Workshop Registration is now open.
Workshops can be purchased via Prostores or with a VISA/MC by
calling the iO West office (323) 962-7560 (Noon-6pm/Mon-Sat.)
WORKSHOPS ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.
Main Stage
| 6/5 Sun | 6/6 Mon | 6/7 Tue |
6/8 Wed | 6/9 Thu |
6/10 Fri |
6/11 Sat |
6/12 Sun |
10 AM |
| 10 AM |
10 AM 2 PM |
10 AM |
Del Close Theater
| 6/5 Sun | 6/6 Mon | 6/7 Tue |
6/8 Wed | 6/9 Thu |
6/10 Fri |
6/11 Sat |
6/12 Sun |
10 AM |
10 AM |
10 AM 2 PM |
10 AM 6 PM |
The Loft
| 6/5 Sun | 6/6 Mon | 6/7 Tue |
6/8 Wed | 6/9 Thu |
6/10 Fri |
6/11 Sat |
6/12 Sun |
10 AM |
|
|
|
10 AM |
10 AM |
10 AM |
Sunday, June 5th 2011
Main Stage
10 AM - Ben Bromfield - FROM SCENE TO SONG
$26.50
Answering the age-old musical improv questions: When do I sing? Why do I sing? What do I sing about? We'll talk about standard improv song forms and how they can be used in any scene to enhance a show.
In 2010, Ben graduated summa cum-laude from Berklee College of Music with a major in dramatic scoring and a minor in cracking wise. Now, as a music director at The Second City, he gets to do both--what a deal! Before his move to the west coast, Ben performed at various New England venues including ImprovBoston and The Providence Improv Festival. Ben is currently teaching musical improv classes and performing regularly at The Second City Hollywood.
12 PM - Bob Dassie - Longform Improvisation
$26.50 SOLD OUT
This workshop will focus on the pursuit of longform improvisation and what our intent is when we hit the stage.
Bob has been performing improv for years in a variety of forms. He has been involved with a several groups including the musical Baby Wants Candy, The Armando Show and WeirDass and can currently be seen in Dasariski and at the iO West every Thursday night in Quartet.
2 PM - Pat Finn - Advanced Environment and Scene Work
$26.50
This advanced workshop is for level 6 and alumni students who want to sharpen their game with one of the best there is. Pat's workshop will encompass the physicality of a scene, character development, and breaking down the idea of scene building.
Pat Finn grew up in Wilmette, Illinois and is one of six children. He attended high school at Loyola Academy in Wilmette and graduated from Marquette University in Milwaukee, Wisconsin in 1987. After graduation, he moved to Chicago where he worked as a beer salesman until joining the Second City National Touring Company. During this time, he was also studying and performing improvisation with Del Close and Charna Halpern at the IO (formally ImprovOlympic) in Chicago. After writing and performing in two Second City resident shows, Pat landed the part of George Wendt's younger brother in "The George Wendt Show" and moved to Los Angeles. Pat has had re-occuring television roles on "Murphy Brown," "Third Rock From the Sun", "My Boys", "Unhitched" and "Ed". His other television credits include "Friends", "Seinfeld", "The Drew Cary Show", "That 70's Show", "According to Jim", "Bernie Mac" and "Las Vegas" just to name a few. He can also be seen in the feature films "I Love You Beth Cooper", "Dude, Where's My Car", "The Bachelor", "Space Buddies", "How High", "Unconditional Love" and "Funky Monkey" as well as several independent films. Pat has also enjoyed commercial success with campaigns for "Bell South", "Toyota", "Healthy Choice", "Got Milk?", "Sony Playstation", "DiGiorno Pizza", "Holiday Inn", "H&R Block" and dozens of others.
Pat continues to perform improv frequently at the IO West in Los Angeles. His critically acclaimed ensemble show, "BeerSharkMice" was voted Improv Group of the Year at the Chicago Improv Festival. He currently lives in Los Angeles with his wife and three children.
4 PM - Shulie Cowen & George Caleodis - Music Improv
$26.50 SOLD OUT
Shulie Cowen (director of Opening Night: The Improvised Musical!) and George Caleodis will teach a beginning music improv workshop. The class will be a fun opportunity to play with music in your improv, with a focus on song structure, rhyming, and how you can use music to enhance your work.
SHULIE COWEN has taught improv to kids, senior citizens, and everyone in between. She is a graduate of Northwestern University, a former member of The Second City National Touring Company, and a member of the original cast of the long running musical Schoolhouse Rock Live!. Shulie studied improv in Chicago at The Second City Training Center, The Annoyance Theatre and at Improv Olympic with Del Close. Shulie currently directs and performs in Opening Night: The Improvised Musical! every Friday at IO West. Movie and television credits include Curb Your Enthusiasm, Factory, You Don't Mess With The Zohan, How I Met Your Mother, and Reno 911!.
George Pete Caleodis was born and raised in Steubenville, Ohio, and attended The Ohio State University, earning a Master of Science degree in Mathematics. This document now hangs neatly on his wall, requiring dusting only once per month. George is a main-stage alum of The (short-lived) Second City, Cleveland, where he also served as Conservatory instructor. He currently writes and performs with Big News, The Main Stage Sketch Show, and directs iO West's "POP" company. In addition to teaching, coaching, and performing improv and sketch comedy, George has spent much of the last 15 years as a radio DJ and stand-up comic - opening for the likes of Kathleen Madigan, Frank Caliendo, and The Righteous Brothers. His past corporate improv workshop clients include Nationwide Insurance, Victoria's Secret, and Columbus State Community College. He currently is the IO West musical director and also music directs for Second City.
Del Close Theater
10 AM - Brian O'Connell - The Art of Mimicry and How It Leads To Nuclear War
$26.50
The Number One hurdle to becoming a better and more interesting improviser is the necessity of another person to run scenes. This workshop relieves you of that burden. In this workshop, Brian O'Connell gives you a mathematically based way to run "drills" and form a "workout regimen" in regards to your long form improvisation. You will learn the 10 Questions To Every Scene, The 4 Basic Scene Types, Instant Character Composition, The 3 Points of Character Work, and, of course, Nuclear War. You can go to the gym and work out alone to make yourself a better, stronger basketball player. The Art Of Mimicry and How It Leads To Nuclear War gives you the tools to make you a better, stronger improviser. All from the comfort of your own home.
Brian O'Connell is a regular performer and coach at the iOWest Theater in Los Angeles. An acolyte of Miles Stroth (Del Close's "War Chief") and often referred to as "Miles Jr.," Brian derives most of his approach to improv from The Deconstruction, the form created by iO's legendary team, The Family. With his internationally touring improv duo Billyhawk Brian has performed in festivals in Denver, Phoenix, Toronto, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Chapel Hill, NC. Well-respected as one of Los Angeles's premier improvisers, Brian is famous for his encyclopedic knowledge of minutiae and his insane recall ability/memory (as a coach, he has never written down a single note - ever).
*Limit of 15 people.
12 PM - Ryan Gowland - Scenework and Characters PWNED
$26.50
In this workshop Ryan will work with you to milk every drop of every line of every scene, and work with you to help you create characters so strong, they practically do the scene work for you. Through listening, call backs, and game play Ryan will help you make the most of every moment.g
Ryan Gowland began his improv and sketech comedy career with the Award winning, San Francisco based sketch group Old Man Mcginty. He then moved to Chicago were he studied at iO Chicago, where he performed with house team OTIS, and the Annoyance Theater. Ryan then moved to Amsterdam to work for BOOM Chicago, and sailed across three oceans with the Second City. He can currently be seen at iO West in Local 132, God Squad, and with Mahogany.
2 PM - Dave Hill - Just the Facts: Advanced Scenework Fundamentals
$26.50
Do you find yourself losing track of what's important or truthful about the scenes you're in? Do you feel like you are constantly reinventing your scenes instead of following where they lead? "Just the Facts" focuses on the fundamental information of the scene and gives you the tools to both recognize and build on that information in order to create organic and solid scenes. Come check it out!
Dave Hill is an improviser, actor and writer living in LA. He was trained and performed in Chicago with the iO Chicago, Second City and Annoyance theaters. He performs at the iO West with King Ten, the iO Repertory, Hill Jones and the Armando Show. He has taught at the iO West for several years as well as at the Village Theater in Atlanta and the Phoenix Improv Fest just to name a few other stops along the way.
4 PM - Levin O'Connor & Annie Kouris Hoff - Improvise Naked
$26.50
You look uncomfortable. Let's get you out of all those itchy improv rules and into something less confining. Oh wow, you have a really beautiful body. You should really think about maybe wearing... nothing at all... Find yourself on the sides stuck in your head? Know you need to edit and start a scene but you don't know what to do? Find yourself struggling to be on the same page with your scene partner? In two hours we will help you to put the playfulness, spontaneity, fearlessness and inspiration back into you work. No matter what form you are doing or your experience level this workshop will help you. Set yourself free and play like a hippie in a field! www.nowimprov.com
Annie Kouris Hoff & Levin O'Connor
Annie and Levin met in 2005 as cast members of the iO West house team The Jungle and quickly recognized in each other a deep passion for improv. They spent the next five years performing together in a variety of shows, teaching classes, workshops and challenging each other to grow as performers, teachers, coaches.
Annie Kouris Hoff has been performing improv since 1997. She helped found the children's improv touring group, Smarty Pants Theater Company and has been a part of many long and short form teams over the years. Annie trained with iO West and these days you can see her performing with the house Harold team, USS Rock N Roll as well in the show Singles Bar. Annie coaches several teams at iO West, as well as helps coach the student program, The Lottery. She also teaches Level 5 - Edits, Transitions and Tempo at Mi's Westside Comedy Theater. Annie gets totally jazzed off about improv. And yes, that is how she talks.
Levin began his improv career in Chicago studying at iO (Formerly ImprovOlympic) and The Second City. He has been fortunate enough to learn from some of the great minds in this craft and works hard to pass that along. Improv is more than a means to an end for Levin, it is a life philosophy. This Del Close Award winning Coaching of the Year has lived in LA for the past four years and performs weekly at iO West with USS Rock N Roll and The iO Repertory Company.
The Loft
10 AM - Kind Strangers (Jessica Young) - Genreprov
$26.50
Genreprov - melding the world of improv with your favorite theatrical style. In this workshop, you will learn the basics of genreprov, a term coined by the Kind Strangers, that will help you get your genre on its feet to be a fully improvised show. Within two hours, you will get the fundamental exercises and scene work to give you the confidence to try your very own genreprov show. Whether you are a beginner or seasoned improviser, this workshop will get your creativity flowing and also give you ideas of how to add characters to your regular improv shows as well.
Jessica Young has been performing and coaching at I.O. West since 2003 and is an actor, improviser and stand up comedian. A Theatre Major at the University of Alabama, Jessica received a classical theatrical training which provided a great backbone for genreprov. For the last 10 years Jessica has worked with the California Police as an improviser playing victims and suspects teaching them a thing or two about how to interview as opposed to interrogate people. You can see her every other Friday in Kind Strangers, I.O.'s resident genreprov group. Best known for Improvised Tennessee Williams, Kind Strangers have traveled to Improv Festivals all over the country. They regularly rotate genres including Improvised Law and Order, Medical Drama, Western, and Charles Dickens. Jessica also performs with her Harold Team The Cartel on Tuesdays at 9pm. Known for very specific details within her scenework, Jessica will make you take your knowledge to a whole level by using that to develop your characters.
12 PM - Ed Lee - The ABC's of the Half Hour Television Comedy Script
$26.50
Ed Lee teaches the basics of sitcom writing, showing students where to begin when writing a pilot or spec script that will get the attention of industry professionals.
ED LEE has worked in television for over 15 years. He has worked on such shows as Muppets Tonight, Home Improvement, Norm, The Drew Carey Show, and Class of 3000, and GI Joe: Renegades and served as a writer on the latter three shows. In addition, Ed has written several pilot scripts and screenplays on spec. His teaching experience includes lecturing at Gettysburg College and Wesleyan University, and he currently teaches the Comedy Writers' Room class at iO West. Ed will be a Screenwriting Fellow at the American Film Institute Conservatory in the coming fall.
2 PM - Heath Corson - ALWAYS TAKE THE WATER: PITCHING IN HOLLYWOOD
$26.50
Congrats! You've come up with the next great blockbuster movie or hit television show. Now comes the hard part: Pitching it around town. But just what the hell should a pitch entail? How do I get a pitch with someone? How do I know who the right people to take my project to are? Is this my ONLY chance? What if I blow it in the room? What if they don't like it? If I wrote the script do I still have to pitch the idea? Do I need to explain every character? How much detail should I go into? Do I have to memorize the entire thing? If I'm working with a partner who is shy should I do all the talking? Should I leave behind a copy of my treatment? Do I have to do that cheesy "it's this meets that" thing?
AND...Why you should ALWAYS take the water when offered.
In this workshop, we'll cover all of this and much much more. Learn how to clarify and communicate your idea in an clear insightful manner for buyers. We'll discuss what makes a solid pitch, what to expect from the meeting, and how it'll go. We will get inside the mind of the executive and learn how to read the room.
Bring your ideas, people, because all willing participants will get the opportunity to workshop their "elevator pitch." This dynamic workshop will demystify the pitch process for writers, producers, and anyone with a concept that they're looking to sell to Hollywood.
Heath Corson is a writer/producer from Chicago. Most recently, Heath co-created, co-wrote and executive produced the soon-to-be released digital series "Aim High" for Warner Brothers and Wonderland Sound and Vision. This past year, Heath co-authored a feature for Warner Brothers, developed a series for Disney XD and a pilot for Cartoon Network, as well as wrote and executive produced the twisted holiday web series "Elfed Up" for Koldcast.com. Heath holds a BA in Literature and a minor in Jewish Studies from Northwestern University, and is open to suggestions on how to best use either.
4 PM - Seth Weitberg - OBJECT WORK AND ENVIRONMENT
$26.50
In this workshop iO teacher and performer Seth Weitberg will work with you to bring more authenticity to your object work. Exercises will teach you how to use your object work to express your emotional state, make discoveries about your characters as well as give gifts to your scene partner, and create more three-dimensional work on stage. You will learn ways to improve your object work outside of rehearsals and stage time, and get a chance to focus on common trouble spots for improvisers. Whether you feel a complete deficit in this skill set or you just want to polish the abilities you have, this workshop will take you through a range of important exercises as well as give you a huge dose of personal feedback so that you feel more confident on stage. Weitberg will break down the idea of weight and dimension, the physical extensions of character perspective and explain the difference and effect of realism versus indication.
Seth Weitberg performed for three years with The Second City Touring Company and has been seen at iO Chicago in The Armando Diaz, Bullet Lounge, Family Tree House Boat Accident and Gravid Water, with the two-man powerhouse Nogoodnicks and he was the creator and co-host of The Late Night Late Show. He has written and performed three one-man shows, the john doe project, a 2004 Single File Festival selection, America Gives Itself A Hero's Welcome, and Without Intermission, as well as the production, A Moment Alone, a collection of monologues, slam poetry and 60s-era soul ballads, which he also directed. He has performed at the Chicago Sketchfest with Family Freud and Hooray For Fun, as well as in the premiere casts of The Second City's Barack Stars and Jewsical The Musical. He has written four original revues for Second City Theatricals in Boston, Cincinnati and two in Atlanta. Weitberg's writing is published regularly by McSweeney's Internet Tendency, The Chicago Tribune and TimeOut Chicago, and every single day at TheWeekinRebuke.com and TheWeekinDubuque.com. He was the creator of the improvised podcast, The Chicago Sessions, and he is the author of the current Level 1 curriculum for iO Chicago.
Monday, June 6th 2011
Main Stage
12 PM - Jason Horton - Taking Comedy to a Bigger Stage: The Internet
$26.50
Ever have awesome sketch idea but don't know how to make it an awesome video? Ever have an awesome video, but don't know how to get it the audience it deserves? The Internet is the Wild West, and you need some guns, a horse, map, and screw it, even more guns. In this workshop we will talk about tools you can utilize to get your video seen, and even perhaps make your hard work financially lucrative. We will also cover ways to take your ideas and make an awesome internet video. Have trouble coming up with ideas for online content? We'll cover that too. Your online presence can even be that leverage you need for your career.
Also featuring special guest Michael Gallagher, creator/director of Totally Sketch, which has over 160 million viewed videos on it's channel.
Jason Horton is an actor, improviser and sketch comedian living in Los Angeles. He is a member of the iO West Harold Team Waterloo and coaches iO's "The Lottery". He has been in well over 100 million viewed videos on YouTube alone, and written well over 50 million viewed videos. Jason has written original content for UCBComedy.com, and a screenplay that is in development. He writes and co-hosts Rogue Pictures "Tube Top" web show, and wrote and produced commercials Sony, and writes and develops content for many corporations, as well for successful online comedians and personalities. http://www.thejasonhorton.com
2 PM - Mike Coen - Stop Leaving Your Good Scene Behind
$26.50
This workshop will focus on the first moments of scenes that get left behind. So often in our scene work we move from subject to subject, new bit to new bit, that in the end when we're edited we have so much that we don't know what to bring back and heighten. So, in this workshop we will focus on what the players are giving to each other so we may play, investigate, and heighten that. What I believe this does is create grounded, full scenes that keep us from going to crazytown.
Mike Coen grew up in Boston and, after attending The University of Massachusetts, Boston and majoring in Political Science, he knew that a life in acting was right for him. Mike can be seen at IO West with Trophy Wife, Cog, Tiny Hostages Perform The Improvised Movie, and quite often with The Armando Diaz show. Mike has also performed at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theater and performed in many improv festivals across the country.
In 2002, Mike, along with James Grace, founded The Los Angeles Improv Comedy Festival. This yearly event brings out the best Improv performers from all over the country to perform in the weeklong festival. It's a wicked good time. You may have seen Mike on Comedy Central's CrossBalls or in a few commercials. It's entirely possible you may not have seen him; if you want, he'll tell you about them all--he's personable like that.
4 PM - Melinda Hill - Tiger Lily Comedy Workshop
$26.50
In this workshop you will learn about writing a 5 minute stand up set, story or other comedic project. You will make a list of goals and an action plan to accomplish those goals while developing your comedy in a supportive group.
Learn the tricks of the trade from Melinda Hill, a comedian whose stand up has been featured on Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson, Bonnie Hunt Show, BBC's World Stands Up, NESN's Comedy All Stars, Comics Unleashed, and most recently when she hosted Byron Allens series Comedy.TB. She's also guest starred on several comedic TB shows including Reno 911, Sarah Silverman Program, Nick Swardson's Pretend Time, Important Things with Demetri Martin, Frank TV and Glory Daze and in the upcoming Bill Maher film Bright Day. Melinda has done stand up all over the world, most recently performing her 4th one-woman show "Marriage Material" in Maui and Honolulu. Both of the live shows that she cofounded, What's Up Tiger Lily and Storytime at The Strange, have been recommeded comedy picks in LA Weekly. She has two comedy DCs available on iTunes called "The Accidental Bisexual" and "Power Hot Tubbing."
Del Close Theater
12 PM - Jean Villepique - MOVE IT
$26.50
This workshop is designed to engage your body in the scene, so you don't end up standing with your hands on your hips with nothing to say. So you don't cross your arms and get stuck like that. So you don't clap everyone on the shoulder every time you want to talk to them. I can't promise you a career in dance, but I can help you to make stronger choices. Please don't wear high heels to this workshop. But guys, slingbacks are optional.
Jean Villepique has a theater degree from Northwestern University and studied improvisation at the IO Chicago with Del Close. She has toured with and written/ performed five reviews for The Second City. She has teaches corporate workshops around the country and improvisation for The Second City, The Magnet Theater New York and taught at the Del Close Marathon last summer here in LA. She is a regular performer in the Armando Diaz show and in The Soundtrack at the UCBLA.
2 PM - Jason Horton - MORE NOW!
$26.50
Let's face it, sometimes your scenes need more, and they need it right now. This workshop will help take your average scene and REALLY help make it dynamic, and even more interesting. If you play a little more passively, this will take you out of your comfort zone. If you already play aggressively, this workshop will add to your repertoire. Crystal clear initiations, playing the the game of the scene, and taking the "pleases and thank you's" out of edits and tags will be the focus.
Jason Horton has been improvising for over 7 years, trained at both iO West and UCB, and has performed at iO West, UCB, UCB NY & Second City LA. He performs with the Harold team Waterloo, and coaches The Lottery at iO West, as well as many other teams from various theaters. He has been seen in over 100 million viewed videos on YouTube, and written over 50 million viewed videos. He also writes for Rogue Pictures, and well as other corporate content. http://www.thejasonhorton.com
4 PM - Bill Chott - Work Work Workshop
$26.50
Bill Chott (SNL, The Ringer) will put you through an "Improv Workout." He shares his "tricks" to great Scene Work, Space Work and Object Work. Learn how to be a better team member and sought-after improviser. This class will also address The Spirituality of Improv.
*Students attending this workshop will receive a $100 gift certificate for classes with Bill at The Improv Trick.*
Bill Chott has written and performed on The Dana Carvey Show and Saturday Night Live cartoons The Ambiguously Gay Duo and The X-Presidents with Stephen Colbert and Steve Carell. Kids know Bill as Mr. Laritate from Disney's Hit The Wizards of Waverly Place. Bill trained at The Second City, and worked with Tina Fey, Amy Poehler and Horatio Sanz, among many others. He was a big part of the founding of both The Upright Citizen's Brigade Theater and The Improv Olympic West. Bill teaches adults, children, corporations and donates his time and energy to important causes like Special Olympics. He is a founding member of Opening Night: The Improvised Musical, and performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival with Baby Wants Candy. He was in the very first Armando Show in Chicago and the first A.S.S.S.C.A.T. in New York. Bill's Improv Trick School teaches specific improv skills like Character Work, Space Work and Musical Improv as well as tricks to doing great scenework, connecting with an audience and working professionally. For more info about The Improv Trick, please visit www.theimprovtrick.com.
The Loft
12 PM - Lusty Horde - Making Chaos Work
$26.50
We've always been taught that to make improv work there are rules by which one must abide. True, but that doesn't mean things have to be boring. Eventually you're going to get sick of doing first-date scenes in wacky restaurants and you're going to want to shake things up. We're here to help you do that while keeping your scenes grounded and audience friendly. We are the Lusty Horde and this is our workshop - Making Chaos Work. Spanning four decades and thirteen dimensions of experience, every member of the Lusty Horde will help guide you through scenes and shows that seem to make no sense so you can bring order to the chaos, and bring intelligent humor to it all. Whether you're dealing with a scene partner that's gone to crazy town or, you long to bring the full power of your imagination to the stage, the combined might of the Horde will be on hand to guide you off the grid, outside the box, and return you home infused with skills to bring new flavor to your shows. So sayeth the Lusty Horde. So signeth up to the Lusty Horde's workshop.
Taught by: Tim Jennings, Thomas Middleditch, David Park and Andy Trask
2 PM - Mike McLendon - WHAT'S MY INITIATION?
$26.50
You're two and a half minutes into a scene and you have no idea what's going on. Your organic opening has inspired you with a great idea for a scene but you have no idea how to quickly and clearly convey this idea to your team . You've become so focused on "finding the game" that your scenes have flatlined emotionally. If any of these apply, it's time to re-examine your initiation. In this workshop you'll explore the concepts of agenda and POV in your scene work through exercises and side-coaching. Taught by Harold Team member Mike McLendon.
Mike McLendon is an actor, writer, and improvisor in Los Angeles, California. He has studied improv and sketch comedy at Second City, iO West, ComedySportz, Mission Improvable, and UCB. A veteran performer of stages across Los Angeles, Mike teaches improv at The Second City Conservatory in Hollywood and has toured with their resident boat company. You can catch him onstage weekly with the mainstage Harold Team, BANDIT.
4 PM - 3 Scene 
Circus - The Art of the 10 Minute Scene
$26.50
Less is more. In this workshop students will explore how to do more by doing less. All of the skills required for a longer two person scene are present in the ten minute scene; most important of these are patience and confidence. Students will progress from shorter scenes, 1 minute, all the way to ten minute scenes gaining the confidence to internally solve any problems that may arrive not with more energy and new information but with emotional reactions and (gasp!) acting.
This workshop will be lead by the cast of Three Scene Circus.
Tuesday, June 7th 2011
Main Stage
12 PM - Bridget Kloss - Ladies Only
$26.50
This workshop is for Ladies only! Tired of being a Mom, a wife or a girlfriend? Everytime you do a scene with another women, do you end up passively insulting each other? Then this workshop is for you! Stop being a stage victim and learn how find the strength and importance of the female voice. Learn how to play with other women, create multi- layered female characters and be a powerful improviser! Take back the night, or at least the Stage!
Bridget began performing with IO in Chicago in 1997, when she was asked to join the house team Missing Fersons. She later performed with Prefontaine for several years, and was in the shows Two Slow, Epic Prattle, and Ask Charna. In 2000 she joined the cast of The Second City National touring company, and in 2004, became a member of The Second City Mainstage cast in Las Vegas. She has taught and coached improv for over 5 years, with IO, Second City and independently around the country.
2 PM - Britt George - Audition Technique Workout
$26.50
This power-packed workshop covers the vital elements of audition technique. Students will explore audition and cold reading skills for TV and Film. Learning to confidently make hot playable choices connecting them more deeply with the material and ultimately leaving lasting impressions with the casters.
Britt George got his formal training from The New Actors Workshop in NYC. A perpetual student of process Britt's technique is highly effected by Lee Strasberg's Method and has been shaped from years of practical experience. He is an actor's actor with an openness and ease of sharing the stories from years of trying to make it and the innovative means of breaking thru with confidence. Britt has successfully launched his extensive knowledge and experience into Producing. He's currently in post-production on his fourth feature film title Rock Barnes: The Emperor in You and his hit web-series Burning Hollywood has been featured on Good Morning America and is now being developed into a feature film. Time spent behind the camera directing, producing and casting 100's of actors has led him to coaching and guiding others thru the process.
4 PM - USS Rock N Roll - Group Work
$26.50
In this two-hour workshop members of USS will share some tips on how to keep going and growing as an ensemble as well as put you to work on many of the practical elements of the Harold that define our work: Openings, transitions and group work. Get Rocked.
USS Rock N Roll performs the Harold, iO West Theater's signature long-form improv piece, in their own explosive and playful way. With every show, USS strives to explore themes, create grounded scene work, and simply have fun with each other and the audience. While a spirit of experimentation is often on display, creating fun, believable characters with emotional stakes that connect with each other takes priority over everything else.
Del Close Theater
12 PM - Seth Weitberg - HAROLD OPENING BOOTCAMP
$26.50
In this workshop, iO teacher and performer Seth Weitberg will break down the elements of the Harold opening and help you build them back up so you are setting up your Harolds for success and learning how the opening can define your entire show. By drilling a range of styles and openings approaches, you'll quickly see what bad habits stand in the way of productive starts and how to avoid the myriad of improv cliches that can make your work feel more obligatory than inspired. Whether you want to learn more about what makes a great opening tick, or you absolutely can't stand the suckers and want to understand how kick-ass they can be, come and join us for a two-hour openings intensive that will change how you play, watch and understand the start of your Harold.
Seth Weitberg performed for three years with The Second City Touring Company and has been seen at iO Chicago in The Armando Diaz, Bullet Lounge, Family Tree House Boat Accident and Gravid Water, with the two-man powerhouse Nogoodnicks and he was the creator and co-host of The Late Night Late Show. He has written and performed three one-man shows, the john doe project, a 2004 Single File Festival selection, America Gives Itself A Hero's Welcome, and Without Intermission, as well as the production, A Moment Alone, a collection of monologues, slam poetry and 60s-era soul ballads, which he also directed. He has performed at the Chicago Sketchfest with Family Freud and Hooray For Fun, as well as in the premiere casts of The Second City's Barack Stars and Jewsical The Musical. He has written four original revues for Second City Theatricals in Boston, Cincinnati and two in Atlanta. Weitberg's writing is published regularly by McSweeney's Internet Tendency, The Chicago Tribune and TimeOut Chicago, and every single day at TheWeekinRebuke.com and TheWeekinDubuque.com. He was the creator of the improvised podcast, The Chicago Sessions, and he is the author of the current Level 1 curriculum for iO Chicago.
2 PM - Tom Christensen - You Gotta Be Sincere
$26.50
Your audience is pretty clever. They know you're not actually a stuttering Parisian serial killer with a soft spot for kittens. So don't tell them that it's fake! Instead, delight your team and your audience by portraying real people with real reactions. Explore your emotional range and discover that sincere emotion drives unexpected ACTION! And really, when was the last time you surprised yourself?
Tom Christensen will perform during the festival with his Harold team Ripley, the improvised musical All Skate!, and his one-man improvised musical Border Control in the United States of Improv tournament. Tom has studied at iO West, UCB, and The Groundlings. He currently coaches the Harold team Maestro and Adult Handshake, and is a substitute teacher at AMDA. Tom runs The Improv Gym, a weekly drop-in workshop for all skill levels. www.Tom-Christensen.com
4 PM - Jessica Makinson - Improv for Commercial Acting/Auditioning
$26.50
Come learn how the rules of improv apply to the "real world" in a commercial audition situation. Listening and being present is the best way to give yourself an edge. You'll learn everything from commercial audition etiquette to what's expected of you and when it's okay to "riff". Come dressed for your category. This is an on camera workshop.
Jessica Makinson has appeared in over 35 national commercials. She has been a series regular in the improv based television shows Halfway Home, Joe Schmo 2 and Trigger Happy TV. You can hear her doing voice over on South Park and Mary Shelly's Frankenhole (Adult Swim). Jessica has been a student of improv since 1996. She is a proud alumna of I.O. West and since 2001 has performed with King Ten, Squadron and Brand X. She currently performs with the house team Powerhouse and in The Armando Show. You can also catch her in the sketch variety show "Ennis and Makinson are Indifferent Places".
The Loft
12 PM - Kevin Fleming - Find the Funny Faster
$26.50
Learn how to make your scene pop at the top. Stop wasting time trying to figure out what the hell your scene is about and get to the comedy quicker. This workshop will help you eliminate the confusion and flailing that can often happen during first few moments of the scene. We will focus on starting your scene in the middle - thus allowing you more opportunity to heighten the game and explore your character. We'll get rid of bad habits that undermine you and scene partner's initiations and we'll find ways to avoid plot as we limit exposition as gravitate towards the funny.
Kevin Fleming has being improvising for 15 years. He recently moved to Los Angeles from Chicago. In Chicago, he performed at the Second City, IO and Annoyance Theatres and was/is a member of Baby Wants Candy. Kevin is a founding member of Deep Schwa - IO Chicago's longest running Harold team. Also there, he co-created the show (and improv form) Shotgun. For two seasons Kevin co-created and co-stared in Sports Action Team - a improvised television show that aired on NBC affiliates across the country. In Los Angeles, Kevin performs at IO West with Spirit Cat and at the Second City with Mr. Johnson.
2 PM - Michelle Steffes - Making a Short Film
$26.50
Making a short film can be a great way to showcase your directing or acting skills, transform a sketch into a more permanent piece of art, or create a touchstone to build support for a feature film, but where many short films fail is in the original concept. This workshop will focus on the creative development of short film, from working out the idea to executing the script to making decisions in pre-production. Workshop participants are encouraged to watch the following short films (all of which can be found free online) before the workshop: A Ninja Pays Half My Rent, Tanghi Argentini, and Instead of Abracadabra.
Michelle Steffes was Director of Development at Universal's Larger than Life Productions, where she worked on the development of several films, including Seabiscuit and The Tale of Despereaux. She was later selected to take part in AFI's Directing Workshop for Women, where she wrote and directed the short film Driftwood. Since then, short films she directed or produced have won awards at festivals such as Sundance, Seattle, Savannah, Rhode Island, Vail, and LA Comedy Shorts. She was shortlisted for the 2009 Academy Awards for producing the short film Short Term 12, and her short film The Interview recently won the Grand Prize for Best Fiction at USA Film Festival, qualifying it for 2011 Academy Award consideration. Michelle has served as a screenwriting mentor for non-profits such as Cinestory, Act One, and WriteGirl. She can be seen at IO West performing with This is Your Pelican Conscience and new Harold team Turnstile.
4 PM - Cindy Caponera - Pick A Veteran Writer's Brain
$26.50
Cindy Caponera has been a professional television writer for 17 years. Come take advantage of her experience and insights on Improvisation as a writing tool, pitching sitcoms, writing sitcoms and sketches, and writing and producing shows. Bring a bottle water and all your burning questions!
Cindy Caponera started at the Second City Theater in Chicago where she performed in the National Touring Company, The E.T.C. and Main Stage. She has written on many television shows including: NBC's Saturday Night Live,Comedy Central's Exit 57, starring Stephen Colbert and Amy Sedaris, and Strangers with Candy (guest writer). ABC's Norm, starring Norm MacDonald and Laurie Metcalf, Fox's That 80's Show, CBS's A Minute with Stan Hooper, also starring Norm MacDonald. NBC's Thick and Thin and TBS's My Boys, Lifetime's Sherri starring Sherri Shepherd, and Shameless for Showtime, starring William H. Macy, Joan Cusack and Emmy Rossum. She has also developed comedies for HBO, FOX, Showtime, and CBS. Her television acting credits include, Sherri, Thick and Thin,Curb Your Enthusiasm, That 70's Show, SNL and Exit 57. She is also the author and performer of three highly acclaimed Solo Shows: Against the Grain, The Debutante Ball and Cookies & Booze. She performs regularly on the essay circuit, which also includes: Sit & Spin, Say The Word, Scratch It, and Word-a-Rama. And is editing her first collection of short stories, I Triggered Her Bully... and other examinations of an over-examined life.
Wednesday, June 8th 2011
Main Stage
12 PM - Dave Razowsky - Revelations!
$26.50
A scene doesn't change unless someone in it changes. Makes sense, huh? How do you know you've changed, and how can you spot an emotional change? Get in touch with that inner alert that tells you it's time to take the next step in the action. Why invent when you have everything you need right in your gut? Heck, it's practically a life lesson!
David Razowsky is one of the top teachers of theatrical improvisation and acting. He has been called "the guru of improvisation, an improviser's improviser," who connects the mindfulness of Buddhism with improvisation's core principals of being in the moment, taking care of your partner, and groundedness. In his 25-year improvisational acting career David has worked with The Second City, iO West, The Steppenwolf Theatre Company, as a consultant to Dreamworks, BBC's Whose Line Is It Anyway, and Amsterdam's Boom Chicago Theatre. He was Artistic Director of The Second City Training Center Los Angeles, and is adjunct faculty in the California State University system. He has been a featured performer and lecturer at the Chicago Improv Festival, The San Francisco Improv Festival, the Vancouver Improv Festival, and The Kennedy Center. David continues to act and direct professionally in Los Angeles.
2 PM - Brian Frates - "Yes! And..." Your Way to Commercial Success: Selling Stuff the Improv Way!
$26.50
How many times have you instantaneously recognized the face in a television advertisement, only to realize that it didn't belong to you? Are you sick and tired of squandering perfectly good commercial audition opportunities because you just can't seem to get out of your own way? What would you give to obtain the peace of mind that comes with a better understanding of the world of commercial acting? For a limited time only, you CAN take the step that will help you develop the ability to apply your training in improvisation towards improving your commercial auditioning and acting technique. You'll unleash the dynamic energy generated by actively listening, truthfully responding and remaining likeable. You'll harness the awesome power inherent in being in the moment, being honest and - most importantly - being yourself! But wait... there's MORE! You'll also brighten your smile*, build rock-hard abs* AND increase your sexual stamina*!! Plus, if you act NOW, you'll be able to take this dynamic workshop for the heretofore unheard of promotional price of JUST $26.50!!! That represents a savings of nearly 93.14159% when compared to other commercial acting workshops*!!!! So, what are you waiting for? This offer will not be repeated in stores, so ORDER NOW!!!!!
* These claims have not been evaluated and/or substantiated by the FDA, HHS, CIA, DPW, BBB or iO West.
A native of Massachusetts, BRIAN FRATES has forged a multi-faceted career as a talented actor, comedian, broadcaster. A founding mainstage cast-member of Boston's Improv Asylum, Mr. Frates spent five years wowing audiences in their improv-and- sketch comedy revues, including performances at the Los Angeles Improv Comedy Festival, the Chicago Improv Festival and the Big Stinkin' Comedy Festival in Austin, Texas. Brian's stand-up credits include shows at The Comedy Store, The Laugh Factory, The Hollywood Improv and Caroline's, as well as appearances at numerous colleges and corporate events nationwide. As a broadcaster, Frates served as host and head- writer for "The UPN 38 Movie House" on Boston's WSBK-TV. He was also a regular contributor to "The Dennis & Callahan Show", writing and voicing character-driven comedic segments for the program, which was broadcast on the top-rated all-sports radio station in the country, WEEI-AM. Brian still regularly graces the airwaves of New England - and has captured three Boston/New England Emmy Awards - as The 2 Guy, on-air "spokesnumeral" for PBS powerhouse WGBH-TV. Since moving to Los Angeles, Frates has been featured in the HBO comedy special "Sketch Pad 2", shot the pilot for the NBC series "Comedy Colosseum", launched the comedy review "History in the Faking", and regularly graces the stage at iO West. Additionally, Brian has lent his talents to commercial campaigns for clients as diverse as Capital One, Toyota, Delta Dental, La-Z- Boy Furniture Galleries and National City Bank.
4 PM - Chadwick Struck - Casting Workshop
$26.50
Chadwick cast voiceover, television, theater, & film. He started off in a very fast paced office primarily covering episodic television, television pilots, voice-over for video games, & a couple feature films. In 1999 Chadwick helped cast for Center Theatre Group of Los Angeles (Mark Taper Forum & Ahmanson Theatre). Notable projects while working there: 1999 Shakespeare Rep directed by Sir Peter Hall, "Hughie" starring Al Pacino, "Enigma Variations" starring Donald Sutherland, & Neil Simon's "The Dinner Party". Chadwick's start into features casting (as a Casting Associate) began with "Herbie: Fully Loaded", "Just Friends", & "The Heartbreak Kid"; and (1st Feature Film Casting Director credit in 2003) "MINI'S FIRST TIME" (Tribeca Film Festival) a Kevin Spacey produced film that starred Alec Baldwin, Luke Wilson, Nikki Reed, Jeff Goldblum, Carrie Anne Moss. This led to a 2nd Spacey produced project "COLUMBUS DAY" starring Val Kilmer, & Wilmer Valderrama. Other Recent films released: (LINEWATCH) a SONY release / Vancouver Film Festival starring Cuba Gooding, Jr., & Evan Ross, (SMOTHER) a Jay Roach comedy starring Diane Keaton, Liv Tyler, Dax Shepard, (JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN) an anti-war film released by Mark Cuban's company TRULY INDIE starring one actor Benjamin McKenzie, (LOWER LEARNING) comedy starring Eva Longoria, Rob Corddry, Jason Biggs, (FINDING BLISS) comedy produced by & starring Leelee Sobieski, (DEMOTED) comedy producer by Warren Zide & starring David Cross, Sean Astin, Michael Vartan. Projects Chadwick is casting: "Rockbarnes", "Puppy Love", "Freedom High", 2 other cool indies close.
Del Close Theater
12 PM - Brendan Hunt - STARTING STRONG SCENES
$26.50
If it always comes back to the beginning, we'd best make sure our beginnings are worth coming back to. In this workshop we will emphasize initiations and the importance of swift agreement with your partners, that all your scenes have a strong foundation.
Brendan Hunt lived, studied and performed in Chicago before joining Boom Chicago in Amsterdam, where he stayed for five years. The one-man show about this experience, Five Years In Amsterdam, was performed around the world, including at the HBO US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen. Since moving to LA he has appeared on such shows as Parks and Rec and Svetlana. He improvises at IO West with Sweetness.
2 PM - Octavarius - Short Form with a Long Form Mind
$26.50
Learning and playing by the rules of the game is the first step to successful short form. But how do you stay away from common tricks and gimmicky scenes? Find the game within the game and use your long form principles to transcend the typical stigma of short form and unlock a whole new world of improv, scenework, and laughter.
Octavarius has been described as, "totally infectious," "fearless, spirited, energetic interplay that has come to represent the very best of Chicago improv," and "more improv shows should be this much fun." The show is a high-octane hybrid of short and long-form that is challenging for a veteran improviser, yet still easy to follow if it's your first improv show.
4 PM - Patrick Ian Moore - The Art of Mime Crash-Course Workshop
$26.50
Learn to use the fundamentals of mime and apply them to your improv in this 2 hour crash-course introduction to the art of mime. Developing an understanding of basic technical mime will make great improvements to both your space and object work (it's also a whole lot of fun). Mime also teaches performers how to act more without speaking. It is the ultimate "Show... don't tell".
*Please wear comfortable and loose fitting clothing you feel you can move in.
Patrick Ian Moore has studied mime extensively and was mentored by Whitney Rydbeck of The Richmond Shepard Mime Troupe. In addition to a variety of eccentric weddings and conventions, Patrick has performed mime on Horror Kung Fu Theater and The Rhino Room, as well as being a featured artist at The Los Angeles Artwalk on The Esotouric's Hippodrome Floating Salon and in Madame Pamita's Parlor of Wonders.
The Loft
12 PM - James Mastraieni - COLOR OUTSIDE THE LINES
$26.50
You've taken all the classes, read all the books, and mastered the "rules" of "good" improv. Now it's time to shake things up! Find out that "Yes, And..." also means saying "no", rescue scenes from politeness and convention, and start making your own guidelines. Using exercises and side-coaching that focus on game, position play, and heightening; this workshop is designed for improvisors who find themselves shackled by conventional scene work.
True Story, James Mastraieni has been an improviser for over 6 years. He's performed all over the world with Second City's boat touring company and has trained with iOWest, Upright Citizen's Brigade and Second City LA. At iOWest he's on the Harold team The Cartel and coaches the DCT Harold team Popular Science. You can also see James in independent groups like Orpheus Roy, Holiday Inn Express, and Nameless around Los Angeles. His sketch group Condor is a regular contributor to the Second City Network.
2 PM - Ryan Locante - Make Believe
$26.50
This class will help you be more playful in the fake environments that you pretend to be in as well as stress the fact that you're not pretending for the audience, they're pretending with you. Commit to playfulness and surprise everyone, including yourself..
Ryan got his improv start ten years ago in Salt Lake City with Knock Your Socks Off (KYSOff) and is a graduate of the iO Training Center in Chicago. He has also taken classes at UCB in New York, and iO West in Los Angeles. Ryan has worked with a broad range of improvisers who have trained, performed, and taught at iO, Second City, UCB, and elsewhere. He has experience teaching and directing in Utah, North Carolina, and California and is currently playing on the iO West Harold Team, BANDIT.
4 PM - All Skate - Musical Improv
$26.50
Have you ever watched a Musical Improv show and wondered "How the heck are they doing that?" Well then the ALL SKATE! Musical Improv workshop is for you! The cast members of ALL SKATE! will spend 2 hours teaching you how to burst into improvised song and dance and have an absolute blast while doing it!
"ALL SKATE is like Glee, but unscripted and funnier!" ALL SKATE! improvises a half-hour long musical based on an audience suggestion. Combining their distinct musical skills with long form improv, ALL SKATE! creates a unique experience for your viewing pleasure. ALL SKATE! is Parvesh Cheena, Michael Churven, Tom Christensen, Kerri-Anne Lavin, Sarah Moreau, Wendy Rosoff ,and Lani Shipman. Their combined credits include the Comedy Central Stages, Second City Mainstage, Norwegian Jewel for The Second City, IO West, Westside Eclectic, UCB, Bang, Fanatic Salon, Broadway, Off-Broadway, National and European tours, Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, Outsourced, My Name is Earl, Brothers and Sisters, David Letterman, The Today Show, and 'Till Death.
Thursday, June 9th 2011
Main Stage
12 PM - Craig Cackowski - JTS Brown
$26.50
JTS Brown is a 12-year-old form created by some of the best long form players of i.O. Chicago. It's patchwork style combines a pallet of moves deigned to highlight solid scene work within its highly transformational and almost dream like string of characters, relationships and realities. It elevates long form to a higher level of theatricality by combining sophisticated scene work with playful and experimental group work. JTS produces an exciting hybrid of fresh comedy and downright good theater.
Craig Cackowski has been involved with iO as a performer, teacher, and director since 1992. Film and television appearances include Community, Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, How I Met Your Mother and Year of the Dog. He can be seen around the iO West theater in Quartet and The Armando Show.
2 PM - Tami Sagher - Writing Workshop
$26.50
Television writer Tami Sagher (How I Met Your Mother, Bored to Death, 30 Rock) will discuss the tried and true tools in her writing toolbox, techniques to get you writing when that's the last thing you want to do. Bring pen and paper.
Tami Sagher currently writes for How I Met Your Mother. She's also written for Bored To Death, 30 Rock, Psych, and Mad TV. She was a performer on the Second City Mainstage in Chicago, and appeared in Knocked Up and Curb Your Enthusiasm. She currently performs in Quartet every Thursday night and the Armando Diaz show on Saturdays.
4 PM - Zack Pearlman - Improv for Film and Television
$26.50
Improv comedy has taken the silver screen! How can you get prepared to be thrown into the thinking on your feet ? With a few Simple tools, you will be able to apply your previous knowledge and training to nail it in every chance in front of the camera.
Zack Pearlman was found on the Internet by Adam McKay and Will Ferrell. He starred in "The Virginity Hit", an improvised movie and is a regular on MTV's upcoming series "The Inbetweeners". Zack started learning long form improv 10 years ago in a YMCA class in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Del Close Theater
12 PM - Brian Jack - Play To The Height Of Your Stupidity
$26.50
You've heard every teacher say it, "Play to height of your intelligence." Well, screw you Mr. smarty pants! Actually, your teacher is right. You should play smart... But now you're all in your head, the audience can see you thinking on stage, the timing is all messed up and -- OH NO! now you just missed the edit. Play to the height of your characters intelligence/stupidity. Trust your instincts and stop letting audiences see you think so hard. Don't be afraid to look silly or dumb for the sake of the scene. And experience how gratifying it can be to care more about the show and your cast mates than you do your own performance. In this workshop, you will learn how to keep your scenes moving, how to set up your scene partner, how to play with character status, how to make big moves, how to support without judging and most importantly COMMITTING TO EVERY MOMENT.
Brian Jack (or BJ if you're naughty) has been training comedians for the past 10 years. Brian both trained and taught in Chicago at The Second City where he toured with The Second City National Touring Company and performed as an understudy to the Mainstage and ETC. Before Second City, Brian spent time abroad performing at Boom Chicago in Amsterdam. There he wrote for the Comedy Central TV show Comedy Central News. Prior to taking off for the Netherlands he spent several years honing his comedic sensibilities at iO Chicago (formerly Improv Olympic) as a founding member of iO's celebrated long-form team The Reckoning and a member of Deep Schwa and Armando. He also performed with Baby Wants Candy, Mission Improvable, Comedy Sportz, Spark, and Improv Acadia. He's performed and taught on Cruise Ships, dozens of comedy festivals and at hundreds of schools, including the University of Notre Dame and Washington University. He is now happy to call iO West his new home. He is proud of his current shows Armando, Buffet of Champions, iO Rep and the Wreckoning. He is also proud to be coaching two outstanding iO ensembles, CLASSY & Happy Accidents.
2 PM - Keith Saltojanes - Story for Long Form
$26.50
Ever wonder what separates your improv show from great improv shows? Or simply how to make any show stronger? Story (aka the long lost "secret" of good long form improvisation) affects your audience and leaves them with the memory of your shows for years to come. In this workshop, you will learn the simple 5-elements of story structure and how to implement them into your improv shows immediately.
Keith Saltojanes began his formal study of improvisation in 2004 while earning a theatre degree from the University of Central Florida Conservatory and became one of the leading forces in the expansion of the Central Florida long form improv community. Since then, he has performed in over 200 improv shows and has studied and/or performed at iO West, UCB Theater, Second City, in theaters in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles, and in multiple international comedy festivals. He is the also the host of the improv podcast "ImprovLA" and can currently be seen at iO West every Tuesday night performing with the group he co-founded, English Speaking Moose.
4 PM - Peter Fluet - Invest, Don't Invent: Working from the top of your emotional intelligence
$26.50
This workshop explores the power of initiating and reacting within scenes from a place of emotional truth. Wether you have trouble with creating characters, finding game within scenes, or you looking to create more three dimensional scenes this workshop will show how when we approach scenes from our heart instead of our head all of the facets of good scene work become easily attainable. Wether you're just starting in improv or a veteran looking to hone another tool this workshop is for you.
Peter Fluet has been doing improv for over ten years and is a graduate of IO West, Groundlings and Second City LA. He has performed with Groundlings Sunday Company, worked for Second City at Sea, and studied at UCB. Peter currently coaches several teams, performs with Bandit, and went 47 weeks at IO's Cagematch with orpheus Roy and won the Cagematch competition at the third LA improv festival with C&C Improv factory.
The Loft
12 PM - Michael McCarthy - SNL Packet
$26.50
This workshop focuses on a state-of-the-art portfolio for submission to "Saturday Night Live," including a cold opening, several monologues, a complete Weekend Update, several digital shorts, film and TV parody sketches, commercial parodies, existing character sketches, as well as the more abstract premises of relationship scenes, teaching scenes, and conceptual scenes.
Michael has written for "Saturday Night Live" (for which he was nominated for an Emmy), "Sesame Street" and "The Drew Carey Show"; created a comedy festival in Kilkenny, Ireland called "The Murphy's Cat Laughs" and produced it from 1995-99; he's worked on many, many Comedy Central shows including "Battlebots" and "Beat The Geeks" not to mention specials such as "Comedy Central On Trial: Bobbit vs. Bobbit" and "Spunk: The Tonya Harding Story". He is an alumni of The Second City Chicago Mainstage. He is elated to be working with/for/at the I.O. West having found its spirit intoxicating.
2 PM - Michael McCarthy - Original Pilot Writing
$26.50
This workshop covers the process of pilot writing; treatment(s), character descriptions, episode scenarios, promo script, pilot script--the overall goal being a thoroughly thought through concept from beginning-to-end that can be read and defended in a pitch meeting.
Michael has written for "Saturday Night Live" (for which he was nominated for an Emmy), "Sesame Street" and "The Drew Carey Show"; created a comedy festival in Kilkenny, Ireland called "The Murphy's Cat Laughs" and produced it from 1995-99; he's worked on many, many Comedy Central shows including "Battlebots" and "Beat The Geeks" not to mention specials such as "Comedy Central On Trial: Bobbit vs. Bobbit" and "Spunk: The Tonya Harding Story". He is an alumni of The Second City Chicago Mainstage. He is elated to be working with/for/at the I.O. West having found its spirit intoxicating.
4 PM - Greg Castle - YOU LOOK FUNNY
$26.50
You do. You look funny. That guy over there looks like he's having an awful time. He looks like he's trapped in a living nightmare of abundant stage time and no script to cling to. But you look like you're having a blast. You don't look tense. You're loosey goosey and I wish I was on-stage playing in that scene with you. Under all of the laughter out here, I can hear people of the sex you are attracted to, whispering about how attractive you are. And that poor guy on stage over there is crying now. For real crying. It's uncomfortable. Are you having fun on stage? I bet you are. But some of you look like you just spent the whole day listening to Damien Rice while staring out a rainy window. That's not healthy. Let's get you out of those sweatpants and into your fancy sweatpants. Join the party. In here, we're going to explore improv that doesn't invent jokes or try so hard. In here, we laugh with each other because we all look funny. Your scene is a great party. Get out of the corner and put this lampshade on your head. See? You look funny.
Greg Castle has not turned in his improv badge and gun, despite what you may have heard. He currently patrols the mainstage with The IO Rep and is a gunslinger for a band of outlaws known as Rigor Tortoise (RTComedy.com). He has been coaching for several years and played with the fabled IOWest Harold Team, DHT. He works part-time at Home Depot, where he tries to teach people the correct way to pronounce the word "caulk." He spends most of his free time with his wife, Beth, who is worthy of superlatives but this bio should remain professional. He is looking forward to making you feel confident and happy to be doing what you do, whether you take his workshop or not.
Friday, June 10th 2011
Main Stage
10 AM - Dani Klein Modisett - Comedy Upgrade 2.0 - Let's Get Ugly
$26.50
We've got two hours to find out who you are and how to capitalize on your flaws. After all, what's the point of being a "human being" if you can't exploit it for laughs? In exercises designed to help you get to the heart of what you care about, what you fear and what infuriates you most about your life, your family's life, the country, hampters (that might just be me) I promise you'll leave this workshop with a better understanding of your own comedic persona and rich story ideas, set ups for laugh out loud jokes, and maybe even a punchline or two. You've already been told you're funny, so why not take a few hours to learn the basics of a craft that will help you mine every day life and consistently tease out the funny? You know you want to. I want you to. Your friends want you to. In fact, everyone you know wishes you were funnier more often. This class will do that.
...With Special Guest instructor, former SNL writer and Tonight Show Comic!
Dani Klein Modisett is the creator/producer/director of the shows "Afterbirth...stories you won't read in Parents magazine," and "Not What I Signed Up For." These are live storytelling shows where well known actors and writers perform original, funny stories about how marriage and parenting challenges them in unexpected ways. After playing to sold out audiences in Los Angeles and NYC, an anthology of stories from "Afterbirth" was published as a book by St. Martin's Press. As a writer Dani has been a contributor to Parents Magazine, the LA Times and momlogic.com. Before writing, she worked regularly as an actress in film and television including "Law & Order," and other NBC shows. She also worked on Broadway in the plays "Twilight of the Golds," and Neil Simon's "Laughter on the 23rd Floor." Dani also worked as a stand up comic, performing across the country and participating in the HBO Aspen Comedy Festival with a solo show she wrote called "The Move." She has taught Stand-up comedy at UCLA and privately for almost a decade. She is a graduate of Dartmouth College and lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two sons.
12 PM - Eric Hunicutt - The Viewpoints in Improvisation
$26.50 -
Register Online
Introduction to the practice of Viewpoints, a movement-based discipline and vocabulary originally developed in the world of dance, since applied to acting, and now to improviastion. This workshop offers basic ways to apply Viewpoints work to scenic improvisation, character work, and ensemble building. Eric has taught The Viewpoints & Improvisation for over three years in association with Steppenwolf Classes West in Los Angeles.
Eric Hunicutt has been performing scripted and improvised theatre continuously since he was 15 years old: everything from Shakespeare at Lincoln Center to sketch comedy in dive bars (with countless improv shows throughout). Eric has studied and performed with Improv Olympic (iO) Chicago, The Second City Chicago, Comedy Sportz, Steppenwolf, and is a proud alumnus of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a working actor and director in film, TV, theatre, and performs weekly at iO West with Sweetness, as well as touring nationally with the acclaimed Chicago-based ensemble The Reckoning. Directing credits include shows at The Comedy Central Stage, iO West, Piccolo Spoleto Festival, The Lost Studio, The Second City (L.A. & Chicago),The Upright Citizens' Brigade Theateres (NYC & L.A.), and the University of California San Diego. In addition to teaching at iO West, Eric currently teaches at Steppenwolf Classes West, Warner Loughlin Studios, Cal State University's Summer Arts program, and recently served as a Guest Faculty Member/Director at UC San Diego.
4 PM - Joe Spence - 4th Rule of Improv, and How It Will Give You Your Improv Breakthrough
$26.50
So you've taken a couple improv classes, and you've learned that there are a few guidelines that everybody tries to follow when they improvise. Then you saw a couple shows and you noticed that everyone appears to be following those "rules", but there is something different between the shows your teachers put on and the showcases your friends invited you to...and you can't quite put your finger on it. This workshop spotlights an approach to improvisation that will allow improvisers of all levels to conquer that feeling of "trying to keep up" and give any improviser with some amount of training the confidence and ability to hold their own and play with anybody. The 4th Rule of Improv will erase the fear and mystery of how to survive in an improvisation...with anyone.
Joe Spence is a graduate of the Second City Conservatory, The iO West Training Center, and has also studied at UCB. He has been a resident performer at the highest level and a teacher or assistant instructor at The Second City Studio Theatre, iO West, and LA Connection. Joe has been teaching improvisers from age four to forty for several years, and he enjoys the ability of the art form to take the artist to places they never knew they could go.
Del Close Theater
10 AM - Bridget Kloss - Short Form
$26.50
Short form demands quick, strong choices and fast heightening. By learning and mastering these games, you can transfer what you learn to improving your long form scenes. In this workshop we will learn several short form games, and then use them to perform strong, slower scenes.
Bridget began performing with IO in Chicago in 1997, when she was asked to join the house team Missing Fersons. She later performed with Prefontaine for several years, and was in the shows Two Slow, Epic Prattle, and Ask Charna. In 2000 she joined the cast of The Second City National touring company, and in 2004, became a member of The Second City Mainstage cast in Las Vegas. She has taught and coached improv for over 5 years, with IO, Second city and independently around the country.
12 PM - Gian Molina - Getting To The Point... Then Going From There
$26.50
This workshop will focus on making those choices most performers avoid for fear that the scene will have nowhere else to go. When in fact, that is where the scene starts to be interesting and captures the audience's attention. Finding the story from strong choices instead doing scenes where we dance around the idea without getting to it. The scene will not end if you tell her you love her, so much more can happen from this point. We'll explore where the scene can go, Challenge you to take risks that will elevate your scenes and overall performance, and of course have a blast doing improv together.
Gian is an actor, musician, and improvisor born and raised in Los Angeles, Ca. Joined Ultimate Improv while still in high school and has been teaching and performing for over 10 years. He is currently performing with Bandit, who has a weekly show on the IO West Mainstage. Gian also is a co-founder of the Sunday Sunday Sunday Show and the 11th Hour Show hosted by his UCB team Imaginary Friends. Some TV credits include G4's Attack of the Show, Weeds, Reno 911, Community and Funny or Die Presents. Gian is proud to be a part of the Los Angeles Improv community.
2 PM - Susan Lane - Commedia dell'Arte - The Original Slapstick
$26.50
You know what's funny? Human characters with human wants taken to the extreme. You know what's hilarious? Putting your want into your whole body, letting your body show your character before you even open your mouth. You know what you should do? Come to this workshop. We will explore classic universal characters, movement, masks and lazzi.
A native southerner, Susan earned her BFA in performance from the University of Memphis. An actor, director, teacher and student, she has worked professionally on both coasts and abroad. She has studied The Red Nose with Giovanni Fussetti, Directing with Oleg Koudiachov and Commedia dell'Arte with Antonio Fava. Susan teaches, mentors and creates masks for Commedia and is super excited to spread this vibrant, useful, not-dead art form. She can also do it in Italian.
4 PM - Colton Dunn - Get into It
$26.50
This scene workshop focuses on "getting into it" Making your scenes real, even in the face of absurdity. Diving in at the start and balancing the dual roles of an improviser as an actor and writer. Through pointed exercises and side coaching, improv veteran Colton Dunn with push you to explore how you approach your scenes. If you're not getting in to it, no one else will. Let's roll.
Colton has performed comedy all over the world. As an improviser/ teacher he has worked with Comedy Sportz (MN, NYC) Chicago City Limits (NYC, Boom Chicago(AMSTERDAM), The Second City (LA), IO West (LA) and The Upright Citizen Brigade Theater (NYC, LA). As a writer he's worked for Mad TV, Nick Swardson's Pretend Time and MTV's Boiling Points. He's also appeared on numerous TV shows such as, Park and Recreation, The League and Children's Hospital. You may have also seen him or his house in numerous FunnyOrDie videos. Colton currently teaches and coaches improv and sketch writing in Los Angeles, CA and is a regular performer in UCBTLA's Rough Cut and the UCBTLA mainstage show Asssscat. www.coltondunn.com
The Loft
10 AM - Katie Nahnsen - Emotions in Improv
$26.50
Emotions in Improv (aka Express Yourself) This workshop is all about emotions... and emotions are comedy GOLD! Exercises will focus on creating characters and scene work with an emotional point of view. Topics include: create an emotional POV by playing the character's want, using emotions to heighten the game of a scene and committing to a character by staying true to your point of view.
Katie Nahnsen is an LA based actor, writer and improviser. She was a series regular on the syndicated comedy Sports Action Team, which was distributed by MGM and aired on HDNet and NBC affiliates all over the country for two years. Katie's written and performed in plays, improv and sketch comedy revues throughout the nation and is a Moth StorySLAM winner. Notable groups include the award winning Baby Wants Candy, CatNip, Virgin Daiquiri, Spirit Cat and the Late Night Late Show. In Los Angeles, Katie's performed at iO West, The Second City LA and UCB LA. In Chicago, she has performed at iO Theatre, The Second City, The Annoyance, and The Neo-Futurists. Katie's appeared in various TV commercials and industrials for companies like Taco Bell and Coca-Cola and has appeared in several independent films. She enjoys teaching improv and acting classes not only to comedians and actors, but also to corporations and children in foster care as a way to enhance communication skills and confidence.
12PM - Lloyd Ahlquist - Forget The Group, How Am I? - An Individual Performance Analysis
$26.50
This is a workshop that focuses on your favorite performer in the world...YOU! This class will take an in depth look at your specific strengths and weaknesses as an improviser and customize exercises to help you break out of your particular safe-zones. The goal of this workshop is to improve your overall confidence and knowledge of yourself onstage in order to ultimately serve your fellow improvisers better.
Lloyd Ahlquist has been making a living performing and teaching improv comedy for the past 14 years. His talents as an improviser have taken him to nearly every improv stage and festival in the country as well as to the sets of network television shows as an improv consultant and to the screen as talent. He is a founding member and owner of Mission IMPROVable and as well as M.i.'s Westside Comedy Theater where he acts as the current General Manager and Artistic Director. Lloyd's teaching and coaching credits include; authoring The Westside Comedy Training Center's improv curriculum as well as coaching iO West Harold Favorite U.S.S. Rock-n-roll.
2 PM - Brad Morris - SCENE DYNAMICS WORKSHOP
$26.50
Every scene has a center, and once it's identified, your chances for success increase exponentially. I'll show you where it is and we will have a moderate amount of fun in the process.
Brad has been improvising, teaching, writing, acting and directing since 1999. From Chicago, Brad's a member of iO's, The Reckoning, as well as the longform groups, Uncle's Brother, Stubs and Armando for years. Brad is also an alum of Chicago's Second City Mainstage, where he wrote and performed in four revues.
4 PM - Phillip Wilburn - Impressions
$26.50
When you audition for a sketch show usually you are asked to do some impressions, but if you don't have any, where do you start? In this workshop you will get tips on how to do an impression. Where to start? Who to do? What works? We will work on impressions you have, and ways to find other impressions for you. If you bring ideas of someone you want to imitate Phillip will give you the starting point for that impression.
Originally from Texas , Phillip is known for his ability to imitate almost any voice, from Tom Cruise to George W. Bush, and everyone in between. The LA Times said Phillip's George W. Bush is "played to squinty eyed perfection." He produces and stars in viral videos that have been featured on MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann ,Hardball with Chris Matthews, CNN's The Situation Room with Wolf Blitzer, ShowBiz Today and Funny or Die. His TV Credits include How I Met Your Mother, The Middle, The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live and CONAN. Phillip can be seen on stage in Top Story! Weekly at iO West every Sunday night at 9. For more info go to www.phillipwilburn.com.
Saturday, June 11th 2011
Main Stage
10 AM - Paul Vaillancourt - The Game of The Scene
$26.50 SOLD OUT
What is the game of the scene? How do I fid it? When do I use it? If you're asking yourself any of these questions then this workshop is for you. Veteran improv performer and teacher Paul Vaillancourt is going to take you inside the game of the scene and show you how it is really the lynch pin of great longform improv and show you how you can get a handle on this pivotal concept and use it to take your work to the next level. Once you master the game - your scenes are more focused and have a sharper direction, you tag outs are snappier and pack more punch and you'll never be at a loss of what to do next in a scene again. The game of the scene isn't just for improvisors - we'll also explore how it has just as much power in sketch, sitcom and feature writing.
Paul Vaillancourt is the co-founder (with Charna Halpern) of the iO west and has been teaching and performing improv for over 20 years. In that time he has appeared all over the country including such notable venues as HBO's Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, Chicago's iO (where he studied with the immortal Del Close), New York's UCB Theater, and the iO West here in Los Angeles. As an actor Paul has appeared on such shows as "The Drew Carey Show", the UPN sitcom "Half & Half", and the Oxygen Network's stand out "Girls Behaving Badly". Paul has also had success as a writer and producer, co-creating and serving as supervising writer for the MTV hit "The Blame Game" as well as lending his writing and producing talents to a score of other shows for MTV, VH1, USA, Oxygen, Bravo and AMC. Paul currently lives in LA with his wife Lindsey and his two children.
12 PM - Brian Stack - Insights Into Comedy Writing with Conan writer Brian Stack
$26.50 -SOLD OUT
Probe the mind of veteran Conan writer Brian Stack as he gives you insights into how things work in the writer's room and on the set at Conan, and in talk show writing in general. This workshop is a unique opportunity for anyone looking to build a career in comedy writing and will include video clips of sketches.
Brian Stack has been a writer/performer on Conan O'Brien's shows for the last 14 years, 12 of them in New York at Late Night. He has been nominated for an Emmy 13 times, winning in 2007, and has won 5 Writer's Guild Awards. Before working in TV, he performed at Chicago's Second City for four years and at IO-Chicago and in other improv groups such as Jazz Freddy. While in NY, he frequently performed in ASSSSCAT at UCB, and continues to perform regularly here in LA at UCB-LA and IO-West in such shows as "The Armando" and "Joel Murray & Friends". He has also appeared in supporting roles on such shows as 30 Rock, The Office, and Human Giant.
2 PM - Miles Stroth - Listening in Improv
$26.50 SOLD OUT
In this workshop I will convey how I approach a scene by listening for my position in the scene. Listening in improv, and in life, is more than just a sense, it's a trainable skill. The first ten seconds of a scene can tell you your position in that scene and what kind of scene you are in. Knowing this focuses your invention and makes scene-play relatively easy. Most scenes that go bad go bad in the first ten seconds. Lets get started right!
Miles was a member of the seminal improv team The Family, directed by Del Close, he helped create and introduce into the improv world The Deconstruction and The Movie forms. Miles had the privilege of working with the late Del Close for eight years. Del saw the improv community as a tribe with himself as the Mojo Man and referred to Miles as his Warchief. Miles has done thousands of shows.
4 PM - Erik Stolhanske - Comedy Writing Collaboration
$26.50
Erik Stolhanske brings 20 years experience of writing with a comedy group Broken Lizard (SUPER TROOPERS / BEER FEST). Over the years he's learned that some times you gotta know when to hold em, and when to fold em-- regarding creative ideas. Working as a team you form a 'collective voice' just like a band forms it's 'sound'. In this workshop you'll learn how to cultivate that creative voice.
Erik Stolhanske is an actor, writer and producer. He is a member of the comedy group Broken Lizard and is probably best known for his role as "Rabbit" in the hit comedy Super Troopers. Stolhanske has written, produced and starred in all of Broken Lizards' films - including Puddle Cruiser, Super Troopers, Club Dread, Beerfest, and The Slammin' Salmon. Stolhanske also appears in The Onion Movie, The Sweetest Thing and Watching the Detectives, Paul Soter's directorial debut. On television, Erik appeared in the HBO critically acclaimed series Curb Your Enthusiasm and Six Feet Under.
Del Close Theater
10 AM - Levin O'Connor & Annie Kouris Hoff - The New Earth ARMY
$26.50
You have psychic abilities that you aren' t using. That' s dumb. Improv is a lot easier when you harness your psy powers. We will teach you how to tap into your vast potential and embrace your unique powers both on and off the stage. But how?! Judgment of yourself is keeping you shackled to the same old safe choices. But you have so much more to share. And in order to expand as an artist you must open yourself to the possibility that there is something more. Del Close said, " Great long form is 8 people falling down the stairs and landing on their feet." Stop walking down those stairs and let go of the polite choices. Accept who you are and say fuck off to all the labels life has put on you. You can choose to be vulnerable and trust in yourself and your ensemble. This is the first step. Groupmind is real. Before you can be a part of it, you must first love and embrace your individuality. Let us help set you free to... ...BE ALL YOU CAN BE.
Annie Kouris Hoff & Levin O'Connor
Annie and Levin met in 2005 as cast members of the iO West house team The Jungle and quickly recognized in each other a deep passion for improv. They spent the next five years performing together in a variety of shows, teaching classes, workshops and challenging each other to grow as performers, teachers, coaches. www.nowimprov.com
Annie Kouris Hoff has been performing improv since 1997 and has been a part of many long and short form teams over the years. Annie trained with iO West and currently you can catch her teaching and coaching at AMDA, Mi's Westside Theater and at iOwest as well as running the student performance program, The Lottery. You can see her performing with the Del Close Awarded "Best Harold Team", USS Rock N Roll every Wednesday night as well as in the MI's Westside Comedy Theater house team NOW? w/Annie & Levin. Annie gets totally jazzed off about improv and yes, that is how she talks about it.
Levin began his improv career in Chicago studying at iO (Formerly ImprovOlympic) and The Second City. He has been fortunate enough to learn from some of the great minds in this craft and works hard to pass that along. Improv is more than a means to an end for Levin, it is a life philosophy. This Del Close Award winning Coaching of the Year has lived in LA for the past four years and performs weekly at iO West with USS Rock N Roll and The iO Repertory Company.
12 PM - Eric Hunicutt - Stop Arguing, Roomates! (Or, How To Quit Playing the Same Scene Every Show)
$26.50
Yep, you're in the roommates scene again. Drinking beverages. Arguing about how one or the other of you isn't living up to the other one's expectations, or is sleeping with the other's boy/girlfriend/wife/husband. Maybe it's that two people typing in the cubicle scene, or better yet the fishing scene... Nothing wrong with these scenes, yet often times when we're in familiar territory, our imagination completely shuts down, so we find ourselves playing the same characters and relationships over and over. This workshop focuses on finding the interesting bits in every scene, keeping our imagination in the game, and turning the everyday into the extraordinary, simply by paying closer attention. Be less predictable, have more fun!
Eric Hunicutt has been performing scripted and improvised theatre continuously since he was 15 years old: everything from Shakespeare at Lincoln Center to sketch comedy in dive bars (with countless improv shows throughout). Eric has studied and performed with Improv Olympic (iO) Chicago, The Second City Chicago, Comedy Sportz, Steppenwolf, and is a proud alumnus of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a working actor and director in film, TV, theatre, and performs weekly at iO West with Sweetness, as well as touring nationally with the acclaimed Chicago-based ensemble The Reckoning. Directing credits include shows at The Comedy Central Stage, iO West, Piccolo Spoleto Festival, The Lost Studio, The Second City (L.A. & Chicago),The Upright Citizens' Brigade Theateres (NYC & L.A.), and the University of California San Diego. In addition to teaching at iO West, Eric currently teaches at Steppenwolf Classes West, Warner Loughlin Studios, Cal State University's Summer Arts program, and recently served as a Guest Faculty Member/Director at UC San Diego.
2 PM - Brandon J. Sornberger - Armando: Initiating Scenes at the Top of Your Intelligence
$26.50
Created at iO Chicago in 1995, the Armando is an improv structure that offers immediate opportunities for both comedy and discourse. So much more than just retelling the monologue, the goal of the show is to create a dialogue between cast and monologist in order to delve deeply into the ideas and opinions presented. That all sounds great...but how do you do it? This workshop gets performers to critically examine monologues, and craft initiations that get to the heart of the main idea. Come learn why The Armando Diaz Experience is iO's longest running show and landmark of comedy in both Los Angeles and Chicago.
Brandon J. Sornberger is originally from serene Upstate New York. He has performed and taught improv in New York City, Boston, Chicago, and now Los Angeles. While at iO Chicago, he performed with the iO Muscial Featuring The Deltones, Bullet Lounge, and Let Them Ho's Fight. He is happily married and has an affinity for cowboy boots.
4 PM - Semone Leifer & Aaron Krebs
- Bringing Your Improv Skills to the Scripts
$26.50
Casting Associate Semone Leifer (TRANSFORMERS, 10 ITEMS OR LESS, EASTBOUND & DOWN Season II) and Aaron Krebs (iO West Level 3, Founder of Mission IMPROVable/Westside Comedy Theater, Founder of AK Workshops) are offering this workshop for festival students. Learning to apply the skills you've picked up in improv to scripted work is extremely valuable. This workshop will give you a brief introduction into some of the philosophies and techniques you can use to strengthen your scripted acting. Semone uses improv in the first half of the workshop to show you some of the basic ways to break down a script and characters. She uses one of improv's golden rules....It's all about the relationship. If you're an actor this is a GREAT workshop for you. Please bring headshot and resume to this workshop. It is not required. You may still join if you don't have one.
For more info on Semone please check her IMDB at: www.imdb.com/name/nm0500144/
Please contact Aaron Krebs at aaronkrebs@yahoo.com with any questions about this workshop or other acting opportunities. www.akworkshops.com
The Loft
10 AM - Chris Gorbos - Strong Initiations = Strong Scenework
$26.50
In this workshop we will work on creating strong scenework through strong initiations. If you've ever been lost in a scene and wondered, "what is this about?", "how did I get here" and more importantly "how do I get out", then this is a workshop for you. We will work on drawing clear ideas from openings, titling scenes, finding game, agreement, and scenic arcs. This workshop will help you make clear choices that are conveyed and understood by your teammates, ultimately for the purpose of creating long-form shows that are driven by ideas and themes.
Chris Gorbos is a member of the IO West house team, The Cartel, and was a member of DHT, and Ga-Doosh!!! (Chicago). He studied theater and Slavic Literature and Languages at Northwestern where he was a member of Mee-Ow. He toured with MISSION IMPROVable and is a co-owner of Mi's Westside Comedy Theater where he teaches and performs with The Grind. He has performed with Improv Acadia in Bar Harbor Maine. He is super jazzed about this workshop.
12 PM - Douglas Sarine - Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes
$26.50
If you're tired of "neck up" improvising or just want more movement in your game, come to this workshop. We'll focus on taking your amazing thoughts and putting them into your amazing body. Practice making relationships, characters and scenes stronger, healthier and just plain more fun as you invest your whole body. All body-types are welcome. Wear comfortable shoes and loose clothing. We will be moving. (This class is part of The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports...kinda)
Douglas has been improvising for over 10 years. He received his training at IO West and The Second City. He loves truth and comedy in all forms. Douglas has guest starred on shows like NBC's The Office, HBO's Curb Your Enthusiasm, USA's Monk, MTV's Punk'd and ABC's Jimmy Kimmel Live. Douglas performs live in The Armando Show and others.
2 PM - Rigor Tortoise - DYNAMIC GROUP SCENE-WORK
$26.50
Rigor Tortoise prides itself as a group known for anchoring their shows with fun and dynamic group scenes. Over the years they have become very familiar with basic group scene skills that generate interesting relationships, well-formed characters and energetic play. This workshop will focus on staying out of familiar traps (like ganging up on one person) and give you tips on how to use the strength of the group to kick your scenes into the next gear. Whether you are a team that is looking to increase your group trust on stage or an individual who feels lost in the shuffle in a group scene, this workshop will provide you with tools to make your group scenes as interestingly dangerous as a shed full of fireworks next to an open flame.
Rigor Tortoise is a comedy team that regularly produces fresh online content as well as live performances of completely unscripted material. Their live improv shows are a smooth blend of grounded slow-play scene work and high energy characters. Together, Rigor Tortoise works hard to generate honest humor that propels the group forward in creative as well as technologically innovative ways. The result is seemingly effortless comedy with boy-next-door influence that appeals to a wide demographic of eager viewers and audience members. For four years, Rigor Tortoise has been accruing a cult following across the globe with their video sketches that are posted on their home page of RTcomedy.com as well as YouTube, Cracked and FunnyorDie. In addition to performing at their regular haunt on the iO West main stage in Hollywood, they are honored to have been included in the LA Improv Festival last year, as well as the prestigious Chicago Improv Fest and the premiere Dallas Comedy Festival. RTcomedy.com
4 PM - Kim Mulligan & Andy Bouley - Sketch Comedy Writing Made Easy
$26.50
Not quite 100% confident in your sketch writing? Relax, it's not as hard as you might think! Regardless of your writing level, this workshop will provide you with a set of sketch writing training wheels. We will simplify the process, breaking it down to a formula. From there, you'll see how easy it is to generate ideas and turn them into concepts, build concepts into sketches, and make your sketches as funny as possible. We'll also talk about how to get your sketches seen on stage / on the web via Youtube, Funny or Die, IMDB etc.
Kim Mulligan and Andy Bouley trained through iO West and UCB respectively. While writing and performing separately with Tang, Dead Honkey and Hot N' Ready, etc. Kim and Andy have also been working together as KAndy for the past several years. Their sketch comedy videos, including the Holiday Hooker series, can be seen on http://www.funnyordie.com/getsomekandy OR http://www.youtube.com/user/GetsomeKAndy OR at www.ucbcomedy.com. KAndy also host the long running iO West Sketch CageMatch and LA Improv Festival Sketch CageMatch Tournament.
Sunday, June 12th 2011
Main Stage
10AM - Kevin Mcshane - Stop Begging Your Friends : Improv Promo 101
$26.50 - Register Online
You've got a fantastic show full of truly gifted, funny, and visionary improvisers, yet there's often more people onstage than in your audience. Why? Because you're not marketing your show properly - if at all. In this workshop, Kevin McShane shares his tips, tactics, and outspoken opinions on how to effectively market your improv show to the general public. Mixing lecture, Q&A, and real world case studies, Kevin will help you put more butts in the seats and finally start drawing the audiences you deserve.
NOTE: This is a lecture/discussion workshop. There will be no scenework.
Kevin McShane has overseen promotion for a host of iOWest shows, including Trophy Wife, Irish Mutts, Middle Seat, and the iO Festival itself. Outside of the theater, he has over a decade's worth of PR and marketing experience for clients ranging from BellSouth to DreamWorks. Someday, he hopes to walk away slowly while something blows up behind him.
12 PM - Charna Halpern - Cats Cradle
$26.50 - SOLD OUT
Charna Halpern has been teaching performers how to work together for more than 25 years. Having founded the world famous ImprovOlympic Theatres (now iO) in Chicago and Hollywood, Charna's theaters are the meccas of training in the art of improvisation and act as a recruiting stop for television shows like Saturday Night Live, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, The Daily Show, The Colbert Report and MADtv, supplying both coasts with writers and performers. Her first book, Truth in Comedy, which she co-wrote with her late partner Del Close, acts as a guide for teaching and performing improvisation to theaters and groups across the world. Specializing in creating a group mind with hilarious end results, she is now sharing her secrets and skills with businesses to give them the creative edge they need to compete in the corporate world. Charna and her work is featured in Season XX of MTV's hit show The Real World.
Performing: Sat. June 11th @ 9 pm in "Beer Shark Mice: Del Close Award for the Advancement of Improvisation presented by Charna Halpern" in the Mainstage Theater.
4 PM - Cecelia Pleva - Casting Workshop
$26.50 - Register Online
Before moving to LA to cast for Jimmy Kimmel Live! Cecelia was the casting director for "Late Night with Conan O'Brien," Adult Swim's "Delocated" Robert Smigel's unaired cult-favorite "Prozo the Clown," Comedy Central's "Upright Citizen's Brigade" and "Strangers with Candy" "David Cross: Let America Laugh", and the independent film, Approaching Union Square.
Del Close Theater
10AM - Karen Graci - Trust Your Instincts
$26.50 - Register Online
Feel overwhelmed in scenes? Thinking too much? Doubting your instincts as a performer? This workshop specifically focuses on how natural, honest choices from the very first moment in scenes lead to solid scene work. Students will learn how to tap into the power of immediate physical, emotional, and vocal choices, and discover ways to create these organic starting points. This workshop challenges students to trust their instincts, all the while balancing character development, scenic relationships and game.
A proud native of Buffalo, NY, Karen performed with The Second City for more than three years. While touring with The Second City National Touring Company, Karen was grateful to perform in The Second City's first-ever USO Tour, entertaining American troops in Kuwait, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. She was also a resident cast member in 'The Best of Second City' at The Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. Karen also co-wrote and starred in the sold-out run of 'Camp Hot', a three person sketch show with Kay Cannon and Sarah Gee, featured at UCB LA and in the Los Angeles Improv Comedy Festival. Her one woman show, 'Potential', was a 2008 Del Close Award nominee for Best Scripted Show at iO. A veteran of ComedySportz and iO Chicago, Karen now performs with King Ten at iO West and teaches there as well.
12 PM - Michael Yurchak - Improv in Voice Over
$26.50 - Register Online
In this fun introduction to the world of voice over, participants will discuss and experience this elusive side of the business with 15-year veteran, Michael Yurchak, and see where the two worlds of V/O and improv meet. A full recording rig will allow individuals and groups to get up and work on current commercial and animation copy and explore different ways into each kind of read. We'll take a look at how being in the moment with the copy and your partner allows the best performances to shine through and book the jobs!
Michael Yurchak is an award winning voice over artist and has been working in the field for the last 15 years. A client of William Morris Endeavor, Michael's work includes every facet of the voice over world including: Animation (Trailer Trash, Last Airbender, Naruto); Commercials (Toys R Us, McDonald's, Volkswagen); Video Games (LA Noire, Ratchet and Clank, Lord of the Rings.); and Promo (Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network, ESPN). Michael has also recorded over 50 books-on-tape and received honors for best recording by an ensemble cast in 2009 and 20010 from Audiofile Magazine. In 2008, Michael was nominated for a New York News Emmy for his work on NY1.
2 PM - Zabeth Russell - Creating Characters
$26.50 SOLD OUT
Do you feel you often get stuck playing yourself on stage? Do you find yourself playing the same hackneyed characters again and again, and realize you've seen them before, from other people? Set yourself free from boring character work! In this workshop you'll learn to create new and interesting characters that are unique to you alone. Put them in your hip pocket, bring them on stage and learn techniques for creating brand new characters on the fly. Not only will you learn to manifest new characters on demand, but you'll work on making your character-based scenes better.
Zabeth Russell has been performing and teaching improv for years, you guys, years! She was a member of the artistic staff at ImprovBoston before landing at iOWest, where she regularly performs with Trophy Wife, Armando, IO Rep, and Middle Seat. She's performed and taught in improv and comedy festivals too numerous to mention. Recently she taught Harold technique in Austin, Texas, and scenework at the Women in Comedy Festival in Boston, Massachusetts. Film and TV credits include Jimmy Kimmel, Playboy TV's "The Stash," and the Clint Eastwood-directed Mystic River. You may have also seen her yell at Howie Mandel to quiet down in a commercial.
4 PM - Theresa Mulligan - Getting Started in TV Writing
$26.50 - Register Online
This two hour workshop on sitcom writing will explore how to break into the biz. More specifically - how to get your spec scripts noticed -- what makes a really great spec script "really great" -- how to get an agent -- how to prepare for general meetings and when meeting for a specific show -- how to handle the ins and outs of "staffing season" -- and what you need to know when you finally land the job. There will also be Q & A throughout the workshop to answer any questions specific to you. And there might also be candy.
Theresa Mulligan has written for numerous sitcoms including: How I Met Your Mother, Neighbors From Hell, The Loop and Southpark. She will be creating her own show for CBS this summer while working as Co-Executive Producer on the new NBC series "Whitney", starring Whitney Cummings.
6 PM - Amy Rhodes - Comedy Talk Show Writing
$26.50 - Register Online
Are you interested in writing comedy for a talk show? Amy will help you show you how to write both topical and evergreen jokes, monologues and show segment ideas. She'll discuss what goes in to a writing packet submission for different shows, and help you get started on creating your own submission.
Amy is a an Emmy award winning writer and performer. She is currently a staff writer for The Ellen DeGeneres Show. Prior to that she was a staff writer for the website "Funny Or Die." She's written for shows on MTV, Nickelodeon and sold an original sitcom pilot to The Oxygen Network. She's a teacher at Upright Citzens Brigade Theatre where she has performed on Harold Teams and in ASSSSCAT.
The Loft
10 AM - Lynn Trickey - Wants, Objectives and Tactics
$26.50 - Register Online
Ever find yourself in a scene and it just falls flat? You've defined the who, what, and where, checked off your improv "to do" list, but you end up stagnant, not knowing what to do next? You're probably not doing anything because your character doesn't need or care about anything in the scene. Let's fix that! In this workshop we'll focus on getting your characters to care - with character wants. We'll ground your characters in a truthful and playable "want" (or need or objective). We'll connect you to your partner by using tactics to get what you want from them right now! Having a strong want keeps the stakes high, your choices active, and makes you work moment to moment off of your partner. Let's explore these acting tools to create grounded, high stakes, exciting improvised scenes.
Lynn Trickey is an actor and improviser living in Los Angeles. Most recently, she appeared in The Three Feathers Theatre Company's inaugural production, "It's not Me, It's You." She performs every Tuesday night at 10pm at iO West with the Harold team BANDIT. Her team Big Bennessy often plays at iO as well as other venues including the 2010 Boston Improv Festival and the 2009/2010 Los Angeles Improv Festivals. Lynn coaches the Harold team "Key Party" which can be seen Friday nights in the Del Close Theatre. www.lynntrickey.com
12 PM - Eric Hunicutt - Script Analysis for Improvisers
$26.50 - Register Online
Mining a scene for information is a skill all actors must develop. The tools we use in improv are just as applicable to scripted work to build Character, Context, Relationship, Patterns, Game. Often times, however, approaching the written word can feel intimidating and restrictive - we can't just say whatever we want. This workshop applies the tools and techniques of improvised scene work to scripted material, focusing on how to break down a scene, build character, and find the same sense of freedom in our scripted work as we have in our improv.
Eric Hunicutt has been performing scripted and improvised theatre continuously since he was 15 years old: everything from Shakespeare at Lincoln Center to sketch comedy in dive bars (with countless improv shows throughout). Eric has studied and performed with Improv Olympic (iO) Chicago, The Second City Chicago, Comedy Sportz, Steppenwolf, and is a proud alumnus of The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He is a working actor and director in film, TV, theatre, and performs weekly at iO West with Sweetness, as well as touring nationally with the acclaimed Chicago-based ensemble The Reckoning. Directing credits include shows at The Comedy Central Stage, iO West, Piccolo Spoleto Festival, The Lost Studio, The Second City (L.A. & Chicago),The Upright Citizens' Brigade Theateres (NYC & L.A.), and the University of California San Diego. In addition to teaching at iO West, Eric currently teaches at Steppenwolf Classes West, Warner Loughlin Studios, Cal State University's Summer Arts program, and recently served as a Guest Faculty Member/Director at UC San Diego.
2 PM - Molly Prather - One Person Show Workshop
$26.50 - Register Online
If you've ever had the inkling to do a solo show, this workshop is for you. This two hour session will focus on the importance of storytelling and structure.
Molly is a writer and performer living in Los Angeles. Her television credit's include How I Met Your Mother, The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson, and TMZ. Her solo shows That Girl and Fuck! Marry! Kill! have played at UCB LA & NY, Comedy Central Stage, IO West, Toronto's Impatient Theater and the Piccolo Fringe Festival and have been named "BEST THING TO DO LA" -LA Weekly, "COMEDY PICK" - LA Times Brand X, "COMEDY PICK OF THE WEEK" -LA Weekly, "TO DO" -Backstage, and "LAist FAVE" - LAist.
4 PM - Erin McGathy - You Play Like A Girl!
$26.50 - Register Online
All improvisers are created equal, however, as women we can fall into some bad character habits (ditsy girlfriend, miffed housewife, underwater prostitute). Escape your self-imposed pink cage and play with the brazen confidence you have boiling inside you!
*This is a workshop about playing fearlessly...and could easily include men. It just doesn't.
Erin McGathy has been performing both short and long-form Improv for Over 10 years. She is a regular performer at both the iO West and the UCB Theatre, performing most nights of the week. Erin has taught numerous workshops to improvisers of all ages on both coasts ("I refuse to teach in the mid-west! Hahahah, just kidding!"). She is a 3 year member of the acclaimed Harold team, Local 132, the iO Reperatory and the festival touring genre improv group, "The Kind Strangers". Erin can be seen regularly at the UCB Theatre Los Angeles, telling revealing stories about her exes in her show, "This Feels Terrible: The Love Show" or performing with her sketch group, Bonafide! And she is tall and she smells great!
6 PM - Erin McGathy - Improvising FEARLESSLY
$26.50 - Register Online
Second guessing your choices only to find the moment has passed? Standing on the sidelines or regretting not making the move that would have brought the house down? Whether you have always been a timid player or are just going through a fearful phase, everyone needs a "fearless re-boot". Look that Improv monster right in the eye and say, "I will destroy you and your monster family!"...or just take this workshop. Leave feeling rejuvenated, ready to tackle any scene with reckless abandon and reap the rewards.
Erin McGathy has been performing both short and long-form Improv for Over 10 years. She is a regular performer at both the iO West and the UCB Theatre, performing most nights of the week. Erin has taught numerous workshops to improvisers of all ages on both coasts ("I refuse to teach in the mid-west! Hahahah, just kidding!"). She is a 3 year member of the acclaimed Harold team, Local 132, the iO Reperatory and the festival touring genre improv group, "The Kind Strangers". Erin can be seen regularly at the UCB Theatre Los Angeles, telling revealing stories about her exes in her show, "This Feels Terrible: The Love Show" or performing with her sketch group, Bonafide! And she is tall and she smells great!
|
 |