[4] The Pivens were two of the founding members of the Playwrights Theatre Club (begun in 1953)[5] in Old Town, Chicago,[4] along with Paul Sills and David Shepard.

Playwrights featured such budding stars as Mike Nichols, Elaine May, Ed Asner, and Barbara Harris.

Based in the northern Chicago suburb Evanston, Illinois, the Workshop was founded with the goal of teaching acting through theater and improvisation games.

The technique was relatively new at the time, with Joyce and Byrne having been mentored by theater game theorist Viola Spolin, continuing the practice in their individual work as well as through the workshop.

[5] Initially Joyce taught and directed at the Piven Workshop until 2017, then later served as its Artistic Director Emeritus.

[7] After relocating to Los Angeles, California, she taught local theater intensives and courses, and she privately coached actors.