Improvisation as a Tool for Actor Training in Nigerian Theatre Schools: Methods and Effectiveness

This study evaluates the use of improvisation as a training methodology in Nigerian theatre schools, examining the methods employed by acting instructors and assessing the effectiveness of improvisational exercises in developing core performance competencies. Improvisation, the art of spontaneous unscripted performance, is widely regarded as a foundational skill for actors, fostering presence, listening, spontaneity, and creative risk-taking. The research investigates how improvisation is taught and assessed in Theatre Arts programmes at four Nigerian universities, including institutions in South West, South East, and North Central Nigeria. Data were gathered through classroom observation, interviews with acting instructors, and focus group discussions with students at various stages of their training. The study finds that while improvisation is included in most acting curricula, its integration is often informal and supplementary rather than central to the training philosophy. Students who receive structured improvisational training over sustained periods demonstrate greater performance confidence and adaptability. The research concludes that improvisation deserves more prominent curricular status in Nigerian theatre training. It recommends the development of a standardised improvisational training curriculum informed by leading international methodologies adapted to Nigerian cultural contexts. Keywords: improvisation, actor training, theatre education, Nigerian universities, performance skills.