Del Close

Del Close (March 9, 1934 – March 4, 1999) was an actor, improviser, writer, and teacher. Considered one of the premier influences on modern improvisational theater, Close had a prolific career, appearing in a number of films and television shows. He was a co-author of the book Truth in Comedy, which outlines techniques now common to longform improvisational theatre and describes the overall structure of “Harold” which remains a common frame for longer improvisational scenes. His favorite framework for comedic storytelling was the structures of Wagner’s Ring Cycle.