"Improv Games 2025" is a full two-day event featuring presentations, discussions, practical workshops, and improvisation performances. The symposium will include lecturers, theatre creators, educators, and improvisation practitioners from Lithuania, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, and Croatia. The program explores the significance of applied improvisation in leadership, education, social work, therapy, and artistic creativity.
FIRST DAY
- Theoretical and practical sessions on forum theatre, improvisation in formal and non-formal education, boosting adult self-esteem through improvisation, and using improvisation in leadership.
- In the afternoon, three parallel practical workshops will take place.
- The evening will conclude with improvisation performances.
SECOND DAY
- Speakers will examine the impact of improvisation on youth resilience, development of rhetorical skills, creation of stage texts, and directing methods.
- After lunch, there will be three more practical workshops focusing on improvisation and theatre therapy.
- The evening will end with final performances and a closing ceremony.
The event will be conducted in English without translation. The program is designed for both performing arts professionals and practitioners from education, therapy, or community work fields.
THIRD DAY
- Anyone who purchases tickets for both the first and second days will automatically receive an invitation to the third day’s informal improvisation practice events in Bernardine Garden
- Participants will be invited to an open improvisation picnic with games, discussions, and creative outdoor workshops.
SYMPOSIUM PROGRAMME
MAY 30, FRIDAY
9:30–10:00 – Opening: Registration and Networking
10:00–10:30 – Warm-up, facilitator Leonarda Sep (Croatia)
Presentations
10:30–10:50 – “Forum Theatre and Improvisation”, Angela El-Zeind (United Kingdom)
10:50–11:10 – “Formal and Non-formal Education as a Tool for Breaking Barriers: Is There Evidence of Social Change and Inclusion?”, Raimonda Agnė Medeišienė (Lithuania)
11:10–11:20 – Break
Discussions
11:20–11:40 – “Changes in Adult Self-esteem through the Use of Improvisation in Dramatherapy”, Eglė Kordiukovaitė (Lithuania)
11:40–12:00 – “Leadership Here and Now: What Does Improvisation Teach Us About True Leadership”, Adda van Zanden (Netherlands)
12:00–12:15 – Open Discussion, moderated by Vytautas Kontrimas (Lithuania)
12:15–12:30 – Information about workshops, evening performances, and upcoming events
12:30–13:30 – Lunch Break (self-organised)
Practical Workshops (simultaneous sessions, registration required)
13:30–16:30:
- “How to Be Uncomfortable”, Leonarda Sep (Croatia)
- “Leadership Through Impact and Integrity”, Adda van Zanden (Netherlands)
- “Exploring Different Perspectives”, Deividas Borodulinas (Lithuania)
16:30–18:30 – Free Time or Improvisational Tour
Improvisation Performances
18:30–21:45 – VU Kinetic Theatre, applied theatre troupe 4Rooms, impro 241, Improv Jam
MAY 31, SATURDAY
9:30–10:00 – Registration and Networking
10:00–10:30 – Warm-up, facilitator Leonarda Sep (Croatia)
Presentations
10:30–10:35 – Information about the festival and registration
10:35–10:55 – “From Play to Power: How Improvisation Strengthens the Resilience of Vulnerable Youth”, Gintautas Katulis (Lithuania)
10:55–11:15 – “The Impact of Improvisation on Youth”, Leonarda Sep (Croatia)
11:15–11:35 – “Developing Rhetorical Skills in Improvisational Theatre”, Vytautas Kontrimas (Lithuania)
11:35–11:45 – Break
11:45–11:55 – “Application of the Improvisation Method in Dramaturgy on the Lithuanian National Theatre Stage”, Laurynas Jurgelis (Lithuania, recording)
11:55–12:00 – Information about the day’s programme
12:00–12:30 – “Clowning and Directing: How Much and How Do We Improvise”, Žilvinas Beniušis (Lithuania)
12:30–14:00 – Lunch Break (self-organised)
Practical Workshops (simultaneous sessions, registration required)
14:00–16:30:
- “Overcoming Inner Polarization”, Povilas Plūkas (Lithuania)
- “Forum Theatre and Improvisation with Communities”, Angela El-Zeind (United Kingdom)
- “Theatre Therapy”, Eglė Kordiukovaitė (Lithuania)
16:30–18:30 – Free Time
Improvisation Performances
18:30–21:45 – NErepetavę, Empty Heads, VU Impro Studio, Improv Jam, closing ceremony
JUNE 1, SUNDAY
10:00–10:30 – Open Improvisation Session Outdoors
10:30–13:00 – “Improvisation Picnic”: games, discussions, experimental formats. Led by Angela El-Zeind (United Kingdom) and Vytautas Kontrimas (Lithuania)