Elaine Iva May is an American comedian, filmmaker, playwright, and actress. She first gained fame in the 1950s for her improvisational comedy routines with Mike Nichols, before transitioning her career regularly breaking the mold as a writer and director of several critically acclaimed films. She has received numerous awards, including a BAFTA Award, a Grammy Award, and a Tony Award. She was honored with the National Medal of Arts from President Barack Obama in 2013, and an Honorary Academy Award in 2022.
May performing in 1959
May, Nichols and Dorothy Loudon, 1959
Nichols and May, 1960
Theater program from 1961
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.