Amy Poehler is an American actress and comedian. After studying improv at Chicago's Second City and ImprovOlympic in the early 1990s, Poehler co-founded the improvisational-comedy troupe Upright Citizens Brigade. The group moved to New York City in 1996, where their act became a half-hour sketch-comedy series on Comedy Central in 1998. Along with other members of the comedy group, Poehler is a founder of the Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre.
Poehler in 2024
Matt Walsh, Amy Poehler, Matt Besser, and Ian Roberts at the Del Close Marathon in New York City in 2015
SNL colleagues Fred Armisen, Poehler, Lorne Michaels, Seth Meyers and Jason Sudeikis at the Peabody Awards in 2008.
Poehler with Parks and Recreation co-star Aubrey Plaza at the 2012 Time 100 gala
Improvisational theatre, often called improvisation or improv, is the form of theatre, often comedy, in which most or all of what is performed is unplanned or unscripted, created spontaneously by the performers. In its purest form, the dialogue, action, story, and characters are created collaboratively by the players as the improvisation unfolds in present time, without use of an already prepared, written script.
Swedish actors performing in theatresports, a competitive form of improv
Italian Nobel-winner Dario Fo received international acclaim for his highly improvisational style
Members of the Montreal Improvisation League
Three improvisers performing longform improv comedy at the Gorilla Tango Theatre in Chicago.