La Ronde
mid-1990s-present · Chicago
Also known as The Lovers Format
A daisy-chain of two-person scenes — Player B carries into a new scene with C, then C with D, until the chain completes a circle back to A.
Known for
- Inspired by Arthur Schnitzler's 1897 play Reigen (La Ronde), via the 1950 Max Ophüls film adaptation.
- Brought into improv by Craig Cackowski at Frank Booth rehearsals (iO Chicago) in the mid-1990s.
- Miles Stroth named the exercise and popularized it as a class tool for teaching character and story structure.
- Every player plays the same character across two consecutive scenes; all scenes share a world.
- Works as a standalone show, a class exercise, an opening for a longer hybrid, or an element within a Harold.
Connected to
Forms
People
craig cackowskiMiles Stroth
Troupes
Schools & Theaters
Sources
Referenced by
Forms
Concepts