The Comedy Spot - Arlington, VA

Saturday July 9 - 12:00pm to 2:00pm / $25.00
"VAPAPO" Characters" / Jill Bernard

Jill Bernard offers a character toolkit to give participants the ability to create strong, compelling characters that they can hang onto through the whole scene. This session will focus on using Voice, Attitude or Posture, and Animal, Prop or Obsession to build instant characters. Participants will use these tools to fearlessly initiate scenes, create relationships and find
agreement.

Recipient:
. . .2005 Chicago Improv Festival Avery Schreiber Ambassador of Improv Award
. . .2003 Institute for Community Cultural Development Fellow
. . ."The Queen of Improv in Minneapolis" - Chicago Magazine
. . ."Jill's work is always open-hearted, open-minded, and just spot on." - Jonathan Pitts, Chicago Improv Festival

Saturday July 9 - 3:00pm to 5:00pm / $25.00
"Directing Improv" / Asaf Ronen

Improv may be the most challenging of the performing arts for a director to skillfully mold, and this class will show you how to get the most out of your improvisers whether in a class or a rehearsal. Techniques for creating a lesson plan, orchestrating rehearsals, and giving notes will be explored. Participants will be given the oppurtunity to apply directing techniques through hands on experience, and at the end of the session there will be a Q&A to address personal concerns of the attendees.

Sunday July 10 - 12:00pm to 2:00pm/ $25.00
"Physical Comedy" / Karen Wight,

This class incorporates elements of clowning, mime and environmental work and applies them to improv scene work. By freeing up the body, the student will discover new ways to add depth and urgency to their improv.

Sunday July 10 - 3:00pm to 5:00pm/ $25.00
"Theatrical Styles in Improv" / Karen Herr

Karen Herr co-star of Cherry Bomb and goga, and director of Teen Movie High, is offering a crash course in improvising film styles. Through intensive scene work the class will learn to embody and personify the distinctive "fingerprints" that classically identify film genres such as, Film Noir, Action Adventure, Sci-Fi, Horror and Teen Movies. The class will learn to talk the talk and walk the walk and students will walk away with the tools to paint a layered and filmic improv scene.