The Harold
A Revolutionary Form that Changed Improvisational Theatre & American Comedy
The Harold is widely regarded as the foundation of long form improv. First developed in the late 1960’s by the San Francisco group the Committee, work-shopped by Del Close in the 1970’s, and transformed into a repeatable structure by Close and Charna Halpern at ImprovOlympic (now iO) in the 1980’s, the Harold reinvented the possibilities of what could be done with improv on stage.
This study will tell the story of the Harold - it's development and evolution, as well as exploring the many ways that it has been used both within iO and in the greater improv community. Furthermore, I will be examining the ways in which the Harold has helped transform American comedy by reshaping it to follow the principles and philosophy of the Harold - resulting in comedy that is based on the notion of support, collaboration, trust and connections.
In short, The Harold examines the evolution and influence of the Harold.
This study will tell the story of the Harold - it's development and evolution, as well as exploring the many ways that it has been used both within iO and in the greater improv community. Furthermore, I will be examining the ways in which the Harold has helped transform American comedy by reshaping it to follow the principles and philosophy of the Harold - resulting in comedy that is based on the notion of support, collaboration, trust and connections.
In short, The Harold examines the evolution and influence of the Harold.