Playing for Change: Laughter for a Change’s After-school Improv Workshops Laurel Felt April 10, 2013

Improvisational theater Discover. Learn. Teach. In the early 1940s, social worker Viola Spolin developed a suite of theater games to stimulate creative expression and build community among Chicago’s diverse immigrant populations. Spolin’s son, founder of legendary theater The Second City, offered his mother's games up to his comedic ensemble; and ever since, improvisers the world over have played them in order to hone their craft.   But here in Los Angeles, since the founding of non-profit Laughter for a Change (L4C) in 2007, these games have returned to their original context and purpose: helping to build confidence and meaningful connections among residents of underserved communities. http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug02/reno/images/spolin.jpg

L4C at RFK Discover. Learn. Teach. During 2011-2012, L4C founder/director Ed Greenberg ran an after-school workshop with a dozen predominantly low-income, Latino high school freshmen; a trained improviser/doctoral candidate acted as a participant-observer during this year.

Methods Discover. Learn. Teach. Through analysis of ethnographic fieldnotes, surveys, and interviews,

Speaking out! Discover. Learn. Teach. participants reported less shyness, more self-confidence, increased comfort with public speaking, greater participation in academic classes, a broader view of teamwork, and fun.

Trust, Identity Discover. Learn. Teach. improvisational theater games provided a no-tech context to practice skills vital to media literacy, such as negotiating trust and exploring identity. As articulated by Felt and Rideau (2012), developing these skills, even in no-tech contexts, prepares learners to apply them in mediated contexts.

I love improvisation! Discover. Learn. Teach. I love this class, the members, and the whole concept of it. A great experience. I like improv Class !!! ^.^ It is really fun. This improv class is very fun and I hope they keep doing it. I love it, great class and shown me many things. I think it’s a good class (: I love improvisation! Keep it going guys. You’re the BEST! Awesome! I like improv class! THIS IS AWESOME! Much more to learn :)

The Power of Games Discover. Learn. Teach. L4C’s use of games may help to explain its educational effectiveness. According to USC's Project New Media Literacies, play “supports constant learning and innovative responses to our surroundings” (Reilly, Jenkins, Felt & Vartabedian, 2012, p. 6). Positive affective climates such as L4C’s also predict such educational boons as greater academic risk-taking and increased motivation (Meyer & Turner, 2006).

The Power of Laughter Discover. Learn. Teach.   L4C's website claims, “Laughter is powerful. Laughter heals. Laughter builds community.” This study's findings suggest that L4C's pedagogy is powerful too, and might help to leverage formal and informal educational settings for healing challenged communities. “I really enjoy improv… . In life you normally have to plan out your decisions and actions and, in improv, you just do it right there on the spot.(Improv)… gives me a way of expressing myself in the moment. You have fun, and everyone just loves what you do.” –Bennett, 17 years old, participant of Laughter for a Change’s after-school improvisational program at Robert F. Kennedy Community Schools

Laurel Felt felt@usc.edu laurelfelt.org Questions? Comments! Discover. Learn. Teach. Questions? Comments! Laurel Felt felt@usc.edu laurelfelt.org -it has been a genuine privilege. Thank you!