Some More of Chicago's Innovations-- Part 4: Improvisational Theater and Mimeograph Machine

#8. IMPROVISATIONAL THEATER: Chicago-born Viola Spolin developed what she called theater games. Her son, Paul Sills started Compass Players, the nation's first improvisational theater troupe and forerunner of today's Second City. // Chicago became a hotbed for improv acting and comedy and a magnet for talent. Lots of really funny Second City alums. //// #7. A.B. DICK MIMEOGRAPH MACHINE: Thomas Edison invented the stencil duplicator, a device that enabled a person to print a number of copies of a document. // Chicago's A.B. Dick is responsible for popularizing the mimeograph machine in the pre-Xerox era. In schools, many, many, many tests and study guides were run off on these, with theirspecific look, feel, SMELL and occasional stain. // (I sure ruined the occasional shirt and tie on these when I taught in the 70s to early 80s. And then, there was that smell, especially when fresh run, but continuing in diminished form for years. //// I Can Smell It All Now. --Cooter