Ensemble
A group of performers who work together as a unified creative unit rather than as a collection of individuals. Ensemble playing emphasizes shared responsibility, mutual support, and collective storytelling. The ensemble tradition in improvisation traces from Viola Spolin through The Second City and iO Chicago.
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Further Reading
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Yes, And
How Improvisation Reverses No, But Thinking and Improves Creativity and Collaboration
Kelly Leonard; Tom Yorton
The Actor's Book of Improvisation
Sandra Caruso; Paul Clemens
Theatrical Improvisation
Short Form, Long Form, and Sketch-Based Improv
Jeanne Leep
Devising Performance
A Critical History
Deirdre Heddon; Jane Milling
The Young Actor's Book of Improvisation
Dramatic Situations
Sandra Caruso; Susan Kosoff
The Art of Chicago Improv
Short Cuts to Long-Form Improvisation
Rob Kozlowski
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Ensemble. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/learn-improv/concepts/ensemble
The Improv Archive. "Ensemble." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/learn-improv/concepts/ensemble.
The Improv Archive. "Ensemble." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/learn-improv/concepts/ensemble. Accessed March 17, 2026.
The Improv Archive is a systemically maintained repository. The archive itself acts as the corporate author.