Aretha's Info
Aretha Sills is the granddaughter of Viola Spolin. She studied Spolin’s theater games for many years with her father, Paul Sills (founding director of The Second City and creator of Story Theater). She’s conducted workshops at Paul Sills’ Wisconsin Theater Game Center, Bard College, Northwestern University, and around the country. She currently teaches and works with theater companies in Los Angeles and is the Associate Director of Sills/Spolin Theater Works. She was nominated for an INNY Award for Best Improvisational Instructor and recently gave the keynote address at the California Educational Theatre Association's annual conference.For more info: http://www.ViolaSpolin.org
Aretha's Workshops
| Viola Spolin Theater Game Workshop |
| Improvisation for Writers |
"Aretha is dedicated to preserving the pureness of this technique, which from my point of view assists the actor to find the courage to find themself and then to fly. I believe she has, innately and amazingly, all the elements of the technique of both Viola Spolin and Viola’s son, the extraordinary director, Paul Sills. I have studied with Aretha, and believe me, the thrill lives on." - Paul Sand, Tony Award winner, Paul Sills’ Story Theater; Original Second City cast member
"Aretha Sills, carrying on the work of Spolin and Sills, is an amazing, insightful side-coach and teacher. We were fortunate enough to take a workshop in L.A. with her and it helped us reconnect with theater game work on a deeper level. She knows her stuff. Can’t wait to work with her again!" - Deb Lacusta & Dan Castellaneta, The Simpsons, actor & writers
"If you are an aspiring actor who is really really really funny and you like to stand in one place running your big mouth and interrupting your friend who is only really funny, then you should take this workshop to cure you of that" - Brian Hamill, Mob Rule Inc. Senior Improvisation Workshop