Unlocking Your Character
w/ Elizabeth Byland
It’s time to break the mold of the usual go-to characters and unlock your hidden brilliance. That’s right! You have it all within! We will explore outside our character comfort zones, while utilizing simple physical and vocal exercises. In addition to physical and vocal choices, we will define the character’s world view and how their perspective can influence their behavioral choices within a scene. Be ready to discover and expand your character arsenal!
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Note: It is highly encouraged for the improvisers to wear comfortable clothes they can move in, and bring a bottle of water.
Improv and/or Acting Experience Required
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Sat. 1/28 @ 1:30pm
Chicago Improv for HS & College Students
w/ Chicago veteran Keli Semelsberger
Keli provides a class for novice and experienced teen improvisers alike, focusing on Chicago-style play and teamwork. Keli has worked on Chicago stages and trained under improv greats like Del Close, Charna Halpern, and Amy Poehler. She brings this experience to you... using exercises and games, Keli takes students on a journey that will harness your intelligence, wit and individuality, and focus it into an interactive afternoon of laughter and learning.
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Sat. 1/28 @ 2:00pm
Stand Up: Leave It On the Stage
w/ PJ Barnes
A workshop that will help you to be able to leave it all on the stage. To get up in front of a group of people, be fearless, and begin to build and create your own world for your audiences entertainment. Stand-Up Comedy is to be naked. And being naked is to be free.
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Sat. 1/28 @ 4:00pm
Discovering the Scene
w/ Kevin Shimko
In this workshop presented by the Comedy Arts Theater of Charlotte, students will focus on engaged and patient scene discovery. All of the answers that we are looking to uncover in a scene are found by listening to our scene partners. Through fun exercises and two-person scenework, students will learn (or re-learn) the importance of eye contact, coming in with a point of view, as well as active listening. A lot of times, we put so much pressure on ourselves and our scene partners to come up with the perfect scene or the funniest game. In this workshop, we will try to re-focus that energy into simply listening and responding to our scene partners as we discover the scene together.
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Improv Experience Required
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Sat. 1/28 @ 11:00am
Introduction to Musical Improv
w/ Vinny Valdivia
Music is a great way to express the feelings of your character in an improv scene. In this workshop, you'll learn the basics of musical improv by practice, practice, practice in a supportive, non-judgmental environment. Creating songs in the moment focuses the mind on the present moment, the people around you and your own resourcefulness. Add this powerful skill to your tool box. No previous musical experience or talent needed. Vinny will take people up to their own line of fear and allow them to step over it. He provides a supportive, joyous and safe environment for anyone to explore their own creativity.
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Sun. 1/29 @ 12:00 noon
Freestyle Rap + Beatboxing!
with Vinny Valdivia
Learn the fundamentals of freestyle rapping on your own and in the context of a scene. When words can communicate the emotion of a character there are always other ways to convey the way you feel. Rhythm and rhyming is just one of those ways. Students will also learn the basics of beatboxing. A few simple sounds can go a long way.
No experience necessary!
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Sunday 1/29 @ 2:30pm
