Aretha Sills to be Keynote Speaker at Applied Improvisation World Conference at Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science

Sills/Spolin Theater Works’ Associate Director Aretha Sills will be a keynote speaker at the Applied Improvisation Network Conference held at the Alan Alda Center for Communicating Science at Stony Brook University on August 10.

Aretha will also be in conversation with Alan Alda and Alda Center Director Laura Lindenfeld on Friday, August 9th. Find the conference schedule here.

Read an interview with her and the other keynote speakers here!

3. What do you love most about the idea you are speaking about?

I’m speaking about the origins of improvisational theater in America, with stories and photos from the originators that show how modern and relevant they were. I’ve found that it’s eye opening to audiences to see that progressive women created this field and that their ideas were so radical people are only now beginning to see how necessary they are to democracy, community, and personal expression. It’s also a family history, and they were fascinating people, so I love to share their stories.

Aretha Sills working with a group of international educators in Stockholm, 2017. Photo by Vega Ebbersten.