It's 2020, my friends. And my curriculum needed to get with the times. Goodbye, Dukes Of Hazzard. Goodbye, s/he, his/her, him/her, etc. 2020 brings new exercises, new insights, and new clarifications for teaching. Links have been updated on the Class Materials page, but they're also here. Enjoy!
When asked for a desired focus for a scheduled coaching session, a Duo sent me the following: Mainly character stuff, fleshing them out versus building out more plot. Getting better at finding and sticking to the game of the scene. What follows is some didactic and exercises that filled two hours. DIDACTIC: How do You […]
Watch an improv teacher adroitly introduce an objective to students, explain an exercise they'll do in service of that objective, provide side-coaching, and wrap it all up in the end. The clip comes from a Teacher & Coach Training Session at The Coalition Theater. Want to learn what they learned? Want to lead a similar […]
I recorded the session of my Patterns & Games class at The Coalition Theater in which we tackled the My 3 Rules game I've previously presented as a warm-up. One, the camera's distance makes it hard for the viewer to really track the game in play. Two, oh, man, looking for a drinking game? Watch […]
One Person Scene. Two Person Scene. Three Person Scene. Four Person Scene. Five Person Scene. Six Person Scene. Five Person Scene. Four Person Scene. Three Person Scene. Two Person Scene. One Person Scene. Or... One Person Scene. One Person Scene. One Person Scene. One Person Scene. One Person Scene. One Person Scene. One Person Scene. One Person Scene. One Person Scene. One Person […]
Repetition of an interaction establishes expectations for the audience. These expectations can be played to and against for fun effect. As a precursor to Help Desk Games, the short-form improv game Genres can help us practice pacing in repetition of an interaction, and help us flex our memory muscles. [videopress p2AZlu6o] [wpvideo bLwOT0Yc] [wpvideo oMGPUgED] […]
Repetition of relationship mechanics (“This” then “That”) establishes expectations for the audience. These expectations can be played to and against for fun effect. Looking for a warm-up to practice playing with expectations? Try Foreign Dubbing! [wpvideo O7SmvMk9] Performers are: David Adams, Guy Chapman, Patrice Deveaux, Micah Head, Alan Hopkinson, Nick Lawton, Megan Lemay, Jillian MacDougall, […]
The rhythm with which a game’s mechanic is played helps pace the scene and build it toward an edit. The relationship between “When this happens” “this happens” is useful not only to focus improvisers’ choices but it also connects with the audience. In Short Form, where the mechanics of the “game” are told to the […]
Looking for an emotional matching warm-up? Try Carpool! If we agree, we can just be; we don’t have to explain or defend. Have fun just being emotional together, trusting that your commitment to the same emotion is all the context for your relationship that’s needed. [wpvideo XGLFUBhm] Performers are: David Adams, Guy Chapman, Patrice Deveaux, […]
We want to avoid conflict, debate and negotiation in our improv scenes. The audience knows we're making it up - building something from nothing - they don't want to see us arguing over imagined reality; they want to see us react to an accepted reality. What's the best way to avoid arguing? Acceptance! Agreeing to […]