This class will provide personal feedback on numerous aspects of scenic improv.

We will tackle initiations, variety, clear and concise offers helping to build more theatrical scenes. Learn to arm yourself with point of view, physicality and environment to keep scenes interesting for yourself, your partner and your audience.

So much of our scenes are stuck dealing with the future or the past. Characters stuck in relationships that are stagnant and unchanging. Learn how to discover, and listen in real time.

Focus less on what should be happening and more on what is actually happening with your scene partner.

About the Instructors

Adam Cawley is an alumnus of The Second City Mainstage, The Just for Laughs Festival and is a three-time Canadian Comedy Award Winner, including: Best Male Improviser in Canada. Adam has been an actor and writer on Workin’ Moms (Netflix) and a regular on Baroness Von Sketch Show (IFC). Recently Adam appeared on Ghosts (CBS) and performs sketch comedy for The NFL on FOX (FOX). Juuuust before the pandemic Adam was cast in a new improv television pilot project from the creators of Whose Line is it Anyway? Currently Adam performs in 7 minutes in Heaven at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre as well as The Pack and The Westside Comedy Theatre.

Rob Norman is a Canadian Screen Award-winning actor, Second City alumni, and author of Improvising Now: A Practical Guide to Modern Improv. Along with his co-host of the Backline, Adam Cawley, Rob tours the world teaching modern improvisation. He can be heard frequently on Canadian public radio and is the producer of CBC's Personal Best, which Time Magazine calls "easily one of the funniest podcasts on air".

Together, they host The Backline Podcast and perform as RN & Cawls

For improvisers, aspiring sketch writers, screenwriters looking for punch-ups — anyone hoping to unlock creativity through the written word.

The premise is the DNA of any sketch.

Learn the secrets of how to pitch in a writer’s room, what makes a premise hit, how to re-improvise a scene, and how to transform improv into polished “written” pieces.

This is a workshop for improvisers, aspiring sketch writers, screenwriters looking for punch-ups, and anyone who is hoping to unlock creativity through the written word.

About the Instructors

Adam Cawley is an alumnus of The Second City Mainstage, The Just for Laughs Festival and is a three-time Canadian Comedy Award Winner, including: Best Male Improviser in Canada. Adam has been an actor and writer on Workin’ Moms (Netflix) and a regular on Baroness Von Sketch Show (IFC). Recently Adam appeared on Ghosts (CBS) and performs sketch comedy for The NFL on FOX (FOX). Juuuust before the pandemic Adam was cast in a new improv television pilot project from the creators of Whose Line is it Anyway? Currently Adam performs in 7 minutes in Heaven at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre as well as The Pack and The Westside Comedy Theatre.

Rob Norman is a Canadian Screen Award-winning actor, Second City alumni, and author of Improvising Now: A Practical Guide to Modern Improv. Along with his co-host of the Backline, Adam Cawley, Rob tours the world teaching modern improvisation. He can be heard frequently on Canadian public radio and is the producer of CBC's Personal Best, which Time Magazine calls "easily one of the funniest podcasts on air".

Together, they host The Backline Podcast and perform as RN & Cawls.

Explore unique ways to discover, play & heighten the game of the scene! Techniques to play game no matter the style or form of your show.

This class will explore multiple, unique ways to discover, play and heighten the game of the scene: Personal games, satellite games, verse/chorus, second beats and callbacks.

Students will be challenged to try on different techniques that will help them feel empowered to play game no matter the style or form of your show.

About the Instructors

Adam Cawley is an alumnus of The Second City Mainstage, The Just for Laughs Festival and is a three-time Canadian Comedy Award Winner, including: Best Male Improviser in Canada. Adam has been an actor and writer on Workin’ Moms (Netflix) and a regular on Baroness Von Sketch Show (IFC). Recently Adam appeared on Ghosts (CBS) and performs sketch comedy for The NFL on FOX (FOX). Juuuust before the pandemic Adam was cast in a new improv television pilot project from the creators of Whose Line is it Anyway? Currently Adam performs in 7 minutes in Heaven at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre as well as The Pack and The Westside Comedy Theatre.

Rob Norman is a Canadian Screen Award-winning actor, Second City alumni, and author of Improvising Now: A Practical Guide to Modern Improv. Along with his co-host of the Backline, Adam Cawley, Rob tours the world teaching modern improvisation. He can be heard frequently on Canadian public radio and is the producer of CBC's Personal Best, which Time Magazine calls "easily one of the funniest podcasts on air".

Together, they host The Backline Podcast and perform as RN & Cawls.

There's a difference between playing NEAR your scene partner, and improvising WITH another person.

This workshop uses DIRECT ENERGY to create more personal, intimate scenes.

You'll discover information from inside of the scene ... as opposed to "making it up" and forcing ideas upon your partner.

In this masterclass, you'll experience deeper emotional connections (and funnier scenes) through diagnostics, analysis, and critique.

This workshop offer allows students to set their own goals and choose their own intensity of feedback.

About the Instructors

Adam Cawley is an alumnus of The Second City Mainstage, The Just for Laughs Festival and is a three-time Canadian Comedy Award Winner, including: Best Male Improviser in Canada. Adam has been an actor and writer on Workin’ Moms (Netflix) and a regular on Baroness Von Sketch Show (IFC). Recently Adam appeared on Ghosts (CBS) and performs sketch comedy for The NFL on FOX (FOX). Juuuust before the pandemic Adam was cast in a new improv television pilot project from the creators of Whose Line is it Anyway? Currently Adam performs in 7 minutes in Heaven at The Upright Citizens Brigade Theatre as well as The Pack and The Westside Comedy Theatre.

Rob Norman is a Canadian Screen Award-winning actor, Second City alumni, and author of Improvising Now: A Practical Guide to Modern Improv. Along with his co-host of the Backline, Adam Cawley, Rob tours the world teaching modern improvisation. He can be heard frequently on Canadian public radio and is the producer of CBC's Personal Best, which Time Magazine calls "easily one of the funniest podcasts on air".

Together, they host The Backline Podcast and perform as RN & Cawls

This intensive meets 10:00am-1:00pm and then continues 2:00pm-5:00pm.

This workshop explores a body-led approach to improvisation. The touchstones of this workshop are wide ranging: movement principles from Popular and Ensemble Theatre traditions; performance forms such as melodrama, commedia dell'arte and circus; sports and games; and a range of exercises around questions of shape/form, image and the dynamics of the natural world. We then explore what becomes possible when these principles are incorporated into the context of improv.

About Gabe McKinney
Gabe McKinney is a teacher and director whose performance credits include Speigelworld's Absinthe in Las Vegas. His directed Old God, Vol. II and co-created the radio play Pelican Bay Speaks. He was a member of Wet The Hippo and has taught for The Idiot Workshop. He is a former faculty member of Dell'Arte International where he also earned a MFA in Ensemble Based Physical Theatre. Additionally, he has worked as a clown consultant at Ferrari World in Abu Dhabi and Cirque du Soleil's Zarkana.

Improv for TV and Film

John has produced multiple series and pilots for American television but with a twist: all of the scenes are completely improvised. John will explain his path, demonstrate examples and show you how to use pure organic improv to create filmed scenes!

About John Lehr

John Lehr is the star/creator/writer for “10 Items or Less” (TBS), “JailBait” (Sony/Crackle) and “Quickdraw” (Hulu). He created/produced pilots for Fox
(“Team McPhearson”), TBS (“John Lehr’s Movie Club”) and Comedy Central (“Let it Ride”). Script/development deals include “Retreat” (NBC),
“The Loop” (HBO), Troubadour (MTV), “Life on Mars” (Sony/BBC), “King of Beers” (EUE/Sokolow), “Tommy Chong’s Pipe Dreams” (TBS).
Lehr is one of the original Geico Cavemen from the wildly successful commercial campaign. He appeared in dozens of spots, including the first
commercial as a caveman boom operator, the caveman in therapy with Talia Shire, the tennis spot with Billy Jean King, Superbowl spots with Phil Simms and many more.

John has appeared in numerous television series, including “Friends” and was a series regular on “Jesse,” both for Warner Brothers/NBC. His feature film roles include “The Sweetest Thing,” and three Noah Baumbach films, “Kicking and Screaming,” “Mr. Jealousy,” and “Highball.” John’s hosting credits include “News Weasels” for E!; “I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here!” for ABC; CBS’ special “Clash of the Commercials” with co-host Heidi Klum; and “John Lehr’s Movie Club” for TBS.

Lehr’s critically acclaimed “Comedic Lectures” solo performances have had sold out runs in LA and New York. He is also a respected improvisational
performer having worked at the Organic Theater and Steppenwolf Theater in Chicago, the Montreal Comedy Festival, Chicago Improvisational Festival
and multiple venues in Los Angeles and New York. Lehr regularly performs stand-up comedy and MC/Hosts events around the country.

This class is pretty self explanatory. Let’s break improv wide open, take rules out of the picture, and celebrate comedy again. If you’re in your head, this’ll rip it out. Perfect for people who have studied too much and learned too little.

About Susan Messing

Susan Messing graduated from Northwestern University with a theatre degree in 1986. She has been improvising ever since, creating curriculums, teaching and performing for the iO, The Annoyance, The Second City, DePaul University, The University of Chicago, and around the globe.

At the legendary Second City, Susan wrote and performed in two Mainstage revues and directed their National Touring Company. Susan is a founding member of the infamous Annoyance Theatre where she has created roles in over thirty original productions, including Co-Ed Prison Sluts, The Miss Vagina Pageant, and Your Butt. Currently she can be seen there every week in the hit show Messing with a Friend.

In addition, she conceived, co-adapted (with Mary Scruggs) and directed the critically acclaimed What Every Girl Should Know...An Ode to Judy Blume for the Annoyance stage, where she also continues to teach. Susan is an adjunct professor for Loyola University, DePaul University's Theatre School, and The University of Chicago. Her stand-up act with her puppet, Jolly, was featured at the HBO/US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, and on Comedy Central's Premium Blend and NBC's Late Fridays.

What You Need Now

As improvisers, we're constantly trying to grow and stretch our play.  This workshop is gonna challenge you to take things to the next level.  We'll focus in on tight, two person scenework with lots of side coaching and individual feedback.  We'll find ways to stop playing the same kinds of scenes over and over again and find new, rich ways to attack our scenes.  We'll identify our "improv parachutes" that are preventing us from the best work possible, and leave with actionable steps to keep improving.

About Rick Andrews

Rick Andrews is a teacher and performer at The Magnet Theater, and has been studying, performing, and teaching improvisation since 1999. He began improvising with Improv Boston, and continued with a stint in Saint Louis, MO, and has been with The Magnet since 2009. He teaches at The Magnet, at Columbia University in the MFA acting program, and at festivals and companies across the globe.

Narrative Skills

Everyone loves a good story.  And by asking ourselves the right kinds of questions, we can learn to develop our own riveting narratives based on a simple two person scene.  In this workshop we'll be tracking things like needs, wants, hopes and fears to weave compelling threads of story together and create pieces that are as dramatically satisfying as they are funny.

About Louis Kornfeld

Louis is a teacher/ actor/ director and veteran ensemble member at the Magnet Theater in New York City, where he can be seen performing with Rick Andrews in their weekly duo show 'Kornfeld & Andrews.'  He's been improvising since 2003 and has travelled all around the country, playing and teaching in Austin, Vancouver, Detroit and Hawaii, to name a few places.  He's also appeared as a cast member with the Second City as part of their partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line (and is prominently featured in several insurance commercials!).  In addition, Louis has also written numerous episodes of the highly regarded podcast 'The Truth,' including the Sarah Award winning 'The Man in the Barn.'

Improvising Between the Lines

There's always something happening in the quiet parts of a scene.  And that something, whatever it may be, is usually exactly what the scene is really about.  But many of us aren't comfortable with being quiet onstage.  We tend to freak out in those empty spaces.  This workshop is all about cultivating that quiet, befriending subtext, and finding the pleasure and surprise in leaving things (mostly) unsaid.

About Louis Kornfeld

Louis is a teacher/ actor/ director and veteran ensemble member at the Magnet Theater in New York City, where he can be seen performing with Rick Andrews in their weekly duo show 'Kornfeld & Andrews.'  He's been improvising since 2003 and has travelled all around the country, playing and teaching in Austin, Vancouver, Detroit and Hawaii, to name a few places.  He's also appeared as a cast member with the Second City as part of their partnership with Norwegian Cruise Line (and is prominently featured in several insurance commercials!).  In addition, Louis has also written numerous episodes of the highly regarded podcast 'The Truth,' including the Sarah Award winning 'The Man in the Barn.'

Really Really Active Listening

Almost every strong choice on stage can be traced back to listening--listening to your partner, and listening to the choices you've made in the scene. What separates great improvisers is their ability to take every small moment, look, gesture, word choice, tone, pause, movement and use it to intuit even more of their scene partner's headspace. Not just what could be true, but rather what do I think my partner thinks is true? The more of each moment we capture in our awareness, the more powerful our scene work will get.

About Rick Andrews

Rick Andrews is a teacher and performer at The Magnet Theater, and has been studying, performing, and teaching improvisation since 1999. He began improvising with Improv Boston, and continued with a stint in Saint Louis, MO, and has been with The Magnet since 2009. He teaches at The Magnet, at Columbia University in the MFA acting program, and at festivals and companies across the globe.

It takes two to make a thing go right!  It takes two to make it out of sight!  This workshop, taught by two improv besties, is about bringing your improv duo to the next level through bold and diverse character work, listening and noticing each other’s subtleties, and creating a world based on relationships and trust.  Have a duo partner then sign up together! Looking for a duo partner, then maybe you'll find your improv other half!

There will also be a class show the next night on Sunday, January 8th at 8:00 at Clifton Comedy Theatre.

Elizabeth Byland (better known as EB) holds a joint faculty appointment at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va, as the Head of Improv with the School of the Arts and the Director of Applied Health Improv with the Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Care. In addition, she serves on the Board of Directors with ComedySportz Richmond and performs as a company member with Coalition Theatre, founder of her own non-profit organization called Comedy Connects, and a co-founder of Queen City Comedy as a professional film/television actor.

EB provides a unique opportunity for those of all learning abilities, backgrounds, and experiences to learn, grow, play, and express themselves creatively in a safe and positive environment while utilizing the techniques of improvisation. Elizabeth holds a BFA in Acting from Northern Kentucky University and an MFA in Performing Arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design and professional improv training from iO Chicago (levels 1- 5B).

She brings her joyful energy, along with her 12 years of teaching experience and 17 years of performance experience, and a mission to help others reconnect and say "YES" to life!

Currently, she coaches three college improv teams from VCU, and she performs on two duo teams: BABE and Bianchi and Byland. In addition, she’s performed at The Tampa Improv Festival, Cape Fear Comedy Fest, Queen City Comedy Experience, North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival, 2nd Best Comedy Fest, Festivus, Miami Improv Festival, Charm City Improv Festival, VB Comedy Fest, Norfolk Comedy Festival, and the Chicago College Improv Tournament, along with performing at regional theaters across the SouthEast.

Jenn Bianchi is an improvisor, educator, and actor based in the Chapel Hill, NC, area.  She performs weekly with The PIT-Chapel Hill in addition to teaching classes and workshops online with The Peoples Improv Theater in New York City.

Additionally, she is on faculty and a performer with the Queen City Comedy Global Improv project working with students across the globe.  Jenn is an active member of the Southeastern improv scene for the last decade producing multiple festivals in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, as well as leading workshops at various improv festivals.

She is a winner of the Global Improv Projects 3-on-3 tournament with her all-female team Burnett Brigade as well as the ComedySportz Richmond 2021 Spring Rumble Winner with duo partner Elizabeth Byland on the team Bianchi&Byland.

The best way to get out of your own way is to focus on your partner.  "Listen like a thief" will help you believe in your partners deal harder than they can.  When we listen with our whole bodies, not just ears, we will pick on subtle cues to find something wonderful right away and heighten on established patterns.

Jenn Bianchi is an improvisor, educator, and actor based in the Chapel Hill, NC, area.  She performs weekly with The PIT-Chapel Hill in addition to teaching classes and workshops online with The Peoples Improv Theater in New York City.

Additionally, she is on faculty and a performer with the Queen City Comedy Global Improv project working with students across the globe.  Jenn is an active member of the Southeastern improv scene for the last decade producing multiple festivals in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, as well as leading workshops at various improv festivals.

She is a winner of the Global Improv Projects 3-on-3 tournament with her all-female team Burnett Brigade as well as the ComedySportz Richmond 2021 Spring Rumble Winner with duo partner Elizabeth Byland on the team Bianchi&Byland.

It takes two to make a thing go right!  It takes two to make it out of sight!  This workshop, taught by two improv besties, is about bringing your improv duo to the next level through bold and diverse character work, listening and noticing each other’s subtleties, and creating a world based on relationships and trust.  Have a duo partner then sign up together! Looking for a duo partner, then maybe you'll find your improv other half!

There will also be a class show the next night on Sunday, January 8th at 8:00 at Clifton Comedy Theatre.

Elizabeth Byland (better known as EB) holds a joint faculty appointment at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va, as the Head of Improv with the School of the Arts and the Director of Applied Health Improv with the Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Care. In addition, she serves on the Board of Directors with ComedySportz Richmond and performs as a company member with Coalition Theatre, founder of her own non-profit organization called Comedy Connects, and a co-founder of Queen City Comedy as a professional film/television actor.

EB provides a unique opportunity for those of all learning abilities, backgrounds, and experiences to learn, grow, play, and express themselves creatively in a safe and positive environment while utilizing the techniques of improvisation. Elizabeth holds a BFA in Acting from Northern Kentucky University and an MFA in Performing Arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design and professional improv training from iO Chicago (levels 1- 5B).

She brings her joyful energy, along with her 12 years of teaching experience and 17 years of performance experience, and a mission to help others reconnect and say "YES" to life!

Currently, she coaches three college improv teams from VCU, and she performs on two duo teams: BABE and Bianchi and Byland. In addition, she’s performed at The Tampa Improv Festival, Cape Fear Comedy Fest, Queen City Comedy Experience, North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival, 2nd Best Comedy Fest, Festivus, Miami Improv Festival, Charm City Improv Festival, VB Comedy Fest, Norfolk Comedy Festival, and the Chicago College Improv Tournament, along with performing at regional theaters across the SouthEast.

Jenn Bianchi is an improvisor, educator, and actor based in the Chapel Hill, NC, area.  She performs weekly with The PIT-Chapel Hill in addition to teaching classes and workshops online with The Peoples Improv Theater in New York City.

Additionally, she is on faculty and a performer with the Queen City Comedy Global Improv project working with students across the globe.  Jenn is an active member of the Southeastern improv scene for the last decade producing multiple festivals in Charlotte, Raleigh, and Chapel Hill, as well as leading workshops at various improv festivals.

She is a winner of the Global Improv Projects 3-on-3 tournament with her all-female team Burnett Brigade as well as the ComedySportz Richmond 2021 Spring Rumble Winner with duo partner Elizabeth Byland on the team Bianchi&Byland.

Group Mind / Group Games with Ryan Rosenberg

Large group scenes can be some of the most satisfying, or most frustrating thing to be a part of
on stage. This workshop will use group scenes to simplify our ideas and work on communicating
and heightening the parts we like, while also teaching us what half ideas to avoid. Plan to be up
on stage, acting weird, and getting real collaborative. We’ll learn to channel eight brains into one
larger faster funnier brain.

Bio
Ryan has been studying, performing and teaching at the Upright Citizens Brigade theater for the
better part of a decade. He is part of the harold team The Dragons, the sketch/improv team Big
Grande, and is a co-host of the improv podcasts ManDogPod and The Teachers Lounge. He
can also be heard and seen many places around the internet, and on some TV and a few
commercials here and there.

Feel It– Don’t Think It with Jon Mackey

The biggest pitfall of performing live improv is the pressure to think of the funniest thing you
could possibly say in every single moment of every scene you’re in. But let’s be real– that
sucks, and is hard as hell. In this workshop, Jon focuses on emotion as the driver of the scene,
guiding performers away from the intense pressure of invention in favor of the freedom of
reaction.

Bio
Jon Mackey is a Los Angeles based director most recently working as the field director on the The Netflix Afterparty, and Comedy Central late-night show Lights Out with David Spade. 

Previously, Jon has directed a wide range of commercial and digital content for such brands as Amazon, Verizon, Netflix, Warner Brothers, BBC America, Delta Airlines, IFC, FOX, Dockers, Kimpton Hotels & Restaurants, LegalZoom, and charities such as Bloomberg Philanthropies, Communities in Schools, The Prostate Cancer Foundation, MPTF, and more.

He has also directed a boatload of celebrity driven exclusive content for Funny or Die, working with the likes of Bruce Willis, Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Sterling K Brown, Tracy Morgan, Charlie Day, Chris Pratt, Hank Azaria, Tony Hale, Tim Simons, Dax Shepard, Kristen Bell, Rob Riggle, Rick Ross, Mac Miller, Ty Dolla $ign, Lil Jon, Randall Park, Thomas Middleditch, and too many others to list.

He’s also directed, co-wrote, and starred in a 22 minute original comedy pilot featuring his sketch group, BIG GRANDE - with whom he also hosted the hit Earwolf improvised podcast "The Teachers’ Lounge” which recently ended a nearly 5 year run. Visit biggrandewebsite.com for more content!

Jon's dream is to one day be called a sell-out by some punks in a shopping mall.

In this class we'll work on how to be vulnerable when we perform, removing our covers and just existing as our true selves on stage. We'll explore pushing to the point of failure. How to stop fearing it and instead use it as a gift. We'll allow ourselves to truely see the audience and allow them to truely see us. Creating a conversation with them with our choices, and allowing the audience's engagement or lack of engagement to help guide us. We'll work on how to get in trouble with the audience and how to get back out of it. (There will be an hour-long break for lunch)

Bio:

Joel Axelrod studied improv at iO Chicago, UCB, iO West and Now Improv. He studied Clown directly with Aitor Basauri, Stefan Haves, Daniel Passer, Deanna Fleysher, and John Gilkey. He was a founding member of the clown group The Innocents, where they devised and performed a new show every month for over 2 years. He worked with the award winning theater troupe Four Clowns to write and devise “Welcome to Illyria!" and "Shakedown at the Dusty Spur."

He taught Clown and bit creation at "The Catsby Workshops" for over 2 years. He co-founded and co-taught the workshop series "OK Clown" and "Hijinks Class." He developed and taught the Clown 8 week course at Third Coast Comedy Club. In 2022 he's sold out multiple Clownfoolery workshops in Oakland, Nashville and Toronto, with upcoming workshops in San Diego, Seattle, and Philadelphia.

"Your Promise to the Audience" with Carla Cackowski: 

Your character's point of view is the funnel through which they view the world. Playing a strong point of view simplifies your choices so you can focus on your partner as opposed to scanning your brain for the millions of possible "right" things to say. Your first character choice is what you promise the audience and following through on that promise is your objective. Carla will take you through a number of exercises on initiating, exploring, and heightening point of view so you can relax and let your character's voice do all the heavy lifting.

Bio: Carla Cackowski is a writer and improviser living in Los Angeles. She regularly tours across the country with her two person improv show, “Orange Tuxedo”. Carla toured on boats with Second City and performed on Harold Teams at both iO West and UCB Los Angeles. She directed the International Ensemble at the Vancouver Improv Festival in the fall of 2018 and has traveled all over the world teaching and performing in comedy festivals. Carla is an improv teacher at The Second City in Hollywood and is the Training Center Director at Mi’s Westside Comedy Theater in Santa Monica.

Legendary improviser Susan Messing gives a master class workshop with group exercises and tips/tricks that she has learned during her 30 years of teaching/performing improv. Susan created the curriculum for an entire level of classes at iO-Chicago.

Susan Messing Bio: Susan Messing graduated from Northwestern University with a theatre degree in 1986. She has been improvising ever since, creating curriculums, teaching and performing for the iO, The Annoyance, The Second City, DePaul University, The University of Chicago, and around the globe.

At the legendary Second City, Susan wrote and performed in two Mainstage revues and directed their National Touring Company. Susan is a founding member of the infamous Annoyance Theatre where she has created roles in over thirty original productions, including Co-Ed Prison Sluts, The Miss Vagina Pageant, and Your Butt. Currently she can be seen there every week in the hit show Messing with a Friend.

In addition, she conceived, co-adapted (with Mary Scruggs) and directed the critically acclaimed What Every Girl Should Know...An Ode to Judy Blume for the Annoyance stage, where she also continues to teach. Susan is an adjunct professor for Loyola University, DePaul University's Theatre School, and The University of Chicago. Her stand-up act with her puppet, Jolly, was featured at the HBO/US Comedy Arts Festival in Aspen, and on Comedy Central's Premium Blend and NBC's Late Fridays.

This 2 hour workshop will provide a transformative experience for performers to break the mold of their usual go-to characters and unlock their hidden brilliance with three dimensional characters. We will explore outside our character comfort zones, while utilizing physical and vocal exercises that explore space, time, and tempo. 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. Note: It is highly encouraged for the improvisers to wear comfortable clothes they can move in, and bring a bottle of water.

Bio: Elizabeth Byland (better known as EB) holds a joint faculty appointment at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, VA as the Head of Improv with the School of the Arts and the Director of Medical Improv with the Center for Interprofessional Education and Collaborative Care. She serves on the Board of Directors with Comedy Sportz Richmond and performs as a company member with Coalition Theatre. She is a co- founder of Queen City Comedy (the other QC in Charlotte, NC) and works as professional film/televisio actor and on- camera acting coach. EB is from the original Queen City right here in Cincy. She holds a BFA in Acting from Northern Kentucky University and an MFA in Performing Arts from the Savannah College of Art and Design, and professional improv training from iO Chicago (levels 1- 5B).

Currently, she coaches three college improv teams from VCU and she performs on two duo teams: BABE (Richmond, VA) and Bianchi and Byland (RALEIGH, NC). She’s performed at VB Comedy Festival, The Tampa Improv Festival, Cape Fear Comedy Fest, Queen City Comedy Experience, North Carolina Comedy Arts Festival, 2nd Best Comedy Fest, Improv Festivus, Miami Improv Festival, Charm City Improv Festival, Norfolk Comedy Festival, and the Chicago College Improv Tournament, along with performing at regional theaters across the SouthEast. Her next adventure is heading to Spain this July to teach at the Applied Improv Network World Conference.

Amanda Monyhan presents "The Spark", a workshop to ignite your improv, awaken your creativity, and lift your spirits. Don't let a slump dampen your fun. Try Amanda's methods for finding your spark and igniting your flame.

Character Issues

Most improvisers are constantly on the hunt for ways to play better characters. But how do we really inhabit those people we play onstage? How do we keep a character from falling into caricature? In this session you will explore some key pathways to create memorable, durable and funny characters. You will learn to develop characters of observation and characters of reflection. And…. you will develop techniques for finding the humanity in any character you play.

About Mark Sutton: Mark Sutton has been performing and teaching improvisation for nearly three decades. In 16 years with The Second City, he has been a performer, director and teacher in both Chicago and Toronto. For the past 8 years, Sutton has traveled the world with Second City Works bringing the joyful work of improvisation to the corporate and academic world as an actor, event host and facilitator. His clients include GE Healthcare, Major League Baseball, McDonalds and Yahoo. In addition to The Second City, Sutton is a founding member of Chicago’s acclaimed Annoyance Theatre, and he has taught and performed in comedy venues and festivals across North America.

Power Improv Toolkit
In this workshop I will share with you tools for Impro scene and character work. My toolkit is made up of tools and techniques from my more than 40 years of experience with improvisation. The aim is to help improvisers move from negative feelings, or areas of defecit when they play (anxiety, weakness and confusion), towards a powerful connection to self, scene partner and scene. Students are invited to share issues they are facing in their impro lives at the beginning of the intensive and I will provide tools & exercises to help them, with both behavior and mind, and lessons that can be applied immediately in everyone’s impro play.

About Joe Bill
Joe Bill is widely regarded as one of the best teachers of Scenic and Comedic Improvisation in America today. He is one of the founding members of Annoyance Theater Chicago where, for 12 years, he performed in and/or directed more than 60 different shows. He is the Director of Corporate Training at iO Chicago and is a Guest Artist in Residence at The Second City Training Center where he teaches intensives in Duo Improvisation and Improvisation for Actors. Joe first learned Improvisation and in 1977 studied and worked with Del Close from 1985 through the mid 90’s.

Joe is ½ of the original improvised Monoscene (we used to call it “Real Time”), BASSPROV with Mark Sutton, (Annoyance Theater Co-Founding Member and Artistic Director for Training and Development at The Second City). They have been heralded by the NY TIMES: "BASSPROV refreshingly has the feel of a quiet character study...jokes emerge organically, using wordplay, character quirks and quicksilver wit."

Joe tours all over the world, teaching and headlining with extremely talented Duo partners like Jill Bernard (Huge Improv Theater – Mpls.) in their hit show SCRAM!, with International Improv Legend Patti Stiles (AD - Impro Melbourne) in their groundbreaking show Our Play, Stacey Hallal (Curious Comedy Theater – Portland, OR) in Stacey & Joe and We Slept Together, Heather Urquhart (Improviser/Director The Maydays & Showstopper The Improvised Musical – London/U.K.) in their magical improvised Musical Blues Hammer (with the stupendous Joe Samuel on Improvised Orchestra) , with Lee White (CRUMBS – Winnipeg, Berlin) in their heroic Duo show PARADIGM and with David Razowsky (Host A.D.D. Comedy Podcast) in Razowsky & Bill. He’s played with many other Duo partners, in the U.S. and abroad, in many Festival Ensemble shows and in every improvised format and/or style imaginable. For the last 6 years he has also been teaching and performing in French, in many cities in France, Belgium & Luxembourg. He is living his dream!

He has played as a guest in Play Unscripted with ImproTheatre L.A., Grand Theft Impro at Impro Melbourne (Australia), The Scene at The PIT in New York City and UCB in L.A., with Let’s Have A Ball and ASSSSCAT 3000 at UCB Theater in New York & L.A. and with Kornfeld & Andrews at Magnet Theater in New York City.

He has performed, directed, taught and served as an Artistic Adviser for a number of Improvisation/Comedy Theaters & Festivals all over North America, Europe, Australia and South Africa and at every major Improv Festival in The United States.

Keeping it Real
In this workshop we will work from telling real stories from our actual lives and then transferring elements of those into the monologues from the brains of characters that we can improvise. We’ll play with characters that are “close to ourselves” and end the workshop stretching into the crazy, absurd or fucked up characters that seem a world away from our actual selves. All characters we play when we improvise are more compelling when they have at least a little bit of “us” in them. I’ll show you how to do that and give you reps in the workshop to practice bringing those sensibilities to the characters you play going forward in your improv life.

About Joe Bill
Joe Bill is widely regarded as one of the best teachers of Scenic and Comedic Improvisation in America today. He is one of the founding members of Annoyance Theater Chicago where, for 12 years, he performed in and/or directed more than 60 different shows. He is the Director of Corporate Training at iO Chicago and is a Guest Artist in Residence at The Second City Training Center where he teaches intensives in Duo Improvisation and Improvisation for Actors. Joe first learned Improvisation and in 1977 studied and worked with Del Close from 1985 through the mid 90’s.

Joe is ½ of the original improvised Monoscene (we used to call it “Real Time”), BASSPROV with Mark Sutton, (Annoyance Theater Co-Founding Member and Artistic Director for Training and Development at The Second City). They have been heralded by the NY TIMES: "BASSPROV refreshingly has the feel of a quiet character study...jokes emerge organically, using wordplay, character quirks and quicksilver wit."

Joe tours all over the world, teaching and headlining with extremely talented Duo partners like Jill Bernard (Huge Improv Theater – Mpls.) in their hit show SCRAM!, with International Improv Legend Patti Stiles (AD - Impro Melbourne) in their groundbreaking show Our Play, Stacey Hallal (Curious Comedy Theater – Portland, OR) in Stacey & Joe and We Slept Together, Heather Urquhart (Improviser/Director The Maydays & Showstopper The Improvised Musical – London/U.K.) in their magical improvised Musical Blues Hammer (with the stupendous Joe Samuel on Improvised Orchestra) , with Lee White (CRUMBS – Winnipeg, Berlin) in their heroic Duo show PARADIGM and with David Razowsky (Host A.D.D. Comedy Podcast) in Razowsky & Bill. He’s played with many other Duo partners, in the U.S. and abroad, in many Festival Ensemble shows and in every improvised format and/or style imaginable. For the last 6 years he has also been teaching and performing in French, in many cities in France, Belgium & Luxembourg. He is living his dream!

He has played as a guest in Play Unscripted with ImproTheatre L.A., Grand Theft Impro at Impro Melbourne (Australia), The Scene at The PIT in New York City and UCB in L.A., with Let’s Have A Ball and ASSSSCAT 3000 at UCB Theater in New York & L.A. and with Kornfeld & Andrews at Magnet Theater in New York City.

He has performed, directed, taught and served as an Artistic Adviser for a number of Improvisation/Comedy Theaters & Festivals all over North America, Europe, Australia and South Africa and at every major Improv Festival in The United States.

The Awesome Power of Commitment: Want to dig deeper, be more grounded, connect more, explore more, heighten more? Then you HAVE TO COMMIT MORE!! This workshop will show you how freeing total commitment to your choice can be. You will go where you don’t want to go and see how great it is to play there. You will leave more vulnerable and invincible than ever before. Vulnerable and invincible? Sounds weird…really works.

About Mark Sutton: Mark Sutton has been performing and teaching improvisation for nearly three decades. In 16 years with The Second City, he has been a performer, director and teacher in both Chicago and Toronto. For the past 8 years, Sutton has traveled the world with Second City Works bringing the joyful work of improvisation to the corporate and academic world as an actor, event host and facilitator. His clients include GE Healthcare, Major League Baseball, McDonalds and Yahoo. In addition to The Second City, Sutton is a founding member of Chicago’s acclaimed Annoyance Theatre, and he has taught and performed in comedy venues and festivals across North America.

Second City teacher and Chicago improv stalwart Kevin Reome teaches this month’s supercharge workshop. Kevin will use non-sequiturs as a way to bring richness, texture, and unique qualities to your improv. Check it out!

IC Executive Director Jon Ulrich has a new recipe for a great improv scene, and it involves six ingredients. Come learn what they are and try the recipe for yourself. Workshop will involve lots of reps and feedback for two person scenes.

Includes 8 Hours of Instruction

12:00 - 4:00pm

and

6:00 - 10:00pm

Rich Talarico wrote Key & Peele favorites; Substitute Teacher, Kareem and Jahar, Dueling Hatz, Racist Zombies, Teaching Center, and many more. Rich has also written/produced “Review” for Comedy Central, FOX’s “MADtv,” NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” as well as “The Tonight Show w. Jay Leno.” Rich wrote on the NBC Must See TV: Tribute to James Burrows as well as NBC's Red Nose Day and NBC's New Years's Rockin' Eve hosted by Ryan Seacrest. Rich produced and wrote comedian Frank Caliendo's “Frank TV“ for TBS. Rich was a writer/performer on “The Sketch Pad” for HBO. Rich did script punch-ups on the feature films “Mean Girls” and the Oscar-winning “Get Out.”

Rich took his first improv class from Stephen Colbert at Chicago’s Second City in 1992 and then did a stint on the road with Second City’s National Touring Company performing "The Best Of The Second City." Rich co-created five original sketch comedy revues with Second City's Etc. and Main Stage Companies. While in Chicago, Rich worked extensively at Improv Olympic (now iO) under the direction of Charna Halpern and the late, Del Close. Rich performed with the early casts of Chicago’s longest running improv show: “The Armando Diaz Experience, Theatrical Movement and Hootenanny,” and performed on iO house teams “Mr. Blonde” and “Faulty Wiring.” Rich co-created the scripted hit parody "The Roof Is On Fiddler" with TJ Shanoff and co-created the long-form improv shows “Strap Heads,” “Trio,” “Close Quarters” and “Dasariski.”

As an actor, Rich has appeared on Comedy Central’s "Review,” "MADtv," “Late Night With Conan O’Brien,” and the feature film “High Fidelity.” Rich has appeared in numerous TV commercials, most notably A&W Rootbeer’s classic ad, “Mr. Dumass.”