Patti Stiles
Ensemble Cast | Teacher | Past Artistic Director |
Joined Impro Melbourne: 2000
Skills: Actor, Improvisor, Director, Teacher, Playright.
Performance background:
Patti has performed on 5 continents in classical and contemporary plays, Theatre For Young Audience, TV, Film and improvisation short & long form, ensemble & collaborative pieces, duo shows, and genre shows. Patti is an alumnus of The Loose Moose Theatre Co. (Canada), Rapid Fire Theatre (Canada) and is a core member of the award winning “Die Nasty”. Patti is the first woman to have improvised for 53 hours straight during the Die Nasty Soap a Thon! The press has dubbed her “Impro Doyen” and “Queen of Improvisation.”
Teaching experience:
She has an infectious enthusiasm for improvisation. Mix this with her insightful improvisation technique, strong narrative skill and her spirit of play, and it is no wonder she is responsible for inspiring many hundreds of people to improvise. Patti received her impro training first hand by the ground -breaking "impro" teacher, Keith Johnstone, at the legendary Loose Moose Theatre Company in Canada. She has been invited to teach in North and South America, Europe, Scandinavia, Asia, UAE and the Oceania region for professional Theatres, Theatre schools, improvisation companies, festivals and in the corporate arena.
Patti has been featured in the impro magazine Status, is a contributor to the book Art of Mistakes, was interviewed for the books Something Like A Drug and The Improv Handbook (which is dedicated to Patti in recognition of her mentorship.)
Student Testimonials:
"Patti is an inspiring and highly inclusive teacher. She really saw the potential in all students. She gave helpful feedback along the way to people of all levels of skill and experience."
"Patti's class is amazing. It is incredible how much she wants us to develop our own instincts, rather than just learn formulaic methods of scene work."
“Patti has an amazing way of seeing everything, strengths and struggles and why they are there... She also makes overcoming them seem so achievable and has a beautiful, positive warmth towards all her students.”
“Patti gave great feedback and instruction exactly when it was required, not afraid to catch us out when we didn't quite do the right thing and then showing us immediately after how we could do it better.”
“Patti had an unbelievable ability to get to the point on her feedback and hit exactly the right note on what was wrong.”
“She's Amazing. Patti's ability to know when you're gonna fail before you even know or knowing when to step in is uncanny.”
Teaching Credits:
Performance Arts Schools (select list)
Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts (UK),
London Academy of Music & Dramatic Arts (UK),
Danish National School of the Performing Arts (DK)
The Actors Centre (UK),
The National Institute of Circus Arts (AU),
University El Bosque (Colombia),
Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (Colombia),
Citadel Theatre (CA)
Improvisation Companies (select list)
Austentacious (UK)
Picnic Impro (Colombia)
Loose Moose Theatre (Canada)
Rapid Fire Theatre (Canada)
Hideout Theatre (USA)
BATS (USA)
i Bugardini (Italy)
Teatro A Molla (Italy)
Spontaneity Shop (UK)
Closer Each Day (UK)
The Nursery (UK)
On The Fly (Italy)
Smoking Sofa (France)
Again! Productions (France)
Inspinazi (Belgium)
Steife Brise (Germany)
Improopertone (Norway)
Det Andre Teatre (Norway)
Improverket (SW)
Impro Australia (Australia)
Impro Mafia (Australia)
IT’s (Australia)
The Court Jesters (NZ)
W.I.T. (NZ)
Improvisation Festivals (select list)
"Welcome' - Rome, Italy 2016, 2017, 2018
Inspinazi - Leuven, Belgium 2005, 2009, 2018
Torn - Hamburg, Germany 2017
Subito - Breast, France 2017
Sintra Potugal - 2014, 2016
Wurzburg - Wurzburg, Germany 2011, 2012, 2013
Die Gorillas - Berlin, Germany 2009, 2014
Improvention - Canberra, Australia 2005-2013, 2017
Theatre credits:
Much Ado About Nothing
Henry IV, Part 1
The Complete Works of William Shakespeare
Angel City
O’Saint Expedite
Swordplay
The Secret Life of Dr. Watson
Mutiny on the Bounty
They Come By Night
Puffballs
TV credits:
Neighbours
Stingers
Rough Cuts
Imagine That
Radio credit: Evenings with Derek Guille ABC 774
Impro motto or quote:
“The greatest skill of an improviser is their ability to inspire their partner's imagination." - Keith Johnstone
Impro mentor: Keith Johnstone
Favourite IM show: Gorilla theatre™
Comic inspirations: Lucille Ball, Carol Burnett, Vicki Lawrence, Lilly Tomlin, Madelin Kahn, Andrea Martin, Catherine O'Hara, Gilda Radner, Betty White, Jean Stapleton, Ruth Buzzi
My little secret
I do Larry Bridges vocal exercises in the car.
Awards
Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award Outstanding Production Theatre for TYA Winner 1993
Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award Outstanding Improvised Comedy Show Nominee 2000
Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award Outstanding Achievement Performance Nominee 1999
Elizabeth Sterling Haynes Award Outstanding Direction Fringe Production Nominee 1995
