Nick Armstrong is a Writer, Director, Producer and Actor. He is a member and officer of The AV Club Productions, Inc. (www.theavclub.tv) an online website and community that make Web TV, Shorts and Television content. As an Actor Nick has found success on stage as well as television making regular appearances on Jimmy Kimmel Live! and even showing up on the Emmy-Award winning show The Office. Onstage Nick performs regularly at the iO West, in Hollywood, Ca. As a Director, Nick recently won The New York Television Festivals (NYTVF) Best Director honor for Team A.P.O.C.A.L.Y.P.S.E. For more information, you can visit his website at www.nickarmstrong.com.

Performing: Tues. June 8th @ 9 pm in "Kind Stranger Presents: Tennessee Williams" in the Mainstage Theater, Tues. June 8th @ 10 pm in "IO Rep Presents: Concept Album" in the Mainstage Theater.

2PM - Mike Betette - Get out of your head and into the scene
$26.50 - Register Online

Learn to play truthfully and react emotionally. Stop worrying and planning while you're in a scene! Stop forcing yourself into moves that feel unnatural, they hurt you and your audience. Start making sure every scene you're apart of is honest, fun and rewarding.

Mike Betette is an improviser living in Los Angeles by way of Chicago. He has performed across the country with Mission IMPROVable and on a cruise ship around the world with The Second City. He currently performs at iOwest with Trophy Wife and iOrep and is a teacher at Mi's Westside Comedy Theater. Mike has co-produced two improv game show pilots for CBS starring Craig Ferguson and was the lead in an improvised film "Hitting The Nuts: The True Story of the 2009 Scott County Series of Poker" due out this summer.

Performing: Tues. June 8th @ 10 pm in "IO Rep Presents: Concept Album" in the Mainstage Theater.

$26.50 - Register Online

Do you feel trapped inside the Harold? Bogged down in with the form and not having any fun? Making choices out of obligation and not inspiration? Its okay, you aren't alone. We will show you the fundamentals needed to find your own voice inside of the form, help you put the joy back in your work and most importantly, help you do great work, consistently. This 1 day intensive workshop will focus on OPENINGS, THEMES and TRANSITIONS. All the basic tools you need to transcend the form and make the Harold your own, because great shows are way better than crappy ones. GET SOME FUN!

Annie 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 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.

Performing: Mon. June 7th @ 10 pm in "Now? w/ Annie & Levin" in the Loft Theater, Wed. June 9th @ 9 pm in "A Night of Intimate Harolds: USS Rock N Roll / Sweetness" in the Loft, and Thurs. June 10th @ 8:30 pm in "The Avengers" in the Andy Dick Theater.

The Loft

10AM - Doug Karo - WRITING TALKSHOW DESKPIECES
$26.50

"Top Ten Lists", "In the Year 2000", "Carnac", "Headlines", "If They Mated", "New Rules" are all classic talk show bits that have almost nothing in common other than the fact that they are all "Deskpieces." This workshop breaks down the art of creating and writing deskpieces for talk shows.

This class is taught by Doug Karo who hosts "Deskpiece Nation" at the iO and whose credits include: The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Fox Reality and Sprint's New Media.

12PM - Aaron Krebs - LET THE SCENE FIND YOU
$26.50 - Register Online

This workshop is for performers who are looking to be challenged to take their scene work to the next level. We will focus on fine tuning the philosophical approach to good scenes. What makes a great scene? Let's find out. We will work with scene mechanics while staying open to what the scene is telling us to do. We'll work on listening to the scene from moment one. Play the scene that is...not the scene you wish it was.

Aaron Krebs, from Texas by way of Chicago, has been involved with improv for over 17 years. He is founder/co owner of the National Improv Touring Company, Mission IMPROVable, where he performed in such noted comedy festivals as: Chicago Improv Festival, L.A. Improv Festival, Memphis Comedy Fest, Orlando Fool's Festival, Great Lakes Comedy Fest, Big Stinkin Improv Festival, as well as others. Aaron has trained, performed, and taught with the Improv Olympic and The Westside Comedy Theater. In addition Aaron founded the AK Workshops actor's network. www.aarontkrebs.com

Performing: Tues. June 8th @ 10 pm in "Mission IMPROVable" in the Mainstage Theater, and Tues. June 8th @ 11 pm in "Trans Fat Orchestra" in the Loft Theater.

2PM - JD Walsh- THE BEGINNING OF SCENES
$26.50

How do the choices you make in the first few moments effect the rest of the scene or the entire show? The workshop will focus on individual's confidence and the decisions they make from the moment they step forward to improvise. This workshop is not for beginners , it's for the improviser who would like to become a stronger performer. JD Walsh was the founder of Ultimate Improv in Westwood, CA and has been teaching improv for 16 years in Southern California.

JD, a graduate of UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television has performed in over 50 national commercials, TV shows such as CSI, Studio 60, FX's The League and films from Love Liza to Bad Boys 2. In 1999 JD opened Ultimate, a theatre that believes Improv/Comedy does not need to be fast, loud and soulless but instead takes patience, risk and heart. He has been a visiting instructor at the Globe Theater in San Diego as well as teaching improv workshops in Chicago, New Zealand, Boston and New York. JD is currently developing a pilot he wrote with Radical Media as well as producing and judging Improv Olympic's X-ecution.

4PM - Pete Hulne - Working In And With The Space
$26.50 - Register Online

The class will consist of a scene study of the relationships that coincide with the environment you create. Mostly thinking outside the box when it comes to Improv. No talking heads need apply. This is for improvisers who are interested in staying in the moment and creating, rather then being funny which hardly ever works for the new Improviser. You will be creating a believable location and using objects that work for your character with lots of space work!

Peter Hulne is from Chicago and has been doing Improvisation since 1989 when he heard about the Harold at Improv Olympic. He mastered his skills at the Annoyance Theatre, Second City and Columbia College. He toured with the Second City touring Co. and has been on countless I.o. teams such as Corky's Callback, The Family and currently BeerSharkMice. He is known for his physical improv play form being a shirt in a dry cleaners to a mountain lion and everything in between. It was once told that he was the one that invented slo-mo fighting on stage. God's truth ask Matt Walsh from UCB.

Performing: Sat. June 12th @ 9 pm in "The Family: Del Close Award for the Advancement of Improvisation presented by Charna Halpern" in the Mainstage Theater.

Wednesday, June 9th 2010

Main Stage

12 PM - Patrick Ian Moore - The Art of Mime Crash-Course Workshop
$26.50 - Register Online

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.

Performing: Fri. June 11th @ 11:30 pm in "BOOK CLUB presents 'Twilight' " in the Andy Dick Theater.

2 PM - Eric Stonestreet - The Business Of Show Business
$26.50 - Register Online

Many forget that this is a BUSINESS. This workshop will focus just on that. Bring any and all questions you have about anything "show business" and Eric will give you his 14 year perspective and advise. This is a great opportunity to listen to, talk to, and ask questions of someone who has experienced the ups and downs of Hollywood.

Born and raised in Kansas City, Eric Stonestreet grew up far from the bright lights of Los Angeles. As a young man raising pigs, he never would have imagined that he would end up an actor in Los Angeles. But while at Kansas State University, studying to be a prison administrator, a friend dared him to audition for the play Prelude to a Kiss. Stonestreet was cast in the play (in the smallest role) and was, as they say, bitten by the bug. After graduating with a degree in Sociology, he moved to Chicago to study and perform theatre and improv, spending two years doing television commercials and studying with IO Chicago and The Second City before moving further west. While he continued doing commercial work, Stonestreet built an impressive resume of memorable characters on shows including Dharma & Greg, Malcolm in the Middle, Party of Five, Spin City, ER, The West Wing, American Dad, Providence, Close to Home, Crossing Jordan and Bones. His most notable character is from his recurring turn as Ronnie Litre, the questionable documents tech on the original CSI. Stonestreet was a series regular in the Fox pilot 13 Graves and has most recently guest starred in The Mentalist, NCIS, Nip/Tuck and Pushing Daisies. On the big screen he played Sheldon, the hotel desk clerk, in Cameron Crowe's Almost Famous, and in 2003 he starred in IFC'S cult classic Girls Will Be Girls, which was an official selection to the Sundance Film Festival. Over his 13 year career, Stonestreet is most proud of the friends he's made along the way and thankful for the support and encouragement he's had from his mother and father. He considers himself "just a guy from Kansas who is fortunate enough to have opportunities to be on TV" In his spare time he enjoys playing the drums, taking pictures, driving and nature. He shares his success and Valley Village, California home with his best friend and right-hand man, Coleman Hawkins, his dog.

Performing: Fri. June 11th @ 8 pm in "The Armando Show w/ Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet" in the Mainstage Theater.

4 PM - Danny Pudi- TV and Improv
$26.50 - SOLD OUT

This workshop will be using actual scenes for the show Community that students will learn how to find improv opportunities with; along with a Q & A session, this is a great opportunity to get the inside scoop on working on a television series.

Performing: Wed. June 9th @ 8 pm in "The Armando Show w/ Community's Danny Pudi" in the Mainstage Theater.

Andy Dick Theater

12 PM - Frank Payne- Use Improv to get that Commercial Gig!
$26.50

The goal of this workshop is to start getting you out of your actor head and play in your improv mind and not to worry about the words. You'll learn to define which are important to you and the client. We will review basic choices that we have forgotten. Exploit your improvisation talents and get the gig!

Frank Payne has taught successful Commercial classes, seminars and workshops for about the last ten years. His career start at The Players Workshop and soon took him to the Improv Olympic where he studied with Del Close, Adam McKay, Chris Farley, etc. and then to The Second City where he ended up working for Bizco (The Tombstone Twosome Tour across America) and The Second City Radio Comedy Hour. Opened his own theatre, BroadShoulders -- owned the Chicagoland rights to TheatreSports. Del introduced him to his first acting coach, Barbara Harris (Tony Winner/Oscar Nominated). Frank has appeared in around 300 Commercial spots for Television, Radio and New Media. He has Hosted two television shows, bunches of guest star, co-star and film roles. He recently produced the live action feature, Jack and the Beanstalk starring Chevy Chase, Katy Segal, Chloe Moretz, James Earl Jones, and Wallace Shawn. Frank has earned Ten Guinness World Records.

2 PM - Pam Thomas - Career Guidance Workshop
$26.50 - Register Online

In this two hour workshop, you will be guided to the next level of your career. You will gain the benefit of experienced management in two intense hours. Pam will review your bio( or help you write one) resume and demo to get you ready for the biggest turnaround in the comedy industry in years. Be professionally prepared to be taken seriously in this business of laughter so you can design a rewarding career. Surprise guest speaker! The Breakdowns will be explained from a casting point of view and a review of all the promotional materials needed to market your talent plus the ambitious attitude necessary. One on one phone consultation is included with specific career questions answered. Learn the business side of an industry that appears to be nothing but fun. You can make lots of money, bring joy and happiness into people's lives while following your bliss. Let Ms. Thomas tell you how to do it.

Pamela Thomas is a 20 year comedy industry professional who has worked in a variety of capacities in the comedy industry. Story analyst( Norman Jewison),casting director ( SNL ),producer (Kids in the Hall, I'm with Busey)and personal manager.(Jamie Kennedy, Maya Rudolph)She has held development positions at Lorne Michael's Broadway Video, Universal Studios and HBO. Pam discovered talent such as Mike Meyers, Adam Sandler, Chris Farley, Will Ferrell and Kids in the Hall. As a manager/producer she has had numerous clients on Saturday Night Live,Comedy Central,Fox, VH1, NBC and CBS. MS Thomas also developed series with her clients as well as internet series ,one of which was nominated for an Emmy. She has recently been sharing her experience and knowledge teaching at the Humber College Comedy/Performing Arts school in Toronto. Pam also teaches workshops at IO West and in Chicago on the business side of the comedy entertainment industry.

4 PM - Jon Crowley & Josh Dubose - Heightening The Scene
$26.50 - Register Online

Jon Crowley and Josh DuBose draw on their experience to guide improvisers on how to heighten scenes. They'll focus on creating strong character wants and needs, how to use a walk-on to heighten a scene but not steal it and how treating mundane situations with the greatest of importance can elevate a given scenario.

Jon Crowley is a improviser and actor who has lived in LA for the past 9 years. He grew up in Chicago where he study improv at the IO and The Second City. Jon performs on the teams King Ten and Spirit Fingers at the IO West. You can see him on such shows as Monk and My Boys (plus a couple of failed pilots) or at the IO bar.

Performing: Mon. June 7th @ 8 pm in "The Armando Show w/ OK GO's Tim Nordwind" in the Mainstage Theater, Wed. June 9th @ 10 pm in "A Night of Intimate Harolds: King Ten" in the Loft Theater, Thurs. June 10th @ 8 pm in "The Armando Show w/ The Office's Angela Kinsey" in the Mainstage Theater, Fri. June 11th @ 9:30 pm in "Spirit Fingers" in the Andy Dick Theater, and Sat. June 12th @ 8 pm in "The Armando Show w/ Jimmy Kimmel" in the Mainstage Theater.

The Loft Theater

10 AM - Suzy Nakamura - Improvisors and the Scripted Audition
$26.50

Sometimes, being an improvisor is a valuable skill for movies and TV. But what if someone wants to hire you as an actor? Or for a dramatic role? Use the skills you acquire as an improvisor and make them work for you at auditions - without going off script. You'll discover that working with scripted material is a creative process too. Learn how to analyze sides and make your character stand out from the rest. Have a scene or sides that you're working on? Bring 'em.

THIS WORKSHOP IS LIMITED TO 15 STUDENTS.

Suzy Nakamura started in Chicago with the National Touring Company of The Second City, and then opened The Second City Detroit. She's done more than a dozen pilots and over 50 guest stars for television. She's had a number of series regular roles for short-lived comedies, but she is best known for her recurring roles on shows like The West Wing, Curb Your Enthusiasm, 10 Things I Hate About You, Men of a Certain Age, and Modern Family.

12 PM - Michael Hughes - Sketch Success: How to Direct a Sketch Show
$26.50

Directing a sketch show involves many different elements - from casting to running order to technical factors to script rewrites. This workshop will guide you on how to draw the best performances from your cast and will walk you through all the factors you need to put together a sketch show that rocks.

MIKE HUGHES is the director and co-executive producer of iO West's award-winning news-based sketch comedy show Top Story! Weekly. He has directed over 100 sketch shows at iO West over the past three years and has also directed shows at such other venues as UCB and the Westside Comedy Theater. Mike has studied acting with Uta Hagen and Howard Fine and has worked in sketch shows with such talent as Simon Helberg ("Big Bang Theory") and Masi Oka ("Heroes"). Mike can also be seen having the most fun he's ever had improvising when performing at iO West with Those Who Oppose Us Will Stand Knee Deep in the Blood of Their Children.

www.topstoryweekly.com

Performing: Mon. June 7th @ 11 pm in "Sketch Cage Match Round 1: Top Story! Weekly VS. Moon County" in the Mainstage Theater, and Fri. June 11th @ 8:30 pm in "Those Who Oppose Us Will Stand Knee Deep In The Blood of Their Children" in the Mainstage Theater.

Thursday, June 10th 2010

Main Stage

10AM - Kate Flannery - Improv for TV
$26.50 - SOLD OUT

Kate plays Meredith, the drunk, on NBC's the Office. She's an IO alum and a former Second City Tour Co. alum as well as Chicago's Annoyance Theater. Her comedy lounge act, the Lampshades is still running in Hollywood at the Improv Olympic West, and in the Rudy Casoni Show with Toby Huss and is the Dan Band's favorite opening act. Kate is also a writer and a Gemini so say Happy Birthday when you see her in June. Kate can be seen as Harper's mom on Wizards of Waverly Place this season.
www.theLampshades.com

Performing: Wed. June 9th @ 9 pm in "The Lampshades" in the Mainstage Theater.

12PM - Levin O'Connor & Annie Hoff - Improvise Naked

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!

Annie 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, coa www.nowimprov.com

Annie 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.

Performing: Mon. June 7th @ 10 pm in "Now? w/ Annie & Levin" in the Loft Theater, Wed. June 9th @ 9 pm in "A Night of Intimate Harolds: USS Rock N Roll / Sweetness" in the Loft, and Thurs. June 10th @ 8:30 pm in "The Avengers" in the Andy Dick Theater.

$26.50 - Register Online

This workshop will help you find your "signature voice" so you can effectively prepare to make your own voiceover demo reel. We'll work on applying your improv skills to the scripted voiceover copy and go over the tricks of the trade so that when you get your first voiceover audition you'll already seem like a pro. You'll figure out how to give it life off the page-- so you book the gig.

Amanda Philipson's voice is represented by William Morris Endeavor and has worked steadily in commercials, promos, videogames, and animation for years. Lately, you've heard Amanda counting down sexy things on the E! channel, telling you to "Please Drink Responsibly" at the end of beer ads, marveling at the awesomeness of various McDonalds foods, promoting the benefits of Willy Wonka candies, getting killed in a bunch of video games, opening Secret Girlfriend on Comedy Central, and doing celebrity "tributes" for MTV's Popzilla.

Performing: Mon. June 7th @ 8 pm in "The Armando Show w/ OK GO's Tim Nordwind" in the Mainstage Theater.

4PM - Pat Finn - Advanced Environment and Scene Work
$26.50 - Register Online

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.

Andy Dick Experimental Black Box Theater

10AM - Matt Lawrence - Group Chemistry

The Canadian Improv Showcase has been successfully touring for over 13 years. They will reach 600 performance this year! They do not have a home theatre to perform at every week, their bookings are based upon word-of-mouth advertising and the merit of their website. That means they are doing something right. In actual fact they do many things right and one of their keys to success is group chemistry. With that, they are pleased to present their workshop focusing on group chemistry. Come and explore their world and discover what it takes to foster the kind of tight knit group that allows a group of 14 performers (4 to 6 perform per showcase) to always be in-sync and at their best at all times. ** This workshop may be recorded for promotional or documentary purposes. **

Workshop Instructors: Matthew R. Lawrence Alan Harrington Adrianne Marcucci Adam Risbridger Tony Babcock Shauna Wiley

Performing: Thurs. June 10th @ 8 pm in "Canadian Improv Showcase" in the Loft Theater.

12PM - Mike Coleman - The Group Mind in Long Form Improvisation

$26.50 - Register Online

*Please note that this Workshop is for Advanced Improvisers only.

Michael Coleman is a talented and versatile actor whose extensive career has spanned across television, film and theater. A native of Chicago, Coleman is a veteran in the world of improvisation. He has been a member of the Annoyance Theater and the Improv Olympic West, appearing in numerous plays and improvised shows. Presently, he can be seen in the IO West shows, Beer Shark Mice and ArmandoDiaz.

Coleman has been featured in many films, including "How High?," "American Wedding" and "Wake Up Ron Burgundy." Coleman has also co-starred in a myriad of critically acclaimed television shows, including "My Boys," "Bernie Mac," "Arrested Development," "Monk," "The Naked Trucker & T-Bones Show" and "Curb Your Enthusiasm." In his spare time, Coleman enjoys playing bass for the up-and-coming alternative rock band Chuck Valiant.

Performing: Fri. June 11th @ 8 pm in "The Armando Show w/ Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet " in the Mainstage Theater.

2 PM - Liz Allen - Discovering Ensemble
$26.50 - Register Online

In a true ensemble, no one should feel trapped on the sidelines, and no one should feel the need to run the show. Creating a true ensemble does not happen by accident, it's a deliberate decision by the individuals in the group. In this workshop, you'll experience how being self-less in an ensemble actually gets you more attention, how to select an ensemble best for you, and how to play in group with people you think are idiots. Discover what it takes to submit to an ensemble, because without ensemble, long-form means nothing.

Liz has been teaching, directing, coaching and performing improv since 1991. She performed with IOChicago's Frank Booth, creating shows such as Frank Booth in the Blue Velvet Lounge and Harold on the Holyrood, performed at the 1995 Fringe Festival in Edinburgh. Liz was Director of IOChicago's Training Center, and a founding member of The Roadshow touring company. She coached IOChicago's teams Valhalla, Mission Improvable, and Fatty Four Eyes, and directed numerous shows, including The Two Horsemen, Big Guy/Little Guy, and Smellfungus. Liz is very proud to have won the Del Close "Coach of the Year" Award at IOChicago in 1999, 2000, and 2001...now named the "Liz Allen Coach of the Year Award." The award is especially meaningful to Liz, having been taught and directed by Del Close for many years. In 2006, Liz co-wrote Improvising Better: A Guide for the Working Improviser (Heineman) with Jimmy Carrane, after co-creating their popular Individual Assessment Workshop. Working with The Second City in Las Vegas, she directed their first fully-improvised mainstage revue at the Flamingo. Liz currently lives in Vegas with her family.

4PM - Matt Craig - IMPROV DIAGNOSIS
$26.50 - Register Online

Discover what type of improviser you are using a simplified structure that will enable you to approach scene work in a whole new way. In this comprehensive workshop, we will categorize your strengths and weaknesses in a method that I have been developing for over ten years. You will leave this workshop able to identify yourself as either a proactive or reactive improviser, and why, and then be able to take away the positive and negative implications of both. After this workshop, participants will be able to pinpoint their strengths as an improviser, but also determine their weaknesses so that all who take it will become fully-rounded, unstoppable, improvising juggernauts.

Matt Craig began his career at Washington University with the troupe Mama's Pot Roast. Previous theater credits include The Annoyance, iO, iOWest, Disney Cruise Lines, Brave New Workshop, The Second City Touring Company, The Second City ETC, and The Second City Mainstage. Recent television credits include According To Jim and The Office. He is currently a member of the faculty at the Second City Training Center and iO West and works for Norwegian Cruise Lines writing and directing sketch comedy that is performed all over the world. He currently resides in Los Angeles with his lovely wife Rebecca and his baby daughter Phoebe.

The Loft

10AM - Mike McCarthy - Talk Show
$26.50 - Register Online

This workshop includes everything students need to create a talk show oriented writing portfolio: two-liners, topical joke writing, commentary monologues, character monologues, desk pieces, remote segments, audience interaction, and more.

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.

12PM - Mike McCarthy - SNL Packet
$26.50 - Register Online

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.

2PM - Mark-Alan Harmon - Actor's Style School
$26.50

Did you know that the audition starts the moments you walk in the room? Casting directors are judging your performance even before you open your mouth. They know what they are looking for and so should you. This workshop is designed to get you the part before your performance ever begins.

Mark-Alan Harmon (www.mark-alan.com) has been doing wardrobe styling for 15 years. He has styled actors, musicians, and executives. His experience has landed him on many television shows doing his vision for style. Style Network: Style Court, How Do I Look?, The Look 4 Less. NBC: Fashion correspondant for YourLA, Lifetime: Head to Toe, CNN: Showbiz Tonight.

4PM - Rob Mello- Meisner in Improv
$26.50 - Register Online

In this workshop, we will explore the use of the Meisner acting technique and its application to improvised scene work for the stage. We'll focus on scene work that is organic, truthful and grounded while approaching the "relationship driven" scene in a truly unique and daring way.

Robert has taught this unique and highly effective Meisner-based acting technique and approach to improvisation for the stage for the past 15 years, and has coached or trained recipients of both the Tony award and the Emmy. He created the critically acclaimed improvised show, "Naked" featuring Stephanie Weir and Jimmy Carrane, directed "FATTY" for the Second City ETC, and for the last two years, directed and created THE BED and THE BED 2: Full-Size. His students work regularly in film and television, off-Broadway and Broadway. He is currently the VP of Development for Hazy Mills Productions and has produced or developed both comedy and drama pilots and scripts for FOX, FX, The CW, Showtime and CBS. His experience both in front of, and behind the camera brings a unique perspective to his classes that few other teachers can offer.

Friday, June 11th 2010

Main Stage

10 AM - Miles Stroth - Power Listening
$26.50 - Register Online

In this workshop I first 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.

Miles was a member of the seminal improv team The Family, directed by Del Close, created and introduced 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 been at this for 21 years.

Performing: Sat. June 12th @ 9 pm in "The Family: Del Close Award for the Advancement of Improvisation presented by Charna Halpern" in the Mainstage Theater.

12 PM - Craig Cackowski - Harold in the 21st Century
$26.50 - Register Online

What will Harold look like in the 21st century? Wait a minute, we're in the 21st century...why doesn't Harold look like this yet?

Craig Cackowski has been involved with iO as a performer, teacher, and director since 1992. He may be seen every Thursday at iO West in his long-running three-man longform show, Dasariski. Film and television appearances include Community, Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Year of the Dog.

Performing: Wed. June 9th @ 8 pm in "The Armando Show w/ Community's Danny Pudi" in the Mainstage Theater, Thurs. June 10th @ 9 pm in "Quartet" in the Mainstage Theater, Friday June 11th @ 8 pm in "The Armando Show w/ Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet in the Mainstage Theater, Fri. June 11th @ 10:30 pm in "Shootin' The Shit w/ EJ featuring Craig Cackowski and Ike Barinholtz" in the Andy Dick Theater, Sat. June 12th @ 9 pm in "My First Time with Cacky w/ Samm Levine" in the Loft Theater, and Sat. June 12th @ 10 pm in "The Armando Show w/ Jimmy Kimmel" in the Mainstage Theater.

2 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 12th @ 9 pm in "The Family: Del Close Award for the Advancement of Improvisation presented by Charna Halpern" in the Mainstage Theater.

4 PM - Holly Laurent - JTS Brown
$26.50 - Register Online

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. Holly has been teaching JTS in the upper levels of the i.O. training center since 2006. She enjoys helping students take the fundamentals of JTS and develop new moves based on its inspiration.

Note: Students should have a minimum experience of Level 3 in iOWest training center.

Holly Laurent is a writer and actor hailing from Chicago. She is a member of the improv group The Reckoning, with whom she recently completed the pilot Ditch Mitchem: Writer Detective. Film credits include The Strip, Bicentennial Curious and American Legacy, and writing credits include I Live Next Door to Horses and Sitting at the Grown Up Table. She has been featured as part of Serendipity Theatre Collective's Second Story series and frequently works with Chicago's Second City Mainstage, e.t.c., and touring company. Holly holds a MA in Interdisciplinary Arts from Columbia College and her BA in Acting from Anderson University.

Andy Dick Experimental Black Box Theater

10 AM - Brandon Sornberger - Keeping it Real: Improv that Doesn't Look Like Improv
$26.50 - Register Online

Improv is hard. And audiences tune out when it's forced and ungrounded. Make it easier on yourself and more enjoyable for your audience by using your own experiences, beliefs and memories. Don't worry about being witty; just focus on being you.

Brandon is originally from serene Upstate New York. He has performed and taught improvisational comedy in New York City, Boston, Chicago, and now Los Angeles. He can be seen at IO West in the critically-acclaimed Armando Diaz Experience, playing with the improv juggernaut Powerhouse, and in the Babelgum series, "Date-A-Human." He currently weighs 142 pounds.

Performing: Mon. June 7th @ 8 pm in "The Armando Show w/ OK GO's Tim Nordwind" in the Mainstage Theater, Mon. June 7th @ 9:30 pm in "Powerhouse" in the Andy Dick Theater, Tues. June 8th @ 10 pm in "The IO Rep presents: Concept Album" in the Mainstage Theater, Thurs. June 10th @ 8 pm in "The Armando Show w/ The Office's Angela Kinsey" in the Mainstage Theater, and Sat. June 12th @ 8 pm in "Chris Farley Award & Armando Show Presented to EJ Scott by True Blood's Deborah Ann Woll" in the Mainstage Theater.

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 improvising since he was 15, beginning with ComedySportz in his hometown of Raleigh, NC. Since then, Eric has worked and studied in Chicago and Los Angeles, performing and training with The Second City, Improv Olympic, The Steppenwolf Theater, working in improvised & scripted theatre, sketch comedy, tv, and film - as an actor, writer, director, and teacher. Currently, Eric performs at iO West with Sweetness, tours with Chicago's acclaimed ensemble The Reckoning, and recently premiered an original sketch comedy Sitting at The Grown Up Table. Eric's taught across the country at festivals, theatres, and colleges, and teaches in L.A. at iO West, Warner Loughlin Studios, AK Workshops, The American Academy of Dramatic Art, and Steppenwolf Classes West. For more info: www.erichunicutt.com

Performing: Tues. June 8th @ 10 pm in "The IO Rep presents: Concept Album" in the Mainstage Theater, Thurs. June 10th @ 10 pm in "Sweats presents: 'tards!" in the Mainstage Theater, Wed. June 9th @ 9 pm in "A Night of Intimate Harolds: USS Rock N Roll/ Sweetness" in the Loft Theater and Fri. June 11th @ 11 pm in "The Reckoning" in the Mainstage Theater.

2 PM - Mike Coen - First Moments
$26.50 - Register Online

We will focus on the initial moments of scenes. All of the work of successful scenes are sown in our opening moments, we will focus on those moments to our improv delights.

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.

Performing: Sat. June 12th @7 pm in "Cardinal Crushing's Kids" in the Loft Theater, and Sat. June 12th @ 8 pm in "Chris Farley Award & Armando Show Presented to EJ Scott by True Blood's Deborah Ann Woll" in the Mainstage Theater.

4 PM - Suzi Barrett - Scenes with a Point
$26.50 - Register Online

Practice driving your scenes with a strong point-of-view. Learn to decide what your character wants, and react from there. We will also explore game and pattern as a way to ground and focus scenes.

Suzi Barrett has been performing improv for over ten years-- most notably at io, iowest, UCB, and Boom Chicago in Amsterdam. Now in LA, she performs with iowest house team Sweetness, and UCB house team Sentimental Lady. She's been teaching and coaching in LA for the last 3 years.

Performing: Wed. June 9th @ 9 pm in "A Night of Intimate Harolds: USS Rock N Roll/ Sweetness" in the Loft Theater, and Sat. June 12th @ 8 pm in "Pickle Duck" in the Loft Theater.

The Loft

10 AM - John Hindman - SCREENWRITING WORKSHOP
$26.50 - Register Online

This workshop reviews the tools you need to write a screenplay and also address some of the common pitfalls, mistakes, and miscalculations that writers make. Many great ideas never make it because the writer didn't have a grasp on the basics of cinematic story telling and the art of screenwriting.

John Hindman is the founder of the iO West Writing Program, now in its sixth year. He has written for both television and film. As a story consultant he has provided analysis for studios, producers, and of course his students. He is the writer/director of "The Dream of the Romans", starring Jeff Daniels, Lauren Graham, and Lou Taylor Pucci, which wrapped in May '08. John's work was recently included on Hollywood's "Black List", a year-end list of the best screenplays. You can view the trailer for his film "Arlen Faber " HERE.

12 PM - Rebecca Sage Allen - CREATING BELIEVABLE CHARACTERS
$26.50 - Register Online

This workshop will give you tools to create characters both in the moment of an improv scene and in your writing. The class will focus on characters that are more complex than average. It will get you thinking outside your normal range and hopefully start to create a catalog of go-to characters.

Rebecca Sage Allen is a graduate of the University of the Arts with a degree in Musical Theater. Rebecca is a recent alum of The Second City ETC stage in Chicago and has also performed for Second City on two NCL ships, and traveled the world with the Second City touring Company, including a USO tour to Iraq. She is a company member of Baby Wants Candy with whom she attended two Edinburgh Fringe Festivals (Pick of the Fringe). She currently performs with the improv ensemble CatNip! and most recently appeared in the film I Want Someone to Eat Cheese With, the television series In the Motherhood, and is a regular on the animated series SuperNews! Rebecca is currently a teacher at Second City LA, and has taught for iO Chicago, Spark Creative, and was an artist in residence at The University of Virginia.

 

Performing: Fri. June 11th @ 10 pm in "The Bed: Remade" in the Loft Theater.

 

 

 

2 PM - Phillip Wilburn - IMPRESSIONS
$26.50 - Register Online

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 has done voice work for Dragon Ball Z on the Cartoon Network and The Tonight Show with Conan O'Brien. Phillip also produces and stars in viral videos. His video "Leave General Petraeus Alone" was on MSNBC's Countdown with Keith Olbermann and used to open a speech by President Bush, and the video was also featured on Hardball with Chris Matthews. Phillip has also been seen on How I Met Your Mother on CBS and ABC's The Middle. Phillip can be seen on stage in Top Story! Weekly at the IO West every Sunday night at 9. Check all this out at www.phillipwilburn.com

Performing: Mon. June 7th @ 11 pm in "Sketch Cage Match Round 1: Top Story! Weekly VS. Moon County" in the Mainstage Theater.

4PM - Ed Lee - TV Comedy Writing
$26.50 - Register Online

Ed Lee hosts writers from past, present, and upcoming TV comedy series who will discuss the gritty details of the business and share stories of working in comedy writers' rooms. The first hour will be a panel discussion, and the second hour will be Q&A.

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 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 is now writing for an upcoming top-secret animated series.

 

 

 

Saturday, June 12th 2010

Main Stage

10 AM - Douglas Sarine - HOW TO PLAY WITH YOURSELF: Improvising for the Internet
$26.50 - Register Online

This workshop will explore the practical techniques for improvising with a webcam. How to access onstage, performance level creativity and energy when you're alone. It will cover one-sided conversations, monologues and hosting.

Notes: Can take up to 20 people. This workshop will be videotaped. Participants will be emailed a link to their webcam performances after the workshop. Please wear comfortable clothes and come ready to move. Recommended for people with at least some improv experience

Douglas Sarine is an Award-winning writer and performer who specializes in new media entertainment. In addition to being the co-creator of Ask A Ninja, Douglas has written, performed or produced on dozen's of webseries including Easy To Assemble, A Good Knight's Quest and Rocketboom. Offline, Douglas has guest starred on shows like The Office, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Monk, Punk'd and Jimmy Kimmel Live. Douglas performs live in Los Angeles regularly as well as touring as a public speaker, bringing his unique brand of comedy to conferences like TED, Google's Zeitgeist and South by Southwest.

tPerforming: Wed. June 9th @ 8 pm in "The Armando Show w/ Community's Danny Pudi" in the Mainstage Theater, Thurs. June 10th @ 8 pm in "The Armando Show w/ The Office's Angela Kinsey" in the Mainstage Theater and Sat. June 12th @ 10 pm in "The Armando Show w/ Jimmy Kimmel" in the Mainstage Theater.

12 PM - Mike Betette - The Craig T. Nelson Workshop, AKA "Becoming the perfect Coach."
$26.50 - Register Online

Want to become a coach? Or a better one? Learn the answer to "Why isn't this working and how do I help?" You will be taught specific warm-ups and exercises for working on all aspects of improv (group mind, third beats, plotty scenes, listening, recall, specifics, character work, etc.). We will discuss identifying types of improvisers and how to expand their potential as well as creating and maintaining a healthy team environment, how much side-coaching is too much and when you need to be nice and when it's time for some tough love.

Mike Betette is an improviser living in Los Angeles by way of Chicago. He has performed across the country with Mission IMPROVable and on a cruise ship around the world with The Second City. He currently performs at iOwest with Trophy Wife and iOrep and is a teacher at Mi's Westside Comedy Theater. Mike has co-produced two improv game show pilots for CBS starring Craig Ferguson and was the lead in an improvised film "Hitting The Nuts: The True Story of the 2009 Scott County Series of Poker" due out this summer.

Performing: Tues. June 8th @ 10 pm in "IO Rep Presents: Concept Album" in the Mainstage Theater.

2 PM - Suzi Barrett- Group Games
$26.50 - Register Online

Tired of starting your group games with "everyone get in here"? Good-- because i'm tired of watching them! we'll work on many different group game templates, then throw those training wheels out and push the boundaries altogether. It's time to redefine how we think of this portion of our harolds... which has the potential to be the most creative part of the show!

Suzi Barrett has been performing improv for over ten years-- most notably at io, iowest, UCB, and Boom Chicago in Amsterdam. Now in LA, she performs with iowest house team Sweetness, and UCB house team Sentimental Lady. She's been teaching and coaching in LA for the last 3 years.

Performing: Wed. June 9th @ 9 pm in "A Night of Intimate Harolds: USS Rock N Roll/ Sweetness" in the Loft Theater, and Sat. June 12th @ 8 pm in "Pickle Duck" in the Loft Theater.

4PM - Bridget Kloss - Ladies Only Workshop
$26.50 - Register Online

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.

Performing: Wed. June 9th @ 9 pm in "A Night of Intimate Harolds: USS Rock N Roll/ Sweetness" in the Loft Theater.

Andy Dick Experimental Black Box Theater

10 AM - Alex Fox - MOVEMENT WORKSHOP
$26.50 - Register Online

Taught by Alex Fox (Gypsy Lou, The Jon and Eddie Show), an improviser and dancer who has trained with the Second City Conservatory and Music program, The Annoyance and I.O. Chicago. This workshop is designed to get the improviser out of their head and into their bodies, concentrating on making a physical choice the minute you start a scene as well as finding new ways to use your body in order to create characters. Exercises in the workshop range from smaller character work to moving about the entire space with music in order to get you out of your heads and into your physicality. We will be using the whole performance space as an environment in which to play freely...no prior "movement" experience is necessary!After graduating from Emerson College in Boston Alex moved to Chicago to study comedy at the Second City Conservatory, The Second City Music Program, I.O. (formerly Improv Olympic) and the Annoyance, she now lives in sunny Los Angeles. Currently Alex performs at I.O. West with the Harold Team"Gypsy Lou" as well as performing at I.O. and around LA with her two person improv/sketch/video group "The Jon and Eddie show" who recently did their sketch show at the Comedy Central Stage as well as being selected by BUST magazine's "Los Angeles's funniest ladies show". Alex has previously been seen in Chicago at the Annoyance's production of "Sky Ship" directed by Mick Napier, as well as the New York Fringe Festival "Best Musical" award winning show "58!", previously seen at the Annoyance and as part of the Second City Unhinged Series. She was also featured as the lead lady in the pilot "Almost Funny" in the New York and Los Angeles Television Festivals. Check her out with "the Jon and Eddie show" reviewing movies for the Rotten Tomatoes show in Current TV!

Performing: Wed. June 9th @ Midnight in "A Night of Intimate Harolds: Gypsy Lou" in the Loft Theater.

12PM - Eric Hunicutt- Three's a Crowd, Four's a Cluster*%#$
$26.50 - Register Online

Scenes with more than two people can be tricky - the more people there are onstage, the more information we have to manage. This workshop focuses on working together to build efficient, dynamic group scenes, and how to avoid a stage full of yelling chaos.

Eric Hunicutt has been improvising since he was 15, beginning with ComedySportz in his hometown of Raleigh, NC. Since then, Eric has worked and studied in Chicago and Los Angeles, performing and training with The Second City, Improv Olympic, The Steppenwolf Theater, working in improvised & scripted theatre, sketch comedy, tv, and film - as an actor, writer, director, and teacher. Currently, Eric performs at iO West with Sweetness, tours with Chicago's acclaimed ensemble The Reckoning, and recently premiered an original sketch comedy Sitting at The Grown Up Table. Eric's taught across the country at festivals, theatres, and colleges, and teaches in L.A. at iO West, Warner Loughlin Studios, AK Workshops, The American Academy of Dramatic Art, and Steppenwolf Classes West. For more info: www.erichunicutt.com

Performing: Tues. June 8th @ 10 pm in "The IO Rep presents: Concept Album" in the Mainstage Theater, Thurs. June 10th @ 10 pm in "Sweats presents: 'tards!" in the Mainstage Theater, Wed. June 9th @ 9 pm in "A Night of Intimate Harolds: USS Rock N Roll/ Sweetness" in the Loft Theater and Fri. June 11th @ 11 pm in "The Reckoning" in the Mainstage Theater.

2PM -JD Walsh - NOW WHAT?
$26.50 - Register Online

The scene is going horribly, the scene is going fantastic or the scene just isn't going. This workshop will focus in on the guts of the scene. What is the story? Who is affected by it and what are the consequences of today? We will work on revealing information to your partners and the emotional response that follows.

JD Walsh was the founder of Ultimate Improv in Westwood, CA and has been teaching improv for 16 years in Southern California. JD, a graduate of UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television has performed in over 50 national commercials, TV shows such as CSI, Studio 60, FX's The League and films from Love Liza to Bad Boys 2. In 1999 JD opened Ultimate, a theatre that believes Improv/Comedy does not need to be fast, loud and soulless but instead takes patience, risk and heart. He has been a visiting instructor at the Globe Theater in San Diego as well as teaching improv workshops in Chicago, New Zealand, Boston and New York. JD is currently developing a pilot he wrote with Radical Media as well as producing and judging Improv Olympic's X-ecution.

4PM - Dana Powell - Emotional Exploration
$26.50 - Register Online

Far too often one gets caught up in forms and rules, forgetting the "easy stuff." In this class we'll explore how simply choosing an emotion will get something going in your scenes and prevent you from ending up a bunch of talking heads. You will see how that one simple step can help create a character and/or relationship, and minimize the risk of talking about nothing as you search for a game, wonder what the next scene is, or freeze and burden your partner(s) to rescue the scene. It's simple, fun to do, and fun to watch.

Born and raised in Springfield, MO, Dana received her BFA in performance from Missouri State University. After a year of editing the 10 PM local news, she moved to Los Angeles, enrolled in improv classes, and hasn't looked back. Since then she has been seen in numerous shows at IO West, UCB, Westside Eclectic, and the Groundlings Sunday Company. Dana is a writer, a performer and enjoys teaching and coaching as well. Some of her TV credits include Good Luck Charlie, Kath & Kim, Reno 911, and the highly publicized Emily's Reasons Why Not whose run lasted a single episode. It made history.

Performing: Mon. June 7th @ 9:30 pm in "Harold Competition: Soups You Like! vs. Powerhouse" in the Andy Dick Theater, Tues. June 8th @ 8 pm in "Celebrity" in the Mainstage Theater, and Fri. June 11th @ 8 pm in "The Armando Show w/ Modern Family's Eric Stonestreet" in the Mainstage Theater.

 

The Loft

10 AM - Heath Corson- ALWAYS TAKE THE WATER: PITCHING IN HOLLYWOOD
$26.50 - Register Online

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 sold "Meet the Adventuresons" an animated show to the Disney Channel. Last season, Heath co-created the sitcom "Living With Abandon" and shot the pilot for FBC. He is currently out with the one-hour dramedy "Grass Roots" with Fuse Entertainment and Fox Television Studios, animated sitcom "Think Tank!" with Avalon Entertainment as well as co-creating / executive producing the webseries "Aim High" for Warner Brothers and Wonderland Sound and Vision. 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.

12PM - Anne Gregory - Comedy Video Bootcamp
$26.50 - Register Online

In this two hour workshop, participants will learn the ins and outs of how to make a successful comedy short online. Students will pitch ideas and bring in written shorts and we will talk about how to improve the shorts, produce the shorts and turn their comedy ideas into comedy reality.

Anne Gregory is a writer and actress who has created online content for the Independent Comedy Network, Just for Laughs and Warner Bros. At Warner Bros., she worked at their Creative Lab developing and producing comedy content for the web, focusing on web series but also creating comedy shorts for their website. Working in a small creative community within the larger context of the WB, Anne worked in teams, writing, producing and editing web content. She's ready to take her experience at Warner Bros. to the IOCommunity to get an online community for the amazing talent at IO. She's also an actress whose recent credits include Parks and Recreation and a bunch of commercials, most recently for Hot Pockets and LG Phones. In addition, Anne is an improviser and sketch comedienne, performing at IOWest with Operocka and at UCB with her Harold team Delicatessen and her Maude team Nice Kitchen.

2PM - Dave Hill - Just the Facts: Advanced Scenework Fundamentals
$26.50 - Register Online

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.

4PM - 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.

 

Sunday, June 13th 2010

Main Stage

12PM - James Thomas Bailey - Creating A Song
$26.50 - Register Online

A truly unique workshop that finds the fun in improv singing. Participants will learn tools for improvising songs, including song structure, rhyming, harmony and style. In addition, players will gain genuine confidence while discovering their own voices. Taught in a supportive atmosphere that nurtures both the beginner and more experienced singer. Beautiful voices are not a pre-requisite--in fact, if you're afraid of musical improv, this is the class for you.

James Thomas Bailey is the Artistic Director of ComedySportz Los Angeles and the director of U-sical, LA's longest running improv musical. He was also a member of The Impromptones, a ground-breaking musical improv quartet. In addition to his extensive work in improv, James has produced more than fifty stage productions in Los Angeles. He currently serves as a cultural specialist for the U.S. State Department, president of the World Comedy League and president of the California Educational Theatre Association.

 

2PM - Mo Collins - Character Development
$26.50 - SOLD OUT

Character Development- a starter kit of methods in which to begin developing strong characters for improv and writing.

Mo was born and raised on the dairy and lake trout in Minnesota. She started her improv and sketch career with Dudley Riggs Brave New Workshop in Minneapolis back in 1985. From there she flew south to Orlando in the late 80's to open both the MGM theme park and Comedy Warehouse on Pleasure Island. Mo packed her bags and her son and headed to Los Angeles in 1997 where she landed Mad Tv. She was with the Fox show for 6 seasons giving birth to many unforgetable characters such as Lorraine, Doreen Larkin (Stuarts Mother) Trina and many more. Mo is also known for her impressions on the show perfecting her Jenny Jones, Cher and Shakira, and many more. Post Mad tv, Mo built her credits up with hit shows such as Arrested Development, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Californication. She also created memorable moments in films such as 40 Year Old Virgin (as "Gyna") and Knocked Up. Mo currently resides in Los Angeles with her beautiful teenage son, a three legged cat, a washed up rockstar and a sexy mormon. They call it "The House of Sketch."

4PM - Bob Dassie - Longform Improvisation
$26.50 - Register Online

This workshop will focus on the pursuit of longform improvisation and what our intent is when we hit the stage.

 

Bob Dassie is a writer and performer living in Los Angeles

 

 

Andy Dick Experimental Black Box Theater

12PM - Jean Villepique - MOVE IT
$26.50 - Register Online

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.

2PM - Dave Razowsky - Group Scenes Reduced
$26.50 - Register Online

A group scene doesn't have to be a confusing or feared clusterfunk. Get yourself into that scene! Razowsky's workshop will show how the art of the three-person (+!) scene is simple once it's broken down, leading you to stronger, challenging, surprising, and easy long-form scenes. Start it out right, heighten it, move it forward, and keep it moving. Come join us: we need you!

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 improvisation 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 Fetstival, the Vancouver Improv Festival, and The Kennedy Center. David continues to act and direct professionally in Los Angeles.

 

4PM - Judith Shelton - Longevity in The Business: The INNER WORKshop!
$26.50 - Register Online

Joy is attractive and let's face it, attractive people get hired! Joy is energy-it's that simple. Bring energy into the room and people take notice! If you're burned out, hopeless and uninspired, it's dead energy and it shows. Let me help you rekindle the love you once had with Show Business. I have worked with actors who were about to walk away or at most barely willing to show up. If you have some talent and can hang out long enough, you will work! I've seen it over and over. I will offer some exercises to help you find peace and meaning so your life is not just a waiting game and remind you how much you have to offer even when no one else seems to notice.

NOTE: This is a lecture/discussion workshop. There will be no scene work.

Hi! I'm Jude. I came to Hollywood right after College, in 1989! I did a play and won some awards. Over the years I've studied at The Groundlings School. Completed a 2-year Meisner Program. Started doing Stand-Up, did some on TV. Got my SAG card playing Kramer's girlfriend on Seinfeld. Did more Stand-Up, landed a fancy manager. Got a Series Regular role on CBS' The Gregory Hines Show and hired an entertainment lawyer. Got booted off the show 16 episodes in right after I leased an expensive car. Had a nervous breakdown. Fired manager and lawyer, gave up! Went back to school to become a teacher, but sucked at it. Held 3 part-time jobs totaling $232 a week, slept a lot, ate a lot. Then I remembered I needed to laugh, regularly. Discovered Improv and iOWest. Began hosting RELATIONSH!T which has been running for 2 years in the Mainstage Theater and made 7 national commercials! AFTER 21 YEARS, I'm not rich or famous but, I STILL LOVE THIS BUSINESS AND THE AUDITIONS AND THE BS! I have a lot of Joy. You can too!

6PM - Brian O'Connell - The Art of Mimicry and How It Leads To Nuclear War
$26.50 - Register Online

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.

 

The Loft

12PM - Lloyd Ahlquist - Group Work - More than Clicks and Whooshes
$26.50 - Register Online

This class will attack group work and all its angles with passion, detail and diligence. The course uncovers the magic of the class "group mind" and builds a strong ensemble skill set including several types of openings, organic group games, transitions, pattern work, group scenes and abstract improvisation. These aspects of improv further solidify your reputation as a well rounded performer and adds vital items to your improv tool belts.

Lloyd has been teaching and performing improv full time for the last 10 years. He is a founding member of the acclaimed touring improv group, Mission IMPROVable, is an owner of M.i.'s Westside Comedy Theater and has taught and performed at hundreds of venues all across the country. Lloyd is the coach of the 2009 iO West Harold Competition Champion and Del Close Award winning (Best Harold Team): U.S.S. Rock-n-Roll and last year, was nominated for the Del Close award for best coach. Lloyd currently acts as the Artistic Director and General manager of M.i.'s Westside Comedy Theater where he authored a 6 Level Improv Training Center Curriculum for the WCT Training Center.

2PM - Brian Gallivan - Choose Love!
$26.50 - SOLD OUT!

This workshop encourages improvisers to stop fighting and to find the love and joy in their scenes. When your characters have fun, so will you.

Brian Gallivan grew up in the Boston area where he used to teach middle school language arts. He abandoned that glamorous life to perform improv and sketch comedy at Boston's Improv Asylum. Brian then moved to Chicago where he worked for The Second City, first traveling with their National Touring Company, and then writing and performing four revues as part of their Mainstage Cast. In Los Angeles, Brian currently performs at IO West with Powerhouse, Second City with Ditka, and UCB with The Smokes and Soundtrack.

4PM - James Asmus - Writing For Comic Books
$26.50 - Register Online

In one two-hour session, you can get a crash course in everything it takes to start writing for comic books! The class will cover the structural, artistic, and professional considerations specific to the wildly popular medium of comics and graphic novels. The first half focuses on the unique demands and opportunities of writing in the medium; complete with script formatting, its unique pacing, and how to write for an illustrator. The second half charts the process of getting published, appealing to editors, and how to make money in the industry.

A career writer & performer, was personally drafted into writing for Marvel Comics a year ago. Since then he has written for the comics X-Men: Manifest Destiny, Deadpool Team-Up, Runaways, Nation X, and the sold-out Dark X-Men: The Beginning. He is also developing his first original mini-series for the company. Outside of comics, his credits include the musical Love Is Dead: A Necromantic Musical Comedy which won awards for its runs in both Chicago and New York City. His latest drama, Calls to Blood, enjoyed a sold out run in Chicago and will appear this summer in the New York Fringe Theatre Festi. James is an alumni of iO, The Annoyance, and Baby Wants Candy. He has toured the country with improv group Darby Lane and his sketch trio Hey You Millionaires (voted "Chicago's Best Sketch Group 2008 & 2009" by the Chicago Reader).

6PM - EJ Scott - Adding Depth to Your Improv
$26.50 - Register Online

This workshop will focus on doing more believable and realistic scenes. And will help you get in touch with your character and the other characters on stage, while still maintaining a fun and funny show.

For each person that takes the workshop, 25% of what is paid to take it will be going to charity, specifically The Choroideremia Research Foundation. To find a cure for this rare eye disease that causes blindness. www.curechm.org.

Requirements: Must love improv. Any level of experience welcomed.

E.J. has studied and performed improv for over 12 years in NY, LA and now Chicago. He is an iO West alum as well as a Second City Chicago alum and The Annoyance alum. He has studied with Noah Gregaropolous, TJ Jagodowski, Shelley Berman, Mick Napier, Susan Messing, Matt Besser, Mark Sutton, Bob Dassie and Craig Cackowski just to name a few. Has also studied at The Groundlings, UCBLA, Second City LA. Has been on 5 Harold teams all together and has performed in Messing with a Friend, Armando, Cog, DHT, and Shootin' the Shit that he does on occasion in Chicago with TJ Jagodowski. He is in preparations to start teaching at The Annoyance in Chicago and loves improv more than you do. It's not a competition, but if it were E.J. would win. He is receiving the Chris Farley Award this year at the LA improv Festival and is thrilled to be a part of the festival this year. BTW www.curechm.org

 

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