"Truth in Comedy" and "Art By Committee" -- Two Invaluable Improv Resources
"The most important group work since they built the pyramids."
–
Bill Murray
Endorsed by performers from Saturday Night Live, the Harold is the long-form improvisational tool that helped many actors on the road to TV and film stardom. This innovative method is described fully in the book Truth in Comedy by Charna Halpern, Del Close, and Kim "Howard" Johnson. This insightful book has become the bible for wannabe improvisers.
Art By Committee, Charna Halpern's sequel to the best-selling Truth in Comedy, comes with a DVD featuring performers demonstrating the instructions and ideas covered in the book. The subjects in this text progress from a discussion of the latest improvements to the Harold, to techniques used by today’s best improvisers, to anecdotes about the late Del Close and his work with the author in developing the Harold.
Charna Halpern recently celebrated her twenty-fifth year in business as director of i.O. Chicago (formerly ImprovOlympic) and i.O. West in Los Angeles. Watch for Charna and Truth in Comedy, featured on the current season of MTV's The Real World: Hollywood.
