I have over 20 years of experience coaching and teaching improv comedy. I teach classes at the Peoples Improv Theater, and I’m always delighted to coach or do workshops for you and your group. I’ve prepared the following workshops that best embody my improv performance philosophy.
Listening and Reacting With Emotion
Improv teachers often talk about “listening and reacting.” But this raises the question, “How, exactly, should I react?” In this workshop, we learn to make strong emotional choices which enable us to immediately and impulsively answer the question, “What does my partner’s offer make me feel?” We will discover the fun that can be had from making a strong emotional choice, even (or perhaps especially) in unexpected situations.
Objects Have Power
Object work is vital in a world where we perform on a bare stage with only a few chairs. But object work can do more than just give us convenient neutral props. By deeply engaging with the objects we create, we can discover fun things about our characters and even find delightful opportunities for physical comedy. In this workshop, we will study the basics of pantomime and then use those tools to focus our existing character traits and to discover new entirely new ones.
Building a Character from the Outside In and the Inside Out
Creating fun, vibrant characters is the most fun you can have in improv. But sometimes that task seems daunting. How do you create a complete character with wants and desires and a clear point of view from nothing at all? In this workshop, we will create characters from the “inside out” — from just the tiniest quirks of physicality or vocalization, and from the “outside in” — by embracing and extending the gifts our scene partners give us.
Ready to invigorate your improv? Let’s get to know each other.
