Ed Asner and Carol Sills Discuss Playwrights Theatre Club, Paul Sills, Viola Spolin and more

Director of Sills/Spolin Theater Works, Carol Sills, recently met with the legendary Ed Asner to talk about his time at the University of Chicago and Playwrights Theatre Club, where he worked with Paul Sills, Viola Spolin, Mike Nichols, Elaine May, David Shepherd, and many other important figures in American theater. You can see a condensed version of their conversation in the video below. We'll be sharing more of Ed's great stories next week. Many thanks to Ed for his warmth and generosity in sharing his memories with us, and to Liza Asner for her help arranging the shoot. We're deeply grateful to Carol Gray, who shot and edited the video, and to Lucas Gray for consulting. We hope you enjoy the first in our Sills/Spolin Theater Works Interview series! 

Sills/Spolin Theater Works Director Carol Sills sits down with legendary actor Ed Asner to discuss his early days at the University of Chicago and his time at Playwrights Theatre Club where he worked with Paul Sills, Viola Spolin, Mike Nichols, Elaine May, David Shepherd, and many others who influenced American theater, film, and television through their roles in Playwrights, Compass Players, The Second City, Story Theater, and beyond. Credits: Carol Gray, Editor Lucas Gray, Consultant Aretha Sills, Camera Person & Gibberish It is the responsibility of Sills/Spolin Theater Works to maintain the improvisational theater tradition of Paul Sills and Viola Spolin and to preserve and share their unique vision of American theater. To learn more about the history of improvisational theater in the U.S. and find out about upcoming workshops and events, visit: www.ViolaSpolin.org www.PaulSills.com www.facebook.com/SillsSpolin https://twitter.com/ViolaSpolin

Be sure to "like" the Facebook page for Sills/Spolin Theater Works to get news, and visit PaulSills.com for information about upcoming improvisational theater intensives at Paul Sills' Wisconsin Theater Game Center. Learn more about the life and work of Viola Spolin here.