performs locally (Curious Comedy, the Brody, and the Funhouse Lounge) while teaching for Northwest Children's Theater. She has written numerous plays and scripts and directed many school performances by students; Managed Mischief is her first book.