The Human Right to Laugh

Intro to Improv will focus on providing the performer with the tools necessary to make confident and instant decisions for any type of performance. We will focus on how you process the “offer” from your fellow actors and be inspired to make a confident and fun choice that sets the scene up for success. You will walk away from the workshop with the tools necessary to instantly build a moment grounded in emotion, physicality and voice.        

Intro to long-form Improv focuses on the building blocks of scenework that will eventually be used for long-forms like the Harold, Armando, Living Room, etc. This intro workshop puts emphasis on providing the performer with the tools necessary to make confident and instant choices that will benefit them in long-form performances as well as short-form and other styles of improvisation. 

We are constantly bombarded with thoughts on what these mean. Some people feel that Emotions are key...some feel that Relationships is the way...and others feel that it's all about the game. This workshop will show you how are three are talking about the same thing but just from different perspectives.

Does every other police scene need to be about a hold-up or a donut shop? Does every other dating scene have to be about a break-up? Does every other Parent/Child scene need to be about sneaking in the house? Let's re-examine some of our old-standbys and shake them up to give them fresh new perspectives. 

Let's go shopping and add some new edits to your repertoire. This class will consist of casual window browsing of over a dozen different edits. We will start with simple techniques and slowly build to more theatrical and aesthetically complicated editing techniques. We'll practice them, talk about them and if you like them, you can take them home! 

Every laugh is a spontaneous agreement between an entire room of people. It’s in that moment of laughter that people can let their guard down and connect to a new perspective. This workshop focuses on why something is funny and how we can best take advantage of those moments to inspire the scene, the next scene, and the rest of the show. 

A movement-centric class focused on creating visual movement based stories accompanied by music. Students will learn how to explore the emotional and comedic spectrum using only their bodies. This class is great for either those who are trying to improve their physical play or those who get caught in their head with the sometimes verbal play of scenework.

This workshop focuses on a line-by-line deconstruction of your scenes to see what works and what doesn’t. We will focus on making strong verbal, non-verbal and physical offers and then on how to properly build off of that idea together.  

Fall in love with your scene partner and their characters. This workshop will focus on scenes that don't require you to invent but instead discover the subtle choices that your scene partner makes and then fall in love with those choices unconditionally, flaws and all. From within these simple choices and blind love will emerge the comedy that comes with real relationships.

Every object in the Universe has an affect on every other object in the Universe. The mere fact that you share the stage with someone else gives you a relationship. Your relationship is affected by your distance from each other, how you move relative to each other and each individual's perception of time (Yes, sometimes two characters can be functioning on two different scales of time in the same scene). We will explore the multiple dimensions that make up a scene.

Ready to take on the ultimate challenge in improvisation? This workshop focuses on the art and skill of solo improvisation. We will explore different solo forms that will help you lean into your ideas and express your voice as a solo artist without panicking because no one else is around to help you. With enough time, students will explore how to develop their own solo improv form.

This workshop review tools and skills needed to build single-world storylines over one scene or several. We will look at how to build a world that not only grounds the story but also provides opportunity for exploration via interesting characters and narrative specific transitions. Students will step away with the tools to create their own narrative short-form games or long-form shows.

A diagnostic look at how to be an effective improv director and coach. We will look at how to successfully implement a vision for a short-term show, a long-term ensemble, a veteran team or a group of new improvisers by breaking down every aspect of the directing process from auditions to rehearsals to notes. Every student will step away with ready-to-implement tools that they can put into use immediately.

We're all looking for "the show". The one that speaks to our comic sensibilities, challenges us to be better performers and always leaves us feeling good when we walk off the stage. The most important step in finding that show is allowing yourself to take that first creative step by yourself or with a collaborator. In this workshop we will focus on brainstorming ideas, committing to a concept and then guiding the show towards performance.

Learn the signature format of the Big Bang ensemble that explores stories that are happening now, could happen later, and simultaneously happening elsewhere. This workshop will focus on the free-form format that creates form where there wasn’t one before by exploring content, revisiting ideas and then organically closing the show by learning the signature pivots, parallel moves and portals that makes every Big Bang show unique.

A look at the long-form classic format out of Chicago known as the Harold. You will learn the basic structure and philosophy of the form; ways to execute each beat; and clear steps to help you better perform this iconic piece of improvised theater. You will walk away with working examples of group games and tools to develop the pattern and content recognition that will be useful as you continue to perform Harold.

A review of classic short-form games that you can use with your team. Different types of games will be discussed including guessing, audience based, musical, physical, verbal, medium-form and more. Drilling of the fundamentals of each game and appreciation of the origins of each will be stressed throughout the course. In addition, there will be time devoted to how to create a proper set-list that balances out the needs of the cast and the audience while maximizing the fun!

This workshop explores the makings of the unique style of Big Bang free-form improvisation. This mindset is built on the concept of "follow the funny" and proposes that every single moment, beat, line and movement in a show can be deconstructed and used to lead you to the next scene. During this exploration and deconstruction of content, a language and pattern are established that help define form where previously there was no form. 

This Workshop is a sampling of multiple forms including the Harold, Armando, Living Room, La Ronde, Close Quarters, Deconstruction, JTS Brown, Typewriter and others. This class will focus on how each of these forms are different from each other, how they borrow from each other, and how you can use each one to create your own unique long-form show.

The workshop focuses on a modified Harold format to help create an improvised television show to your audience. Through a series of exercises, the cast learns how to present Sitcom-esque scenarios and characters and even how to improvise commercials and an opening jingle! First developed in Chicago in the early 90’s by Dan Goldstein, Sitcom came to Boston in 1998 and is now taught around the world by Will Luera.

This workshop focuses on the very unique set of muscles to create narrative and plot driven improvisation. In breaks down a story into narrative beats that create very identifiable milestones for the ensemble to hit. With these simple rules, any ensemble can improvise a genre-driven narrative, an improvised one-act or a fully improvised play.

A workshop that focuses on the unique movie style format of Blue Screen. Learn how to translate movie edits and terminology to the improv stage so that you can put on your own unique improvised movie. The workshop will look at how to execute various different camera shots, genres and special effects using only the tools of improvisation. The class is modeled after the successful show, “Blue Screen” which has run three times as a showcase at ImprovBoston and at festivals including the Del Close M

Create an all-immersive world that has its own history, physics and momentum. Focus on the skills that will set your ensemble up to perform a serial show that can take place anywhere in this world at any time. The techniques of Quest will be used to create a medieval fantasy world but can also be applied to any other type of world you’ll like which will then provide hours, days and months of entertainment for your actors and your audience.

We are surrounded by Alternate Universes. They exist alongside us never to be seen or explored. In parallels we explore those alternate universes to see which way something might have gone if we said or did something a little different.

An introduction to basic sketch writing processes and premises. Students will be introduced to exercises and workflows to help with brainstorming on a topic, pitching ideas, writing a first draft, working with a collaborator and delivering a final draft. The goal is to help the student turn whatever nugget of an idea into a sketch that can be anywhere between 10 seconds to 5 minutes long.

A great workshop for improvisers that are interested in getting into sketch. The class will run through a series of exercises that use improvisation as a way to explore a theme and generate ideas. The content that is created will then be captured on paper and worked on as a group in an effort to deliver first drafts.

We all have a story to tell. In this workshop, we will work on finding our interesting story and molding it into something that is performance ready. We will work on finding the compelling parts of your story and fine-tuning it with a story arc, specificity and presentation. Depending on the goals of your group, we can focus on sharing true-stories or creating original stories.

This unique workshop combines aspects of improvisation, storytelling, and writing focuses on creating connections between people. Using a variety of different exercises, students will create content and stimulate conversations that will help better understand each other.

 The ongoing search for the universal joke For the last 17 years, I have travelled around the world teaching and performing improvisation and have been lucky enough to do tours in North America, South America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East. What started as a travel bug morphed to a genuine curiosity about whether there is a scene or joke that can transcend culture and resonate with audiences from all over the world.  

This lecture style class will be useful to improv directors and actors alike. Have you wondered what exactly you should be looking for when putting together an improv cast? Or why you haven't been cast yet? This class is for you. This look will take a hard look at the intangibles; The invisible aspects of casting to consider as an actor and director that goes beyond what happens on stage and that is on a resume.