Worlds from Thin Air: An Intro to Speculative Improv

Creating stories can be challenging, and it might seem even more challenging to go beyond the page when you are writing in real time on the stage. How do people do this in improvised theater?

Drawing inspiration from the ‘What If?’ nature of speculative fiction (like Ted Chiang’s Exhalation), we’ll explore how simple questions can build extraordinary worlds. Come learn how to take a single idea and, through collaboration, see where the logic of that world takes you. In this workshop, come to learn and build on basics of improv theater with a focus on the collaborative, creative experience. All are welcome!

About the Presenter: Child’s Play Improv is a troupe whose home is at Princeton University. The student-run troupe  provides a place where people can learn to enjoy and improve their skills at improv, and make this craft more accessible to others. We host workshops a few times each winter and fall at many venues, and host university shows four times a year. To keep up with us and our workshops, you can find us on Instagram @childsplayimprovofficial.

This event is part of our 2026 Beyond the Page – an initiative designed to broaden our imaginations and understanding of our world, our neighbors, and ourselves through the joy of sharing a good book.  The featured book Exhalation contains nine stunningly original, provocative, and poignant stories, where author Ted Chiang tackles some of humanity’s oldest questions, along with new quandaries only he could imagine. Please visit PenningtonLibrary.org/2026BeyondThePage for a full calendar of events and more information.