Character Improvisation

Course details

This PERFORMANCE course combines a variety of improvisation techniques, especially collaborative and character based work, and leads towards TWO performance presentation nights at the end of the class. It is best suited for students with some previous improvisation experience. The course is a step towards the kind of work done in ensemble based theatre companies. At the start of the course we will cover a range of improvisation skills including games, status, and deeper narrative work used for developing scripts. A large portion of the class will be spent developing original characters, and exploring those characters (complete with costume and physical transformation) in various situations. Depending on the nature of the class, we may construct mini "playlets" placing these characters in shaped situations with improvised dialogue. We will also create an interactive game with the audience using characters created from a specific genre such as Film Noir, Cowboy Western, Pirate, etc. The course ends in TWO presentation evenings in the Pearce Centre Theatre venue that will include character based improv in a genre style, as well as improvised sequences using characters developed by the actors during the class process. This course is best suited for students with previous acting experience and REQUIRES PREPARATION OUTSIDE CLASS TIME AND ATTENDANCE AT ALL CLASSES. Required attendence for technical rehearsal during the first performance day from 12:00pm onwards into the evening performance, and from 5:30pm onwards on the second evening. Dive in!