The Improvised Shakespeare Company

About this episode

Blaine Swen and Ross Bryant discuss the unique process of creating unscripted Shakespearean plays with the Improvised Shakespeare Company.

What is it like to create a Shakespeare play that’s never been written—and will never be performed again? The Improvised Shakespeare Company is a long-running ensemble that performs entirely unscripted plays in the style of Shakespeare. Founded in Chicago in 2005, the company has spent two decades building a devoted following through performances in the United States and internationally. In this episode, Blaine Swen, the company’s founder, and Ross Bryant discuss how their performances take shape in real time, beginning with a single audience-suggested title and unfolding into a full-length play that will never be repeated. Drawing on techniques from long-form improvisation and a deep familiarity with Shakespeare’s language, structure, and themes, the ensemble creates stories that balance poetry, comedy, spontaneity, and lots of fun. They reflect on what makes Shakespeare particularly well-suited to improv, from his larger-than-life characters and emotional intensity to the flexibility of his language and cultural references. They also explore the mechanics of their process—how they listen, build on each other’s ideas, and embrace mistakes as opportunities—and why committing…

People in this episode

Guests: Blaine Swen, Ross Bryant

Topics covered

• improvisation
• Shakespeare
• theater
• performance art

Keywords

• improvised theater
• audience participation
• long-form improvisation

Mentioned in this episode

Books & works: The Second City Mainstage, Mystery Science Theater 3000, The Good Place, Crashing, I Think You Should Leave, Push the Roll with Ross Bryant, Erica & Blaine, BASH, Hello, PhD

Places: Chicago, the United States, Studio City, California, North Carolina, Los Angeles, LA, Nashville

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