Gary Austin Improv

What's New

Performance 103 - Performance

Gary's most recent Performance 103 class will be doing their show on July 29th at The Groundlings Theater. For more details, see the Performances page.

What's New for 2008?

Voice Mail for each venue (for most current information):

Lake Tahoe:  206 856-2669
Los Angeles:  818 503-3571
New York:  212 769-8197
Seattle:  206 781-4279
Washington DC:  301 396-3606

LA - GARY AUSTIN'S IMPROV PERFORMANCE 103 - Create A Show

In this continuation of our work in Improv Performance 102 in Los Angeles,  we will work with improvisational techniques and processes to build scenes and monologues, scripted and semi-scripted.  We will develop, flesh-out and expand relationships between characters. We will create a show from  the work that happens in the workshops - and then perform it in front of an audience.

Prerequisite:  Improv Performance 102 or by permission of the instructor.

About Gary Austin and the Workshops

Improvisational Acting teacher Gary Austin is the founder and original director of THE GROUNDLINGS, Los Angeles' premier character-based improv company, whose alumni include the late Phil Hartman, Will Ferrell, Lisa Kudrow, Paul Reubens (Pee Wee Herman), Jon Lovitz, Jennifer Coolidge, Chris Kattan, Cheryl Hines, Laraine Newman, Kathy Griffin and Julia Sweeney, not to mention GROUNDLING alumni writers, directors and producers who work throughout the world of entertainment.

Gary's students also include Oscar winner Helen Hunt, Jennifer Grey, Helen Slater, Oscar nominee Lindsay Crouse, Tony winner Lillias White, the late Pat Morita (Oscar nominee), Maureen McGovern,  the late Jack Soo, Donna Summer, Loretta DeVine, Keith David, Ed Begley, Jr., Ryan Seacrest and Q'orianka Kilcher.

Drawing on approaches practiced by Chicago's Second City and San Francisco's The Committee, as well as new methods of his own, Gary teaches performance and writing skills in an environment of support and trust. Gary provides workshops for all ages and levels of experience, private coaching, and he develops original projects.

Gary Austin conducts workshops and develops projects around the USA, and his main venues are New York, Seattle, Washington DC and Los Angeles.

Gary was a performing member of San Francisco's famed improv company THE COMMITTEE, where he worked  with SECOND CITY's Del Close. Gary has guest-instructed at SECOND CITY in Chicago and New York.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT GARY

"I would like to thank my acting teachers, Lurene Tuttle, Gordon Hunt, Larry Moss, GARY AUSTIN, for giving me a way to learn about myself and the world and a way to express myself."
-HELEN HUNT (Oscar Acceptance Speech)

"GARY has an uncanny sense of what to toss out when. Within a matter of minutes, a vague impulse would become a rough sketch, and over the days that followed, the rough sketch would acquire definition, specificity, humanity."
-JEFFREY SWEET (author of "Something Wonderful Right Away... A History of Second City," writing in New York's "Backstage)

"The work that I did with Gary Austin in preparation for my audition gave me confidence in my approach to the role, and I was able to retain the choices I had made, especially when shooting the pilot."
__LILLIAS WHITE - Tony Winner (re:  her successful audition for Showtime pilot PRYOR OFFENSES, written by Richard Pryor)

"GARY AUSTIN is an inspired and liberating teacher. I heartily recommend him to anyone in any of the performing arts."
-GEORGE HEARN (Tony & Emmy Winner)

"GARY AUSTIN is a master at seeing where you need work and he lovingly helps you get there. He creates a safe place where you can take chances and dare not to be in control."
-JENNIFER GREY