Improv I – A Sense of Play

CLASS OVERVIEW

Improv I of our Truthful Acting Conservatory Program guides the actor to the fundamental element of PLAY - creating freedom and fun as they explore the life of the character and role.

• Late Teens & Adults - Must be 16 years or older to enroll
• Prerequisite: Completion of the Master Meisner Program
• Begins: TBD
• Class Length: 28 classes / Twice per week
• Class Days: TBD
• Class Times: TBD

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CLASS DETAILS

In this playful skill building course, will explore various forms of improvisation using specific games and exercises to help the student discover and utilize their own sense of play – to get on stage and perform without any preparation or planning — to simply “make it up as they go along.”

Throughout the course, we will lay out the key components of improvisation as well as dismantling and deconstructing the fears and thoughts that may often prevent us from being fully in the game. We will dispel myths and throw away the rules. We will learn to “do something, anything,” to make connections, recognize patterns, and to truly work joyfully without a net.

Play, in its truest sense, will be our beginning and our primary goal.

BREAKDOWN OF SEMESTER

Theory and Foundations: We will learn the core principles of improvisation and its foundational elements—games, group mind/expression, the role of the audience, use of space and physicality. We will also cover the main obstacle: approval/disapproval syndrome as well as other common problems.

Games: Improvisation is really focused playing. Through repeated use and exploration of game playing, we will discover the keys to improvisation are quite simple and that all we need to do is play a game!

Use of Space/Environment: Space is a dynamic playing partner if we allow ourselves to flow out of our heads and into the space! We will learn the three environments and how playing with them can help establish “where” and also give the player increased confidence that there is “something” to play/work within the space.

Physicality: We act with our whole bodies. Many of the games we play will have an emphasis on different aspects of using the body in our improvisations. From impediments to avatars to accents, we will explore the role of physicality in improvisation.

Point of Focus: We will learn the importance and role of focus in improvisation. Not in the sense that we are expending a great deal of energy to “focus,” but rather that we know WHAT to focus on and how to use point of focus to increase our ability to play freely.

Who/What/Where: This is the foundation for most improvisations. We will use these elements repeatedly so that they become fundamental to you in any improv, scene, or monologue.

Comedy/Drama: By playing with both comedic and dramatic forms, we will discover and come to fully understand what makes comedy funny, and what makes drama impactful. Hint: It’s not you—what a relief, huh?

HOMEWORK

There will be some light, extremely FUN homework in this class that you will be assigned to do on your own, but most of our work will be done in class!

SIX PILLARS OF ACTING