Learn how to improvise songs in the moment based on your personal truths, opinions and stories. Practice organic ways of rhyming, creating melody and finding the structure of a song as you go along. In a supportive and relaxed environment we will help you create musical theatre inspired by the styles of Sondheim and Jason Robert Brown and weave rich tales and scenes through teamwork and group mind. Suitable for intermediate to advanced improvisers with zero to lots of experience in musical improv. Ability to sing is not a pre-requisite.
This workshop will highlight what happens to us as performers when a scene becomes scary, offensive, or insensitive, and we freeze or lose ourselves. We explore some approaches to get the agency back when we find ourselves somewhere uncomfortable, tools for improvising mindfully and finding a proactive voice for you and your show. We will learn the SwagHat format. A living room-style discussion, and then we perform scenes inspired by the conversation.
TRIGGER AND CONTENT WARNING: this is a class on scenes when you find yourself dealing with topics of race or socially and politically charged situations - which means it will include discussions and scenes dealing with race, gender* and other very personally sensitive areas and how to move forward thoughtfully, respectfully and meaningfully when you find yourself there.
Multi-generational families always play a big role in Asian societies. Generational Bridges is designed to bring in this cultural perspective from the East. This workshop focuses on building fruitful scenes with relationships across generations. It encourages participants to listen fully, be present in the moment, and support their scene partners to find the "fruits" in our differences and similarities. Improv can create bonds and empathy in unexpected ways, strengthening our connections to one another while reminding us of our humanity.
Fall in love with your scene partner and their characters. This workshop will focus on scenes that don't require you to invent but instead discover the subtle choices that your scene partner makes and then fall in love with those choices unconditionally, flaws and all. From within these simple choices and blind love will emerge the comedy that comes with real relationships.
Too often improv feels like a chore, filled with right decisions and good and bad choices. In this session with Jill Bernard, participants will learn the joy and success that follows doing exactly what tickles them. Please wear closed toe shoes to this workshop.