Keith Johnstone an internationally recognised authority in the field of improvisation, great chunks of which he created, including improvisation forms Theatresports, Maestro Impro (played in NZ as Micetro), Gorilla Theatre, and The Life Game. His books Impro, and Impro For Storytellers, have been translated into many languages.
Keith worked at London’s Royal Court Theatre for its ten most revolutionary years (1956 to 1966), and has taught at many European Theatre Schools, including six years at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, and each spring for fifteen years at the Stattensteatre Skole in Copenhagen. Places where he has taught since include San Francisco, Brisbane, Sydney, Seattle,Vienna, Denmark, Germany, Sweden, London, Hong Kong, Austin (Texas), and Tokyo. He has lectured at the Deuches Institute for Provocative Therapy, and from teaching ‘clinic clowns’ in the Bavarian Alps. He founded the Theatre Machine improvisation group, the International Theatresports Institute, and was the Co-founder of Calgary’s Loose Moose Theatre. He is a Professor Emeritus at Calgary University.
Over the years several WIT members have made the pilgrimage to The Loose Moose Theatre in Calgary to attend the Summer School. Although the theatre is no longer lead by him, it is still infused with his philosophy and playful generous approach to improv.
