COMEDIA DEL AUSTIN  - Building scenes through improv  (New Course includes Performance)

Actors perform scenarios written by class members.  During the workshop, each scenario will develop into a story consisting of several scenes written for and improvised by those present.

We will use improv techniques to build the scenes, to develop, flesh-out and expand relationships between characters, and to evolve story.  By using solid techniques for committing to the unknown and being in the present moment, actors will find the freedom to make choices that allow them to create more vibrant, real performances.

INTRODUCTION TO GARY AUSTIN

A workshop for those who have never worked with Gary Austin or who wish to refresh their knowledge of improv.   Using games created in the 50's and 60's and practiced by Chicago's Second City, San Francisco's The Committee and the original LA Groundlings, these games are the foundation of American improvisational theatre.  Enrollment is open to all.

PERFORMANCE 101

 In this workshop 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.

 The workshop meets for seven consecutive Tuesday evenings in January and February.  The EIGHTH NIGHT will be a PUBLIC PERFORMANCE.

 While the workshop is open to all experience levels, an interview is required for admittance.  Class size is limited.

ACTING/IMPROV TECHNIQUE
Gary Austin

Even for the finest actors, there are moments where split second choices make all the difference in performance. Learning to be comfortable in those choices is the whole point of learning Improv. This workshop frees the actor to make the right choices-- by committing to the unknown, getting out of her head, and being in the present moment. That freedom allows the actor to create more vibrant, real performance in both improvised and written scenes.

HISTORY OF "THE COMMITTEE" AND "THE GROUNDLINGS"
Gary Austin

What the history of "The Committee" and "The Groundlings" can teach you about success.

What is the relationship of "the industry" to the work we do as actors? How do you find your own voice in a business that seems to inspire more imitation than innovation? How do you succeed by being yourself?

In this lecture and demonstration class, Gary Austin explores the history of these two seminal improv groups, both of which became fantastically successful while being original and true to themselves. Learn about the work of both
companies, how they were created, their relationship with the entertainment industry, and how individuals in both companies moved on to major careers.

GARY AUSTIN performed with the famed improv group, "The Committee" from 1968 to 1971. ("The Committee" performed from 1962 to 1972.) The group included roughly 40 actors during its tenure, including Rob Reiner, Howard Hesseman, Peter Bonerz, Barbara Bosson, Leigh French, Julie Payne, Roger Bowen, Mimi Farina, Hamilton Camp, David Ogden Stiers and Del Close.

After the Committee, Gary founded and was the original director of LA's THE GROUNDLINGS, which will celebrate it's 30th Anniversary in October.

HAROLD
Gary Austin

The Harold is the ultimate long-form Improvisation Performance piece, that incorporates all of the excitement and skill of performing without a net. A Harold is composed of games, scenes, monologues, songs, and ritual, all spontaneously generated by 9-12 actors working together on stage (The name "Harold" has no significance. That's just what originator Del Close called it thirty years ago. Gary was part of the original actors’ group that developed it with him. To learn more, go to http://www.improvcomedy.org/hall/close.html)

Participants in this workshop will learn the Harold form, then perform the Harold under Gary's direction. The class will be divided in 2 to 3 groups, and there will be two or three Harolds, each group performing for the other workshop members.

DEVELOPING CHARACTERS & THEIR VOICES*
Gary Austin and Wenndy MacKenzie

Wenndy MacKenzie is one of the top voiceover talents and coaches in the world. In this workshop, Gary and Wenndy work together to help actors create new characters with unique physical and vocal characteristics, mannerisms and behaviors. Learn to be comfortable with dialect, accents, physicality, and other radical character changes. You'll walk away with characters you can use in your work.
(* - When Gary teaches this alone, it is entitled CHARACTERS)

SOLO & DUO EXPLORATION (formerly called "48th Street Exercise")
Gary Austin

The Solo show has become a staple of American Theater. This workshop has helped actors create solo shows that have gone on to staged performance, but it is also a great way to stretch your character-building skills.

In this workshop, we'll explore extreme physical and vocal changes, creative freedom, emotional depth, sub-text and character to create compelling solo performances. Bring an idea or theme, or we'll help you develop one. Memorized text may be used.

In a recent variant (nicknamed "96th Street"), Gary explores these same concepts with two actors interacting with each other.

OFF BALANCE AND ON TARGET
Gary Austin and Carol Fox Prescott

A multi-dimensional approach to acting where improv techniques, breath work and creative freedom nourish the actor working with or without written text. Gary combines his focus on the actor, playing actions within the reality of the present circumstances, with Carol's unique approach to acting based on breathing, awareness and joy.

IMPROV WRITING AND SCENE BUILDING
Gary Austin

Work with scene building models to develop scripted scenes and plays through improvisation. Methods are those used at San Francisco's THE COMMITTEE and in the early years of LA's THE GROUNDLINGS.

AUDITION/COLD READING WORKSHOP
Gary Austin

Experience joy instead of dread at your next auditions by discovering how YOU are truly enough. Every second of your audition counts. This workshop takes you through exercises on the interview and the cold reading.

Learn how improv comes into play in the interaction between you and those holding the audition. Do you wish you could maximize those first few seconds of an interview that makes all the difference in the world, or do a brilliant cold reading? This is the workshop that will get you there.

WHO EXERCISE
Gary Austin

In this workshop, you will improvise scenes in which some of the improvisers know what must happen in the improv, and improvisers WHO don't know. The actors "in the know" create an environment that enables
those "not in the know" to do what they must do. This is the ultimate scene exercise for any actor!

MUSICAL THEATRE WORKSHOP
Wenndy MacKenzie

Wenndy takes you through the development of a specific character from a musical. Each student comes prepared with the memorized text of his or her character from one scene in the musical, and the song memorized from that scene. Other students read the lines of the other characters.

BRAIN GAMES
Gary Austin

Exercise your brain with improv games that require intense mental focus and spontaneous verbal response. Create the illusion that you think fast on your feet whether you do or not.

SHOWTIME
Gary Austin

Develop original material for projects, including scenes, plays, and solo performance. Create a strategy to produce your own projects.

STORYTELLING

Discover how stories about your life can be developed into show material.

SECRET CUE / WHO

The Secret Cue and Who exercises are improvisations in which actors in a scene have secret tasks and cues that others in the scene don't know about. These two exercises help actors learn to be in response to what's actually
happening onstage.

IMPROV AS AT SECOND CITY, COMMITTEE & GROUNDLINGS

Play games created in the 50's and 60's and practiced by Chicago's SECOND CITY and San Francisco's THE COMMITTEE and by the original LA GROUNDLINGS. These games are the foundation of American improvisational theatre.

These games are the foundation of American improvisational theatre, as practiced by such luminaries as John Belushi, Dan Aykroyd, Gilda Radner, Bill Murray, Martin Short, Peter Boyle, John Candy, Chris Farley, Howard Hesseman, Rob Reiner, David Ogden Stiers, Eugene Levy, Fred Willard, Laraine Newman, Jon Lovitz, Phil Hartman, Lisa Kudrow, Helen Hunt, Avery Schreiber, Ed Asner, Joan Rivers, Will Ferrell... etc... etc... etc....

VOICE-OVER WORKSHOP (with Wenndy MacKenzie)

Wenndy will work with participants on vocal technique applied to stage performance and voice-overs: animation and commercials (characters and straight voice).