This guide is for all those wishing to train in and produce Gorilla Theatre(TM). It is a fantastic format to experience Impro Keith Johnstone style and receive all of the personal and group benefits that go along with it. Gorilla Theatre(TM) player/directors develop in storytelling, spontaneity, joyful failure, confidence, teamwork, directing, clowning and so much more.
In the late 1950's Keith Johnstone was experimenting with Theatresports(TM) in London England. It was first produced in Calgary, Canada in 1977, from there spread around the world and is now played in over 90 countries.
Gorilla Theatre(TM) had its debut in 1992 and is also becoming popular worldwide.
The International Theatresports(TM) Institute was created by Keith to entrust and manage his Impro formats.
The ITI grants performance rights to groups wishing to train on and perform the Keith Johnstone formats of Theatresports(TM), Maestro Impro(TM) and Gorilla Theatre(TM). Money from royalties goes to member benefits, building the Impro community and managing the trademark and legacy. Keith himself has never taken any profit from the licensing of Theatresports(TM).
ITI members have select access to the Gorilla Theatre(TM) Guide but it is also available for purchase to anyone.
Jarand, Steve: - Steve graduated from the University of Calgary Drama Department in 1991 and has been doing improvisation since 1987 beginning at Loose Moose theatre in Calgary, Canada. Since 1991 he has produced nature and history theatre performing in schools, mountain parks museums and zoos. Steve began working with masks in 1999 with the support of Keith Johnstone, then soon after, teaching at home and overseas. Each year the Trancemask tour of Europe gets broader in scope. Advanced student courses are now held in half and full mask. Masks are popping up regularly in Impro shows and prepared mask pieces are also performed. In 2016 Steve completed a ten month round the world trip with the masks teaching and performing in Columbia, Peru, Brazil, New Zealand, Hong Kong and Japan.
Johnstone, Keith: - KEITH JOHNSTONE is one of the few internationally recognized authorities in the field of improvisation, great chunks of which he created, including Theatresports(TM), Maestro Impro(c) (or Micetro(c) Impro), Gorilla Theatre(TM), and The Life Game(c). Keith has written two best selling books about his Theatre and Improvisation theories and practices, in addition to several plays and short stories. His books Impro, and Impro For Storytellers, have been translated into many languages. His plays are produced world wide. Keith's ideas about improvisation, behaviour and performance appeal to a wide variety of groups. From Actors to Psychotherapists, Improvisation companies to Theatre Schools and Companies, Business and Management training specialists and Humanities Research Institutes, Universities and Film Production Companies have invited him to come to teach them about his ideas, and how they might apply them. He founded the Theatre Machine Improvisation group in England in the 1960's, touring Europe and North America, was the Co-founder and Artistic Director of The Loose Moose Theatre Company in Calgary, Canada in the 1970's, 80's and 90's. He founded The International Theatresports(TM) Institute in 1998.
Stiles, Patti: - "Patti Stiles is an actor, director, playwright, teacher and improvisation artist living in Australia. She received her training at Calgary, Alberta's world-renowned Loose Moose Theatre under Keith Johnstone. It was there she worked intensively with Keith Johnstone in many forms of improvisation. She performed regularly in Theatresports(TM), Gorilla Theatre(TM) and Life Game(TM) as well as performing in Keith's plays, directing and performing in the Theatre For Kids program and touring productions. Stiles moved to Toronto Canada and was the Artistic Director of Dream Kitchen Theatre, which produced Theatresports(TM). From there she moved to Edmonton Alberta and was Artistic Director of Rapid Fire Theatre from 1991 - 1996. Young performers in the company at this time include Mark Meer, Jacob Banigan, Josh Dean, Nathan Fillion whom she helped to train. Along with her AD duties Patti was very involved with other theatre endeavours. She directed David Belke's production of The Maltese Bodkin which featured Nathan Fillion (in one of his first theatrical roles) and received an Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award for Outstanding Fringe Production. In Edmonton Patti wrote her first play for Theatre For Young Audiences called If Whales Could Tell Tales, which was commissioned by the Provincial Museum. She was heavily involved in the Edmonton Fringe Festival as actor, director or productions as well as their opening / closing ceremonies and also the Edmonton Street Performers Festival as a roving character artist, director of Women In Comedy or performer in Late Night Madness. Patti also had the honour of being a founding member of Die-Nasty: The Live Improvised Soap Opera (nominated for several Canadian Comedy Awards and winner of the 2006 award for Best Improv Troupe) and holds the record as the first female improviser to improvise 53 hours straight in the annual Die-Nasty Soap-A-Thon. For 6 months Stiles lived in London UK, during this time she worked a great deal with many of the impro companies in London. It was then she met and was able to train Deborah Francis White and Tom Salinski founders of The Spontaneity Shop and authors of The Impro Handbook which includes a dedication to her. Stiles moved to Melbourne Australia and became the Artistic Director of Impro Melbourne from 2004 to 2009. During this time she wrote her second theatre for young audiences play Water of Life. She is also founder and Co-Director of Secret Impro Theatre and Artistic Director of Die Nasty AU a Melbourne branch of the soap opera style created in Edmonton. Patti now has her own company in Melbourne Patti Stiles Impro focused on her improvisational teaching. Stiles has had the pleasure of playing with many notable improvisation performers including Colin Mochrie, Brad Sherwood, Wayne Brady, Joe Flaherty, Daniel Cordeaux, Rebecca De Unamuno, Julia Zemiro, Dan O'Connor, Ron Pederson, Jeff Haslam, Dana Andersen, and Alan Cox. She is a three-time nominee for the Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award for Theatre Excellence TV credits for Stiles include Neighbours (AUS), Stingers (AUS), "John Safran's Race Relation's" (AUS)."
